The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-11


But to resume Our division was IN the
front line. on the left of Pickett. and
prolongation of the same line. The cor
resnondent must have taken us for the
support. which / am sorry to say, dld not
come. This is the only charitable con
struction that can be placed on his aser-
tions.
"Our brigade (Pettigrew's) was on the
right of the division, our regiment (26th)
on the right of the brigade, consequently
Immediately on the left OF Pickett When
we started we were on the diameter OF
q circle and as we advanced, Pickett
followed the arc of the circle, necessarily
rather contracting the lines toward the
centre. We all moved off in as magnlh-
cont stvle as | ever saw. When we had
crossed about half the intervening space
the enemy opened upon us a tremendous
shower of grape and canister; but on we
dashed. our brigade and Pickett's men.
81 could see nothing of the rest OF our
division, as they were too far to the le1t.
Nv whole attention was directed to our
own brigade and Pickett's DIVISION as we
had been ordered to keep dressed to the
right When we had gotten about 200
wards of the enemys works, we COM
menced firing, but still advancing. The
storm of lead which now met us is be-
yond description. Grape and canister in
termingled with mines and buckshot. The
smoke was dense, and at times | could
scarcely distinguish my own men from
Pickett's; and to say that any one a mile
off could do so is utterly absurd. On we
pushed, and were now right on the
enemy's works, when we received muir
derous fire upon our left flank
81 looked to see where it came from
and 10! we were completely flanked upon
our left, not only by infantry but artillery.
The brigades on the left were Archer's,
Davis and Brockenbrough of the same
(Heths) division. Here candor compels
me to admit that one of the brigades OF
our division had given way the enemy
had seized upon the gap, and now poured
a CALLING fire into our left, which COM
PEELED the troops to give way in success
sion to the right. What could we do now?
At the very moment / thought victory
ours | saw it snatched from our hands.
With no support upon the left, | asked
myself what should we do. | had only
about sixty men left in my regiment, and
that small number diminishing every mo-
ment (the other regiments had suffered
as badly. The order came from the right
to fall back. We did SO at the same time
with Pickett. The day was lost.
you must observe, / do not attach any
blame to Pickett | think he did his duty:
and if he did we certainly did ours; be-
cause | know we went as far as he did,
and, | can safely assert, some distance
beyond, owing to the shape of the enc
mys works which ran backward in our
front, in the form of a curve, and which
compelled us to go beyond where Pickett
was, already at their works, in order to
reach them ourselves.
THE color bearer of my regiment was
shot down while attempting to plant the
flag on the wall / will here mention q
remark made to me afterwards by Gen
eral Pettigrew. With tears in his eyes
he spoke of the loss of his brigade, and
then remarked MY noble brigade had
gained the enemy's works, and would
have held them. had not IS brigade
(naming the brigade) on the left given
way OH had they known the conse-
quences that hung upon their action at
that moment they would have passed
on.
cit is we'll to remember here that
while Pickett's men were perfectly fresh
having never fired a gun, having just
come up our brigade had been terribly
cut up on the first, especially two of the
regiments The 26th, which went into
action on the ST. 500 strong, on the 3rd
only had for duty 230 men, and not officers
enough to command the companies. If
some troops can gain SO much credit for
being defeated is it not strange that
nothing is said of us, when we drove line
after line of the enemy from their posi-
ton like sheep, and pursued them for
two miles. What | say of our brigade l
might say of the whole division.
mo troops ever fought better than
ours-we were engaged for hours with
five times our number, and routed them
completely, but our loss was fearful Our
major general was wounded the first day.
Captains and lieutenants were in COM
mand of regiments on the 3rd, still we
were put in the front rank, the port of
honor, and not in support, as the En-
qurer has it, when there were other
troops comparatively fresh, who might
have taken our place. Does not this show
the confidence of our general in us?
"Then look at our losses, which, leav-
ing out of account the first day, greatly
exceed those of any other troops. Had
General Heth not been wounded, or had
the lamented Pettigrew lived, they could
have told a tale that would have made
those blush who are now trying to bear
off honors so nobly won by others. But,
alas, we have not even enough left to re-
flute the foul columns of those who basely
endeavor to pluck from our brows the
laurels placed there at the sacrifice of so
many of our noble companions.
THAT we still retain the confidence of
our commander is shown by our being
placed as rear guard the part of honor,
while the other troops were safely cross
ing the river CPotomac). 1t was here
(Falling Waters) in an attack made upon
our lines that the brave Pettigrew fell,
while setting an example of heroic cour-
age and presence of mind, to those who
had followed him unfaltering through SO
many dangers and hardships. In him the
brigade sustained its heaviest loss. In
him, our State lost one of her brightest
stars, and the Confederacy one of her
ablest defenders.
''The above is a hasty sketch of facts.
If they will be of any use to you in your
noble endeavor to refute the SANDER on
the brigade, you are at liberty to use
them as you see fit. In conclusion, al
low me to subscribe myself.