The National tribune., 1901-06-06
A PAIR OFI
BREASTPLATES.
A Story of THE Fierce Fighting
on the Right at Gettysburg.
By Rev. JESSE H. JONES,
Cdpidin, % %. I. 6Oth N. Y.

the theological seminary. All the current
| impulses of the time moved him to enlist
as a soldier But one CO.. Sideration re-
strained him, of which he will speak
frankly, because it is an essential part of
the story that is to follow. There was
strong conviction, like a burning lamp
in him, that he had a special and import
ant mission in the world appointed to him,
and he felt that if, as soldier, be should
| be killed, that mission would not be ac-
complished.
Toward the end of August, 1861, the
subject of enlisting was pressed upon his
attention afrcSh as an immediate duty.
| While he was earnestly medltaunG upon
the matter there came into his mind n
message us distinct as if spoken by an
audible voice to the ear to the effect that
IF you have a special mission, as You
think. God will preserve your life; AID II
you are killed. that will show that you
were mistaken"
The truth of the message was so PLAIN
that forthwith the decision was made to
become a soldier; and in less than four
weeks. thanks to an influential friend, the
theological student had raised n company,
and 93 men were sworn into the United
States volunteer service. of whom he be-
ence which came afterwards he may be
permitted to tell in direct narrative.
Friday afternoon, May /, 1863, | was
returning from q tive-days' furlough to
my command i'll the Army of the Potomac.
The night before | had slept on pile of
bags filed with oats, in the Falmouth
depot, and at I a. III. had started on my
way. A number of enlisted men had been
put in my charge They were returning
to their commands. We pushed briskly
along expecting to cross the RapIdan at
Banks'S Ford, but when we reached the
place we found Gen. Benham, with his
men and pontOons, waiting to lay the
bridge when the order should come; but
there was no sign that it would come that
day. So we kept on toward United States
Ford, where the bridges were down and in
use.
A Sergeant of an Ohio regiment was
walking along with me in Il companion
able manner. and we cOnversed as we
went. When it was well toward midday
we paused for a little rest at a place
where young pines were growing quite
thickly along the road. AS | was reclin-
ing on the bank. suddenly the Sergeant
emerged from the pines with n pair of
new steel breastplates in his hands, say
ing. See what j have found" InvOlun-
tarily ! exclaimed. 'Og / wish had found
them" the thought of the word that had
been spoken in my heart springing up in
stantly into my mind His reply came as
quickly and without hesitation, You may
have them: | would not carry them for
them" So | took them at his hands, put
them into my knapsack, and carried them
along, feeling that the word spoken in me
nearly two yeaDs before was being full
filled -gsg
On reaching the regiment | found it be.
hind stout breastwOrks in young oak
growth and open fields. perhaps a quarter
of mile south of the charlottesville
House. During the furious battle Of Sun
day | wore my Ilew,fOund treasures; but
they did me no service, though we frOnted
the enemy closerat hand, until we were
ordered to fall back and as we did so n
bullet tore through the tin cup which
hung on my knapsack.
Thursday July 2. 1863. we were in line
Of battle on Culp's Hill at Gettysburg, and
our men built long breastworks all along
our front from where ii cOrnercd on the
line Of the First Corps. Those breast
works saved the Union army from de-
struction that night.
About 4 30 o'clock in the afternoon the
battle burst in fercest fury upon the ex-
treme left of the army, and the uninter-
mitting roll of musketry, interspersed with
the rapid boom of cannon. continued for
two long hours. Long, oh, how long,
the moments, as it were, by drops of
blood falling one by one from the heart.
With hard grip on the musket, with re-
strained breath, in torture of anxiety,
every soldier was bowling his soul beside
the forlorn hope of his country, and with
yearning iteration crying out in his heart,
Help, help, o God, o. that the lines
may hold, Give strength, give strength,
give strength, that our comrades may en-
dure to the end. Let us not be over
| whelmedl Help. help, o God"
The day is waning: the shadows are
| gathering; it darkens early in the woods.
| The hour is a little past 6 o'clock. Sud
denly we see our men falling into line to
the right of us, and one says to another
i'll under-tones: "Gen. Meade has sent for
| u.s."
After few moments of preparation to
move we receive the direction, "Stay
where you are" and quietly resume our
places. Just then the muskets of our
pickets rattle sharply in front, and we
hear the order: Battalion, right face:
undOubIe fiies on the left take distance of
an arms length-march!" What does all
| this mean?
Gen. Meade, finding himself hard
pressed on the left, and deeming an at
| tack on the other wing improbable at that
| hour, had. toward 6 o'clock. called for the
| Twelfth Corps. Afterwards, on the ur-
gent, strenuous, repeated entreaty of Gen.
| SIOcum, he finally consented that one bri-
gade might be left That order saved
the Union army. Our brigade being on
| the extreme left of the corps, and hence
| in the most convenient position, was de-
tailed to remain.
simultaneously with the receipt of the
second order by our brigade commander
word was brought from the officer in
| charge Of our pickets that the enemy was
advancing in heavy force in line of battle
| With all haste such dispositions as the
| case admitted of were made. The bri-
gade was strung out into a thin line OF
| separate men as fac along the breast
works as it would reach, fronting the on,
| coming foe. 81
Night thickens. 90 1t is little past 7
o'clock. Closer flash the muskets Down
in the hollow there, at the foot of the
slope, we catch a glimpse now and then
by the blaze Of the powder, of our brave
boys, as they spring from tree TO tree
| and send back leaden defiance to the ad.
vancing foe. With desperation they cling
to each covering. n For half an hour they
obstruct the enemy's approach. They re-
| fuse to yield, except before overwhelming
numbers. Back, back the rebels press
| them. Closer, closer gleam the flashes
Our hearts cry out, Why don't they come
| in on the run and let us have the gray.
backs? How can we wait? Some over.
eager ones begin to fire. "Cease firing
shout the officers: lyon will shoot your
own men," So the men restrain their
nervous forefngers.
The hostile guns fame out against us
| not IS yards in front. Our men are
tumbling over the breastworks. Abreath