The National tribune., 1902-10-02

Humphreys's Division extended along the
Emmitsburg road, facing the northwest.
His position was strong one, so 1af as
a front defense was concerned, but his
right was in the air. having no support
nearer than HancOck's line, 500 yards to
the rear, while his left was open to an
enfilading fire from any artillery stationed
along the Emmitsburg road at any point
between Peach Orchard and Seminary
Ridge. Birney's Division faced the south
west and extended from the Peach Or
chard to Death Valley, following no reg
ular line, the country being diversified
with hills. valleys, rocks and woods. His
line was long and irregular, and, although
facing generally to the sOuthwestward, 1t
made so many angles, loops and twists IN
trying to conform to the lay of the land
and to select the most advantageous de-
fensive positions that it faced nearly ev-
cry point of the compass In one place or
another along the line.
PEACH ORCHARD.
Longstreet had not been idle. From
early morn he had been pushing his divi-
sions southwark and eastward under cover
of Seminary Ridge and the sheltering hills
and woods that intervene between said
Ridge and the Round Tops. His corps
consisted of three divisions, one of which
(Pickett's) was absent from the field, so
that he had two divisions of four brigades
each, commanded by Hood and McLaws,
for active operations against Sickles.
Longstreet therefore made his attack with
5000 men. His orders from Lee were,
"Strike the enemy on his left flank and
roll him up like blanket" and there is
no doubt that LOngstreet did his best to
carry out those instructions. He had
massed Hoods four brigades against Bir-
ney's long, crooked line, defended by three
brigades, and at o'clock p. m. of July 2
tho hoffla of poach Orchard onappd
Hoods Division struck Sickless left like
q cyclone from out the south, but the
Third Corps did not roll up according to
Lees program worth cent. Sickles was
a fighter to be proud Of, and no better
soldiers ever lived than the men in his
salient; they were placed at terrible
disadvantage; they had been led like
lambs to the place of slaughter, but when
the signal rang out for the slaughter to
begin they were lambs no longer and
there was more or less slaughtering done
on both sides. The McLawss Division
charged Humphreys front along the EN-
mitsburg road, doubling back his right
flank, while the battle to the left soon
extended along the entire length of Bir-
ney's line from the Peach Orchard east
ward through the Wheatfeld to Devils
Den and Death Valley.
Hancock supported Sickles in every
way possible. When he saw Humphreyss
across the fields, which met and checked
Barksdale, in which action both Willard
and Barksdale were killed. He also sent
forward his whole left division, under
Caldwell, to support Sickles's left, and the
Mheatfeld soon became the center of
whirlpool Of battle. Hancock sent to the
support of Sickles before the battle ended
in all about 5000 men, or two-thirds of his
corps.
Hill reinforced Longstreet with all of
Anderson's and part of Heth's and Pen
der's Divisions, swelling Longstreet's
force to 5000 men, and the battle con-
tinued to rage with increasing fury.
LITTLE ROUND TOP.
While the battle was still raging at its
highest-each side pushing forward every
available man, the chances being in Lees
favor, from the fact that he was enabled
to concentrate nearly third more men on
Sickles's left than Meade could possibly
bring to bear against him-Gen. Warren,
Chief of Engineers of the Army of the
Potomac, rode far down to the left and
ascended Little Round Top. He at once
discovered the importance of that position
and that it was, in fact, the key to our
left. At the same time Warren discover
ed that Hoods forces were even then
making a movement in the direction and
for the purpose Of occupying this very
position. Five hundred yards in rear Of
this position the First Division of the
Fifth Corps was at that very moment
marching along the Taneytown road to-
ward the battlefield. Warren lost no
time In detaching and ord>-ing forward
Wincents Brigade to the summit of Lit,
tle Round Top, where it met and defeat
ed Laws Brigade on its western slope,
In which action Gen. Vincent was NOR
tally wounded. The fighting for the pos
session of Little Round Top was contin-
ned for some time thereafter, and was
very severe, but it was permanently held
by the troops Of the Fifth Corps. Bat
tery d, Of the 5th q. S. Art, was drag
ged by hand to the summit and, support
cd by Berdan's sharpshooters, soon clear
ed the Devils Den of Confederate sharp
shooters, which point was shortly after
captured by Fishers Brigade. The bat
tie of Peach Orchard, with the continue
tion thereof at the Wheatfeld, Devils
Den, Death Valley and around the Round
Tops, lasted from 4 o'clock until dark, or
about four hours of the seyerest fighting
recorded in history. The timely arrival
Of the Fifth Corps gave Meade's columns
the ascendency, or about $4,000, as op-
posed to Longstreets 2S,000, making no
however, was about 10000 the Confed-
crate loss being fully equal thereto, if not
greater; but as there are no returns of
record OF their losses, nothing but an ap-
proximate estimate can be given. After
dark Meade ordered the withdrawal of
his lines from all points west to the in
terror ridge, extending from Cemetery
Hill to- Round Top, and Sickles made no
objection, being content to let the "sali-
snt" 60 with his leg
Before seeking his couch that night Lee
s6ered up thanks to God on high for what
he had so dearly won, and Meade return.
ed thanks to the same wise Providence
Tor what Lee failed to win, while the
Army Of the Potomac thanked God fol
the timely arrival of the Fifth Corps, and
the people of the United States thanked
Him for good fighting done all along the
line.
EARLY's FoRLoRN HOPE.
The battles Of July began but did moi
end with Peach Orchard. Lee had deter
mined to try the strength of the center
and the right, as well as the left that day
but the fact that the left did not roll up
a readily as he anticipated, caused hin
to weaken his center and somewhat
changed his program. Still, he had hi.
eye on both the other points, and while tn.
6ghting was still raging on the left, tn,
center came in for a touch of war also.
Between Cemetery Hill and the western
prolongation of Culp's Hill there is mar
row valley extending southwark in a deel
indentation and thence rising gradually 4
Q grassy slope. Running along the north
eastern base Of Cemetery Hill from Balti
more street narrow lane leads UP thi
valley to the point where Slocum ayenu
crosses the valley from hill to hill. Tha
lane was there on July 2, and along it