The National tribune., 1901-10-03

NEARLY 100 OF THE GALLANT So
VA. RESPONDED WITH ALACRITl :"
cut off. were ordered back, Pickett
troops on our right having in the mean
time been repused. Just then the enemy
opened on us a most heavy and destruct-
i've fire, and as we began to retreat the
enemy in our front rallied and rushed
down, crossing their breastworks, attack
ing US also on our right. Our line on the
extreme right Qickett's) had given away
before this, and We made the best retreat
we could. Our organization was well
preserved up to the time we retrcated. j
am absolutely confident that Lanes Bri-
gade held its position at the enemy's
works longer than any other command,
and that we did not move toward the rear
until the rest of the line was in full re
treat, the extreme right being well ad-
vanced to the rear"
The It'll n. c. and that part of the 33d
which became separated from the rest of
Lanes Brigade moved forward CALAMITY,
drove the enemy from the stone wall, 81
fenced the guns in their front, and lost
officers and men at the stone wall, many
being captured there.
In the brief minutes that had elapsed
since the final rush on the enemy's works
had begun the carnage had indeed been
terrific. Garnett had fallen near the
wall: Kemper was desperately wounded
at the wall; Pettigrew had received a
mortal blow; Trimble was knocked hors
de combat; Fry, Marshall and LOwrance
had fallen among the thousands of Off
GERS and men whose life-blood was ebbing
on that bloody field.
But if the Confedcrates had suffered
fearfully, they had also inflicted heavy loss
upon their opponents. Hancock lay
hn
being taken wounded from the field: Webb
had been hit; Sheriff. and Smyth both
wounded, the former mOrtally. Stannard
had received a painful wound, but his
troops continued to pour volley after vol
ley into Pickett's TANKS.
When the front line of Webb's Brigade
gave way under the pressure of Petit
Crews men on the flank, they had fallen
back, some to the cover of a clump of trees
in the rear, and others TO a stone wall that
crossed the ridge. From these points
they maintained a desultory firing upon
the Confederates, who having possession
of the wall now used it as IL protection
for themselves. The projection was prac-
tically cleared, but, though Archer's and
Scales's and Pickett's men held the angle
next to Pettigrew, there was no general
effort made to penetrate into the enemy's
line. In the meantime regiment after reg
iment had hurried to cover the break in
the Federal line until the men stood four
deep, ready to hurl back the Confederates
if they should seek TO advance. Such was
the condition of comparative repOse when
Armisteads Brigade reached the wall in
Garnett's rear.
Seeing his men were inclined to use
it as a defense, as the front line were do
ing" he raised his hat upon his sword
and sprlnglng upon broken place in the
wall, called on his men to follow him. Near
tlty1 80 fI.a 4
Martin and Maj. Timberake, responded
with alacrity and entered the works, only
four of whom advanced with these officers
TO the crest, passing, as they advanced
Gen. Webb, who was returning to his
front line" Armistead there received his
mortal blow, and AZ of his men fell within
the works as the enemy rushed forward
| to recover the position. 1t was the work
OF brief moments, for as the pressure on
the Federal line had been sharp the recoil
was quick and decisive
On the right Kemper had been driven
back, and the battle having now ceased
in front of Halls and Harrow's Brigades.
these were hurriedly advanced at the mo-
ment the force collected in the rear of
Webb rushed forward, taking Garnett and
Armlstead's troops in the flank as well as
front, and entirely routing and dispensing
them.
CLOSE OF THE DRAMA.
AS the right was hurled back and the
fragments of Gen. Pickett's Division were
hurrying TO the rear, the battle began to
rage more furiously on the left The ar
tillery swept the front occupied by Petit
crews command and Hays's Division re-
newed the contest with increased ardor.
a Delaware regiment on Smyth's left
sprang over the wall and penetrating the
Confederate line opened fire to the right
and left and hurried the drama to its
close.
The remnants Of Pettigrew's and Ar
cher's and Scales's Brigades, that could
not escape, were taken prisoners by the
victorious columns closing in on them from
the rear, while most of Lanes Brigade
farther to the left had the better fortune
OF avoiding a like fate by a speedy re-
treat; but they were the last to relinauish
tneir position IN the immediate front of
! the enemy's works. A they Withdrew