The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-09-22

it is much less to be dreaded than the
"blue whistlers" from the musketry. So
it was at Gettysburg A number of Union
gun carriages were ruined, caissoIs
blown up, and now and then a soldier
hugging the ground was struck and torn
to pieces; but there was no important
weakening of the Union infantry lines
and the manner in which General Hunt
saved his artillery for the crisis he fore
saw has already been mentioned.
AS soon as the cannonade ceased the
Confederate infantry moved forward to
the assault. Only the three brigades of
Pickett were fresh troops. All the other
brigades had participated in the fighting
of the previous days and suffered heavy
losses. Both their division commanders
Heth and Pender, had been wounded the
latter mortally. Three brigades were
without their brigaders, Scales having
been wounded, Archer taken prisoner. and
Pettigrew placed in command of Heth's
division. Many Colonies and other field
officers and long list of Company Off
GERS had been killed and wounded, and the
losses from the ranks had been heavy
in most OF the regiments and extraordin-
airy in some, the 18th North Carolina. for
instance, having lost over II per cent.
of it's numbers in killed and wounded in
the first days fight. AS the lines moved
out in that fatal final charge number of
the men wore bloody bandages on account
Of wounds received in the first days
fight and it is said that General Lee
observed and spoke of this with much
feeling and moistened eyes. No wonder
his soldiers loved their noble commander
and were ready to march under his or
ders even in the lannon's mouth.
Many Union officers and soldiers who
were there and saw it have stood with
me on Cemetery Ridge and spoken with
admiration of the magnificent spectacle
presented by the lines of Confederate
veterans as they advanced deliberately,
with muskets at right shoulder shift,
across those broad fields. storm of
shells, grape and canister, poured upon
them and cut wide gaps in their ranks,
but these were promptly closed up with
out retarding the advance. The duty of
indicating the general direction to be
followed by the whole force was very
properly assigned to Pickett's fresh divi-
sion. The others were ordered to dress
to the right and keep in touch with his
left and he was ordered to move directly
towards small umbrella shaped copse
OF Chestnut oaks inside the Union lines
a short distance south of THE Angle"
That copse of trees is still there, look
ing exactly as it did So years ago. 1t is
enclosed by an iron fence to keep people
from carrying off every splinter of it as
relic A large tablet has been erect
ed near by containing the inscription.
The High Water Mark of the Rebellion"
l often remind our Union friends good
humoredly that the waves dashed up
pretty high several times afterwards, at
Chickamauga, Wilderness, Spottsylvania,
Cold Harbor and elsewhere. They take
the reminder pleasantly, and, to tell the
truth are almost as proud of our South
ern soldiery as we are.
When Picketts line had advanced to
the summit of the ridge which had shell
tered it during the great cannonade, he
perceived that his center was not NOV
ing directly towards the above mentioned
coIse of trees as intended but to the
right and south of it. Thereupon he very
properly ordered his brigades to incline
considerably to the left which they did
and they continued on the same course
until they reached the enemy's lines. The
order to the other brigades from the first
was "Guide right, and keep in touch with
Picketts left" and therefore, on start
ing they inclined somewhat to their right
so as to join his left. His change of
direction being unforeseen by them and ,oc-
curing whilst the whole line was in mo-
ton, the result, for which none of them
can be censured, was that very consider
able crowding and intermngling of the
ranks on Pickett's left and Pettigrew's
right took place by the time they reach
ed the Union breastworks, the effect of
which will be noticed hereafter.
One of the great obstacles encountered
by the Confederates in their advance was
the Emmitsburg road with it's post and
rail fences ON each side and, as here
tofore mentioned, running obliquely to
the lines of battle. Where Picketts right
crossed these fences is about 600 yards
from the Union line and where Petit
crews left crossed them IS about $50
yards from that line. The reader can i'm
agine how difficult it was to preserve an
orderly alignment of the men crossing
these fences in succession from the right
flank to the left under fierce storm of
grape and canister and, on the left of
musketry also, for the Emmitsburg road
there is in easy musket range of the I'm
ION lines. Another important fact which
should not be omitted is that the Sth
Ohio regiment and large detail from
Wizards New York Brigade, having been
thrown out from the Union right as
skrnishers beyond the Emmitsburg road
did not withdraw to their main battle line
as the Confederates were advancing, but
formed in compact ranks under cover OF
the fence west of the mmitsburg road
perpendicular to the Confederate line
and near it's left flank. From this shell
ter they poured in severe and unex-
pected enfilade fire on the flank of Petit
crews division consisting of Broken
brough's and Davis brigades. This oc-
Cured while the Confederate brigades
further to the right were crossing the
Emmitsburg road, but it was followed ur
by those flankers with energy and not
without considerable effect on Petit
crews left, even to the close of the bat
.le.
AS soon as the Confederate front line
had crossed the Emmitsburg road it rails
ed the well-known battle yell and pressed
forward against the UIion breastworks
Kemper and Garnett were met by the fire
of HarrOW'S end Halls and mart of Wehh's