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


the only information on this interest
ing subject is the testimony of surviv-
ors AS 70 the tablets and
monuments, he continues: "The
work is being done under the super
vision of the Secretary of War, whose
agency here is the National Park Com
mission, composed of two Union sold
iers and onc Confederatc--all three
having fought in the battle here"
II have long since had
tablet erected to your battery, but
have reason to fear the inscription
falls short Of doing justice to you and
your command for want of informa-
ton
There are also letters from Gen. f.
+. Alexander to Captain Garden and
from the latter to the Hon. j. Harvey
Wilson, then the chivalrous Sergt.
Wilson, of the battery, but the gist
of these will be covered in the Sc
quel.
This writer vas only private, at
tached to this third section of Gard.
en- battery, and can presume to de-
scribe nothing more than was seen and
experienced from that humble stand
point. This battery formed part of
Major John {. Haskell's Battalion, a
veritable beardless Coeur de Lion,
with one arm in the grave and ready y to
bury forty more if necessary to be
nearest the flashing of the guns.
The battalion composed Bachmau's
German Battery from Charleston, Ri
ley S and Latham ., of North Caroli-
ma, and Garden 8, composed mostly of
Sumter and Chesterfield volunteers
and followed more particularly the
fortunes of Hoods division, and es-
pecially Hoods old brigade, the in
v!ncible Texans, of Longstreet's
corps; but all under command of our
gallant chieftain, that skilled artiller-
ist, urbaue gentleman, Gen. E. P.
Alexander, who had gained the pro-
found respect and soldierly love of his
command, the corps artillery. June
thirty-nine years ago, on this second
day Of July, 1868. under fierce Penn
sylvania sun, we reached the then OBJ
scure village Of Gettysburg.
Gettysburg Name instinct with
so many tears, with 80 much mourn
ing, with those sobs which tear their
way from the human heart as lava
makes its way from the womb of the
volcano. There are words in the
worlds history whose very sound is
like sigh or groan places whi,h
are branded "accursed" by the moan
ing lips Of mothers, wives, sisters and
orphans. Among them none is more
gloomier or instinct with more name
less horror than the once insignificant
village of Gettysburg. It has been
called pivotal Gettysburg" though
it savors Of paradox, because there
was neither victor nor vanquished, on
ly the elimination.
As we approached the mighty drama
was in full progress and the field al.
ready stained and SCARED from the in :
termittent combats of the morning and
preceding day. Between us and the
gigantic arena there yet interviewed q
skirt of woods along which serried
column Of infantry we're manoeuveriug
for position, while shot and she'll
from Cemetery Heights ploughed
through the ranks and we remember
the flying hats and scattered limbs Of
the dead and wounded "a hideous gaps
were made through the files, also the
steady "Close up" and continued firm
and confident tread of these oaken-
hearted troops, nearer to danger and
surer death. The shrill bugle blast of
our own command sounded in quick
succession: "Cannoneers Mount"
Double quickl' 'Action frontr'
Commence iring!" and with whirl
and rush, and scarce breathing time,
our own guns were joining in the gr. IN
war music.
Field and staff must write history Of
locations and surroundings. The man
at the muzzle sees little beyond his
hammer staff and swab bucket and
the grinning mouth of his piece. We
only know we were on the left of the
long battle line, with the Round Top
in our front and the peach orc hard
and wheat field bristling with bayo.
nets, while the heights above glowered
with guns.
A word as to the morale of Lees
army at this juncture may help to ex-
plain why Gettysburg seems so often
L.