The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-13
PICKETT'S CHARGE.
The Gallant Officers Widow De-
scribes the Scene.

scribes the Scene.
From the st. Louis Republic.
AS the days lengthen the anniver-
sary of Gettysburg. July 1, 2, and 3,
draws near. Soon survivors and mill
tary experts will be fighting the battles
over again.
To-day the forest of monuments, the
most beautiful in the world, covers the
miles of battlefield. overlooking a vast
panorama of landscape, where Ameri-
can history began a new chapter for
free government.
Mrs. La Sale Corbell Pickett, widow
of Gen. Pickett, the hero of Picketts
charge at Gettysburg, when requested
to make brief statement of her hus-
bands heroism in connection with that
memorable charge, said:
Il have written a book about Cen
Pickett and his men, and do not think
l can improve on what / said in the
chapter on The Third Day at Gettys-
burg"
The final charge was described by
Mrs. Pickett thus:
"Dauntlessly Pickett's men pressed
forward, the grandest column of he
roes that ever made a battlefield glor-
ious They reached the post and rail
fence, upon the other side of which.
and parallel to it, an ordinary dirt road
ran straight through the field across
which they were advancing.
1.-THE fence was but momentary OBJ
struction. 1t was but the work OF a
few seconds to climb over it and into
non poured death-dealing missiles into
their devoted ranks.
Now and here was given to the
world the grandest exhibition of disci-
pline and endurance, of GOODNESS and
courage under a whitening fire, ever
recorded in military history-a scene
which has made the story of Pickett
charge the glory of American arms.
There in the road with the deafening
explosion of unnumbered shells filing
the air, their ranks plowed through
and through again and again by the
fiery hail which the batteries from the
nights beyond were pouring into them.
amid all this terrific roar and the not
less disconcerting cries OF the wounded
and dying they heard the command of
their company officers: Halt, men!
Form line. Fall in! Right dress!
Now they broke forward into a dou-
ble-quick, while canister and Crane
whizzed through the air. On, on they
rushed toward the stone wall where
the Federal batteries were pouring
forth their deadly missiles. A hundred
yards away a thanking force came
down on run, halted suddenly and
fired into the line a deadly storm of
musketry. Under this cross fire they
rceled and staggered between falling
comrades and the right came pressing
down upon the center, making the line
at this point twenty to thirty deep. A
few, unable to resist temptation, with
out orders, faced the enemy on their
right, though the latter were sixty to
one.
THE fighting was terrific Muskets
seemed to cross. Men fired to the right
and to the front. The fighting was
hand-to-hand. The firing was into the
enemy's faces.
THE Federals in front fell behind
their guns to let them belch their
grape and canister into the oncoming
ranks, piiing up the dead and wound
ed almost in touch of them. When
within few feet of the stone wall the
artillery delivered their last fire from
the guns shotted to the muzzle.
Victory was within their craps.
Alas, where were the promised sup
ports? Worn and exhausted by the
tension of the bloody fighting OF the
terribly their leaders dead or wounded.
they had crumbied away under the
deadly hail of the artillery fire.
"Of the 5000 who had followed where
the fash of Pickett's sword lit the way
to glorious victory, or not less glorious
defeat. $500 had gone down to the
soldiers triumphant death, to live for
ever In our hearts and on the fame
covered pages of their country's his
tory"
Gen. sicISIcs on the Charge.
OF Picketts famous charge, Gen. Sic
kles writes for the Republic:
what Is commonly called 'Pickett's
charge July 3, 1868. at Gettysburg. was
really an assault made by Gen. Long
streets command by order OF Gen.
Lee The troops engaged consisted OF
Pickett's division OF Virginians. OF
Longstreet's Corps and Heath's dlvi-
sion OF Hill's Corps. under the com
mand OF Gen. Petiigrew. fiill having
been wounded on July /. Long
street had no confidence IN the sue
cess Of his assault. ana while discuss
Ing the plan with Gen. Lee expressed
the opinion that 'nftsen thousand men