The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-07-04
GETTYSBURG.
CHARGE on THE ANNIVERSARY OF THr
VnCC
BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.

-
first saw the light Of day during the
trying times Of the Recon ~truetion
Period, and the first words ny BABY
lip, learned to utter we're. "Ilurral
for Hampton.
The war clouds had long yani,hc4
~worIs had been turned into lcapinr-
hooks and, "Ihcrc were ,lomcs of
white blossoms where ,wcllcd the
white tent. There were plows in the
tracks where The war wagons went.
But for five and-twcnty years have
listened 10 tales Of personal hcroism
and bloody battles fought over anew.
Thus have | learned my history and
Gained my knowledge Of the STORY cf
the glory of the Bonny, Bonny Flag,
and thus have learned to revere it,
folds and to do honor to those who fol
lowed its fortunes.
Poets have sung songs Of deeds Of
daring, and men Of intellect have
fingered long upon themes Of manly
endurance, but few, how few, tell the
true story Of the heroes Of our South
land who faced the cross fires Of
mighty hosts icrccr than those that
swept Gchcnna hills.
Tcnnyson has immortalizcd Balak-
lava, Hugo paints Waterloo in unfad-
ing colors, and the valor of Grccian
phalaDX and Roman legion live for
ever in song and in story. Washing
Ton $ patriots get full honor for all
their achievements, but no historian
has yet rI-cn who does justice to our
Lost Cause nor no poet has yet
snatchcd the names Of its heroes from
oblivion to Immortality.
Thirty seven years have rolled by
since Lees veterans faced their first
great defeat. and there is nothing in
thc warm sunshine Of this July morn
ing to indicate that this is the ami
versary of the most terrific struggle
that ever shook the American Cont
ncnt.
Thirty seven years ago to day, at
1890, from the scmicirclc Of ridges in
front Of Gettysburg, the shrill shrek
of Whitworth gun pierced the air.
1t was the signal for the beginning of
u movement which was-to decide the
fate Of the Confcdcracy. Instantly
two hundred other cannon, ready
amounted and in position, bclchcd forth
their indignation. The very earth
trcmbled in the concussion as in some
violent earthquake, and hills and
rocks seemed to reel like drunken
men. The enemy replied as best they
could, and for two hours the air was
alive with shells. "Thc shrek of
shrapnel, the crash of falling timber,
the fragments Of rock flying through
the air, shattered from the cliffs by
solid shot, the splash Of bursting shell
and the fierce ncighing Of wounded
artillery horses, combined to give the
scene grandeur that was awful in it's
sublimity, and caused strong men,
leagues away, to turn pale with terror
The crisis lad come for a decisive
movement, and Gen. Lee knew it.
While attempting to silence the enc
lny's artillery, he had ordered Gen.
Longstrcct to move Pickett's Division
into position opposite the Federal left
center. With this force he meant TO
crush the Federal center, capture Lit
tic Round Top and separate the two |
wings Of tic enemy Pickett's Divi-
sion consisted Of fifteen Virginia regi-
ments. but, as ! have heard from ac- =!
tual contact with the survivors, they
were the very flower Of Confederate
infantry and worthy scions of Old Vir-
ginia. They knew the work cut out
iser them, and like heroes they stood |
ready to do their duty, and nerycd |
themselves for the terrible shock
which they knew was coming. Al
though brought upon the field Of Get
tysburg as fresh troops, they were
true and tried, and we'll seasoned in
thc fame of battle. They had faced
death at Seven Pines and Gaines
Mill and borne the brunt at Fred
cricksburg. His Division consisted
Of three brigadcs, under the COM
mand Of Garnet, Kemper and Armi-
stead. Kemper and Garnet were to
lead the advance, with Armistead to
follow close behind them. Pettigrew 8,
Division was to cover the left flank
and Wilcox protected the right.
His men lay quietly in clump Of
trees opposite the objective point,
and chafed at the delay, until at 2
o'clock the cannonade suddenly lulled.
u