The National tribune., 1902-09-18
GEN. HOWARD ARRIVES.

A little before noon Gen. Howard ar.
| rived on the field in advance of his corps
(he Eleventh., and assumed command OF
the field. From the cupola of the Luth-
eran Seminary Gen. Howard viewed the
| field and the situation. He saw at a
glance the wonderful strategic cOnfOrma-
tion of the country south of Gettysburg,
with its bold ridges and commanding hills,
that impressed Reynolds when he sent the
dispatch to Meade, '.The nights of Gettys-
burg is the place for the battle" and he
resolved at once to do his utmost in fight
ing the mighty game to a successful finish
that Reynolds and BufOrd had so heroical-
ly begun. He therefore directed the First
| and Third Division of the Eleventh Corps
as they came up to extend our right north
of Gettysburg to Rock Greek, placing his
Second Division in reserve on Cemetery
Hill, knowing that it would be necessary
to retire to that position ere reinforce
ments could arrive. This was wise and
soldier-like movement on the part of
Howard, as was afterwards demonstrated
Howard's two divisions gave us an ad-
ditional strength of $500 men, making Our
aggregate battle strength on July /, IL,
s66.
In the meantime Rodes's Division from
the north and little later Early's Divi-
sion from the northeast strengthened Hills
| lines. giving him an aggregate force of
| 10000
Lees strategy consisted in getting the
most men to a given point and getting
them there first. In this instance he was
successful, and, as matter of course,
| it worked greatly to his advantage.
Meade's strategy consisted in waiting for
Lee to find him and assail his position,
and in this instance. but for the interposi,
ton Of Providence, Howard's foresight
and splendid fighting all along the line,
it would have worked us untold disaster
So we fought on. 1t was well for the
Union cause that day that the men of the
First and Eleventh Corps did not know
that Gen. Meade was monkeying around
Double Pipe Creek. waiting for something
| to turn up. Every man on the fighting
line supposed there was unity in this ac.
ton and that Gen. Meade with his whole
army would soon be with us.
Out on the west front we had at last
| been driven from Reynolds's Grove about
$3.50 p. m., and the lines to our right and
| left seemed to be giving way. After
| abandoning the woods, there was but one
other position short of Seminary Ridge
that we attempted to hold. 1t was in the
hollow between the two ridges, $50 yards
from either. This position we held for
short time, giving the Confederates a
hot reception as they came out of the
| woods. Behind us, on the ridge. was our
| artillery, but not sufficiently elevated to
| fire over us with safety-besides, the hol-
low soon became too hot to hold us. Then
we made n dash for the crest of the hill,
where the artillery could assist us. If
my recollection is not at fault, we passed
over that last go yards much more rapidly
| than over any other portion of the journey
| from Willoughby Run to Seminary Ridge
The COnfederates were moving down
| the opposite slope when we started, and
| Immediately OWNED our intention. They
seemed to think it would be nice to run
in under the cover of our batteries with
us, and they made a lively effort in that
direction. 1t became at once q life-and-
death race for all of us. Any man left on
| the face of that hill when the artillery
opened with canister would fight no more.
1t was certain death to any cOmrade dis
abled in that wild rush; wound, a slip
OF the foot, misstep were fatal. We
must get inside the range of those gaping
mouths ere they belch their fire. or we
are doomed. How many Of my comrades
were left behind in that awful race, God
only knows! l only know that l got in
and had time to take one hasty glance be.
| hind. Our boys seemed safe; there were
a few in kind Of fringe hanging between
the battery sections that the gunners were
swerving their pieces to avoid, but further
down-two-thirds the way Of the hill
came the Confederates, yelling like de-
mons, in a mad charge for our guns.
We had struck the crest just north of a
small building which stood near the north
end of the Seminary and about 40 yards
south Of the Chambersburg Pike. Here
was stationed one section of Stevens's 9Th
Me. Battery, the other sections being sta
toned one north and the other south of
the Seminary Building Across the Cham
bersburg Pike were stationed three gums
of Battery b, 4th U. S. Art, in half bat
terry, the other half battery being stn-
toned 100 yards further north and beyond