The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-07-16

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forgotten that we occupied the heights
at Fredericksburg and that it was
Hooker. not Meade, at Chancellors-
vile. We forgot, too, that these COM
bats occurred on our own soil, and
that though game we felt ourselves,
we were now on the dunghill's own
barnyard. and though still forcing
him to take to the fences he would
die game holding them. I will make
no attempt to recount the gallant
charge Of the corps as it hurled itself
against Sickles' salient and forced
him back to the ridge and eventually
to it's rugged summit, leaving the
ground strcwn with the slain and the
valley and slopes fertilized with the
rich Southern blood, mingling with
that of the foe. Verify the seeds
which germinate ON that soil should
produce hybrid plants and mongrel
fruit.) Nor the desperate charge and
assault Of our invincible Texans who
gained the crest, hand TO hand, point
to point, and-oh, Lord, but for the
reinforcements to the enemy and the
lack Of them to our own troops that
day, this might have been dated from
the "Confederate States"
So wildly enthused were our men, so
thoroughly imbued with the war spirit,
so cxultant and dauntless in their
splendid pride, that even the cumber-
some cannon we're rushed down and
attempted to follow up the infantry
charge by scaling the steep and jagged
sides Of little Round Top Victory
seemed just within our grasp. One
more blow, ouly one more, but-"The
century reeled when Longstreet paus.
ed on the slope Of the hill, sang one
of their own poets. Human brain, nor
Drawn, nor courage could do more.
The morning of the Sd discovered
the enemy retired to the SUBMITS of
Cemetery Ridge, and strongly in
trenched behind natural and artificial
Notifications. What next? Who
knew? Doubtless councils of war
were held on both ridges and recon
noitcring parties and field glasses
busy; while the royalty irrespo nsible
rank and file loitered away the well
come calm 10 restfui repose or grim
badinage, though impressed with the
weighty pregnancy and potent inau-
ence of the hour and circumstances so
heavily freighted whit he shadows of
coming events. Many, very many,
who whiled away those moments en-
joyed their last smile ON earth.
The rays of the midsummer sun
beat down fercely upon the long and
silent battle lines on ridge and heights
and upon the intervening slopes Of
orchard aud wheat fields. The very
air seemed to hold it's breath.
Then! A signal gun! Again the
bugle blast sounded the command {:
Commence 6ring!" Each cannoneer
was in place with automatic prompt
ness and busy precision, and the next
instant tts earth trembled as nigh
ty roar from $50 cannon's mouths
belched fame and smoke and murder
Gus metal toward the frowniug heights
with deadly accuracy. But this def
ant challenge was quickly answered
and the long range Of hills became an
undulating line Of flame, under heavy
hanging pals Of smoke issuing from
the muzzles of Meade's bronze yer
dogs, as they 6ercely roared "Come
on!" While Lees guns from the
ridge thundered grimly, "We are COM
ing!" At that moment the specta-
Gle was grand, as graphic writer de-
scribes it: The heights, the slope,
the fields and the rugged crest oppo.
site, were enveloped in smoke and fire
from the bursting shell. The sombre
roar, sounding like the believing of q
thousand bulls, leaped back from the
rocks and rolled away in wild echoes
through the hills. All the furies
seemed let loose, and yet this was on.
ly the preface The above writer
had reference to Pickett's renowned
charge; bu. alas, it was also only the
preface and full as ominous for one
small gun squad. The same writer
continues: I'm the evening the
thunder dropped to silence. The
time had come" It was then some
order was issued from some source.
The devoted third section of the bat
terry promptly Numbered up" Each
man assumed place and we moved
quickly and obliquely across the de-
scent, through orchard and waving
| mhaat On on nnda. Ahn Alaai.