The National tribune., 1901-09-26
---L-A

larger part of the brigade, which contin
ued its movement well to the left, leavin;
some space intervening between it ant
Pettigrew's Brigade. EEl
| The position of the troops Just befor,
| the final charge was: Pickett's line wa!
in front of a part OF the projecting wall
with Kemper's Brigade, extending to thu
right of it, covering the front of the Fed
eral brigades of Hall and Harrow. Ar
chers Brigade was in front of the rest
Of the projection, and along with Petit
Crews North Carolina Brigade extended
in front of the retired wall, with Scales
Brigade coming up in the rear, while
Lane, with nearly four regiments, was
some distance TO the left
On the right Pic ett command had
crossed the pike, while the line farther tC
the left had yet to pass it.
EFFECTIVE ARTILLERY FIRE.
the fences inclosing this road, the OBJ
struction tended greatly to break up their
alignment. Many were killed and wound
ed there and others sought protection
from the fearful fire by lying in the road
The column advancing beyond the pike
was thus considerably weakened, and es
pecially was this the case on the center
and left where the road ran clear to the
stone wall and was stoutly held by the
front line of the enemy. Pickett's troops,
however, crossing at a point nearly a
quarter of mile distant from the enemy S
works, escaped the full effect of this dam
aging obstacle and maintained n more per
feet organization. And in like manner
the right of the Confederate column had
the good fortune of not being subjected
to similar artillery fire to that which
moved down the ranks of Pettigrew' S
command.
1t is narrated by Gen. Doubleday that
all of the artillery supporting Webb's Bri-
gade, which, being the right of Gibbon's
Division, held the projecting wall, being
destroyed, except one piece in Gushing S
Battery, which was in rear of Webb s
right, and nearly all of the artiherymen
Confederates came close, Gushing, himself
mortally wounded, with his bowels pro-
truding, exclaimed, webb, / must have
one more shot at them" and caused his
piece to be run down to the stone wall
and fired, Immediately expiring. This in
cident not only illustrates how Pickett S
Division during its advance fortunately es-
capped the artillery fire that was so eff
fective against Pettigrew's troops, but ac-
counts for the presence of q gun at the
angle where Maj. Engelhard subsequently
found it. A few moments later a fresh
battery reached Webbs left and opened
a murderous fire on Pickett; charging
column. Col. Peyton, who came out of
the fight in command of Garnett's Bri-
gade, in his official report, speaks of hav-
ing routed the advanced line of the Fed
eral infantry 100 yards in front of the
stone wall, and says:
up to this time we had suffered but
little from the enemy's batteries with the
exception of one posted on the mountain
about one mile to our right, which en-
tiladed nearly our entire line with fearful
effect. Having routed the enemy here,
Gen. Garnet ordered the brigade for
ward, which was promptly obeyed, load
ing and firing as they advanced. From
the point it had first routed the enemy the
brigade moved rapidly forward toward the
stone wall, under Calling fire, both from
and infantry, the artillery using
grape and. canister. We were now within
about 70 PAGES of the wall, unsupported
on the right and left; Gen. Kemper being
some so or 60 yards behind and to the
right, and Gen. Armistead coming up in
our rear.
Our line, much shattered, still kept
up the advance until within about 20
PAGES of the wall, when for a moment
they recOiled under the terrific fire they
poured into our ranks, both from their
batteries and from their sheltered infan-
try. AT this moment Gen. Kemper came
up on the right and Gen. Armistead in
the rear, when the three lines joining in
concert rushed forward. His strongest
and last line was instantly gained, the
Confederate battle-fag waved over his
iefenses, and the fighting over the wall
became hand-to-hand and of the most des-
perate character, but more than half hav-
ing already fallen, our line was found
too weak to rout the enemy. We hoped
for support on our left (which had start
ed simultaneously with ourselves), but
hoped in vain. Yet a small remnant re-
manned in desperate struggle, receiving a
ire in front, on the right and on the left,
many even climbing over the wall and
lighting the enemy in his own trenches,
until entirely surrounded, and those who
were not killed and wounded were cap
tured, with the exception of about 300
who came off slowly but greatly scat
.ered--the identity of every regiment be-
ing entirely lost, every regiment COM
nander killed or wounded"
Go be continued)