The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-07-24
WAR STORIES.
Some Personal Recollectons Of Gettysburg
by One Of General Iongstreet's Co11riers.
Atlanta JOmrRai.

ett's loss at Gettysburg has been
greatly exaggerated and for nearly IS
years the fancy story of his sacrifice
has been written up in glowing words
until many persons believe that Pick
EFT did all the fighting at Gcttys-
burg"
Mr.. Hcmphill also gives the official
losses cf the various divisions of G en- :
cral Lee 8 army. as shown in the Off
cial records, and of course they must
be taken as correct. These official
figures show that Pickctts loss at
Gettysburg vas less than that of any
other division Of the army except Ear
ly and Il ii. Andcrson's.
Now do not recall any fancy
stories" Of Pickett's famous charge
which intimate even by inference "that
Pickett did all the fighting at Gettys-
burg Neither do l believe Mr..
Hemphill Intended to detract orc iota
from Pickctt's brilliant and glorious
charge ut Gettysburg, in which he won
undying fame, and the admiration and
plaudits Of the civilized world in the
short space of an hour. But, if left
to stand as it is, without some expla-
nation as to how much fighting he did
and the conditions aud circumstances
surrounding it, or leading up to his
magnificent charge, believe it
would certainly have that effect. I
am not criticising Mr.. Hcmphill's let
ter adversely or writing from any
standpoint or motive, whatever, other
than the truth of history and sim
pie justice to all concerned.
Now let us sec what the conditions
and circumstances were. Up to Get
tysburg General Pickett had done no
fighting during that year except, per-
haps, some little skirmishing. When
the battle of Charlottesville Gncluo-
ing Salem Church and fredericksburg
was fought Pickctt's and Hood Ji-
visions were with General Longstreet
at Suffolk, Va. After that most de-
cisive battle of the war was fought and
won General Longstreet was ordered
back to Fredericksburg and reunited
with the main army. The army rested
and recruited there for some weeks
and then started for Pennsylvania.
Pickett's division was composed en-
tirely of Virginians. They weye all
near their own homes and the division
was easily recruited and equipped.
Consequently, when General Lee en-
tered Pennsylvania Pickett had one
of the largest and best equipped divis-
ions in the army.
When General Lee had reached
Chambersburg halt was made for
several days. General Longstreet re-
mained there; General Ewell moved
further on toward Carlisle and General
Hill moved up toward Gettysburg.
This disposition of the army placed it
in sort Of triangular shape, with each
of the three corps resting about twenty
miles apart, on the base and side lines
of the triangle.
General j. Il. B. Stuart, with the
cavalry, was scouting somewhere in
the direction of Washington, and for
several days was ''lost," so far as his
whereabouts was known to General
Lee or the army, was concerned. Gen
eral Longstreet's corps was encamped
around Chambersburg, I think, for a
week or more, and General Lees
headquarters were located but few
hundred yards from General Long
streets, as they were nearly always
close together. One evening late a
scout for General Longstrcet, named
Harrison, I think, gallopcd up to his
headquarters and reported that Gen
eral Mcade's army was coming rapidly
from Washington. General Long
street reported the matter to General
Lee at once when he sent notice of the
same to Ewell and Hill. General
Longstrect moved up to Grcencastlc,
about half way between Chambers
burg and Gettysburg the next day and
camped for the night with Hoods and
McLaws' divisions. The next day he
moved on to Gettysburg. That was
the first day Of July. About 2:3O or
3 q .ock in the afternoon General
Longstreet was riding along some dis
tance in advance of the head of the
column, and on reaching the summit
Of q slight elevation, Gettysburg
came in plain view, as We were not far
from the Emmetsburg road, which
came in at right angles to the pike We
were on from Chambersburg. A
slight halt was made, and after brief