The National tribune., 1900-09-20


had followed Carr to our main line.
Wright actually pierced that line on on
right, and had he been supported. as wa
designed by the brigades of Posey an'
Malone, and the division of Pendc:, TIL
peril to our army would have been ex
IRENE But the hour was 1:45 and dark
ness was approaching, and neither Hill
nor Lee, who were among them, wouit
give the order to launch them. Pender
fastening to the right of his line for the
purpose undoubtedly of leading it against
the enemy. was mortally wounded by {
shell. while Lane. who succeeded him il
command, would not take the response
bility of moving without 2 direct order
from Hill.
As it was. Wright was hurled back 10y
Webb's and STANDARDS Brigades of the
Fourth and First Corps, in which affair
our brethren of the Goth participated.
Perry could not advance his support
through the terrible fire which met him.
while Wilcox left 500 of the LEGO who
composed his command, from the fire OF
our brigade, ana Cars on his left, and
from Hancock's reserves on his right, into
which he had penetrated. Barksdale's
Brigade, after fight with Willard, re
treated, with both commanders stretched
upon the field. The remaining troops,
both of our own and the enemy, were ex-
hausted, and the fight of the second day
closed with McCanGless's Brigade of the
Fifth Corps holding the ground to our
front as far as the Troste House, in the
immediate vicinity of the line of Wof-
ford stretching across the hiillerton Road.
while the brigade of Barksdale was prac-
tically ruined, according to his words
when dying in our lines.
BARKsDALE's OPERATIONS.
As this is the first opportunity which
has ever been presented to me of reporting
the action of the regiment which it fell
on my lot to lead on that eventful day,
have saved sufficient space to call up wit
nesses to the truth of the narrative.
In the face of the improbabilty that
occurrences such as | have been relating
should have escaped the notice of the his
torians of this conflict, l oppose the fact
that no explanation has been given by
them of the operations by Barksdale from
$50 to ia o'clock, except vague ailu-
sions to artillery. We were under its fTc
about two hours, and it did not stop our
marching or any other marching that
know of at the battle of Gettysburg.
In history, Barksdaie disappears at $50
O'Clock, to reappear again at ia o'clock,
marching down the right bank Of Plum
Run, where he encounters Willard, after
marching a distance of 500 yards on open
ell
The regiment relieving us was an IN
known regiment to me. and none of our
men can even now locate it. 1t is rea-
sonable to suppose that it was a regi
ment of Wizards Brigade, Second Corps
to which we confdcd the care of Banks
dale's Brigade. The brigade was COM
posed of four New York regiments that
Hancock had thrown in to support Hum
phreys. As Willard and Eliai;im Sheriff.,
his successor formerly from our County,.
were both killed, we may well believe
Barksdaes words that his was the finest
brigade in the Confederate service. 1t is
well to remark at this place that the dis
comfture of Barksdale was precipitated
by charge from our rallied brigade.
Doubleday says that the angle of the
Peach Orchard was broken at $50 o'clock,
at which time Sickies was wounded and
Graham also wounded and a prisoner.
Birney assumed command of the corps,
and ordered Humphreys to move his left
wing back to form a new obiique line
to the ridge in connection with Birneys
Division. Humphreys, up TO the loss OF
the Peach Orchard, had not been actively
engaged; but now he was obliged. while eX
ecuting the difficult manuverS of n change
from front TO rear, TO contend with Banks
dale's Brigade of Laws Division on his
left at the Peach Orchard.
This statement is literally correct, be
cause Humphreys was there with our regi-
ment and with ours only.
Gen. Hunt, in his Second Day at Get
tysburg," in the Century for December
1886, says that 'the angie was towards 6
O'Clock broken IN after q reSolute defense
and with great loss on both sides In
the meantime three OF Anderson's hri
gades were advancing on Humphreys and
the latter received orders from Birney, |
now in command of the corps, to throw
back his left, from an Oblique line in
his rear and connect with the right of
Birney's Division, then retiring"
A DARING CHANGE
De Trobriand, in his history, says that
Tthe position OF Gen. Humphreys was
grayely compromised. The rebels on dis |
lodging Graham from tie Peach Orchard
had outfanked his left and they We're NOV
ing against him to attack his front at the |
same time. Then with splendid coolness
under Il terrible fire he effected change |
of front without ceaSing to carry on the |
combat: his left extended toward Little |
Round Top i'll the direction where Birney |
wished to form new line. This dan |
gerous movement could not have been car |
ried oct except with troops extremely |
hrm and at the cost of great sacrifices. |
Humphreys effected it without confusion. |
but nearly one-half his men remained OH |
the field" |
The simple truth is that our regiment |
alone executed that maBuver, and that |
Humphreys and Brewster. our brigade |
commander, Immediately took positions be- |
hind our regiment.
The Comte de Paris says: whilst |
Barksdale lcayes Humphreys almost be- |
hind him, Wilcox and Perry advance d. |
rectly against the front Of the latter, |
while further on Wright menaces his |
flank. Ii is now O'Clock Humphreys
has only two brigades with him (Carr's |
Brigade and our regiment were all that
he had) His left is turned, his right. |
poorly connected with the Second Corps.
lis only covered by two regiments of Uar-
rows Brigade. and three strong brigales
are on the WAY to attack him. BiIney
orders him TO fall back, keeping his left
from participating in the movement and
bringing his right back to the Second
Corps. His movement is accomplished