Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-09-23

the family from the neighborhood, and
had shot him through the head. There
upon the guerriIlas scattered and OUT
own men discussed the shooting with
many expressions Of disapproyal
THAT night several Kentuckians dis.
appeared from camp, and we learned
later that they had Joined some men
Of another regiment, pursued the rebel
guerFillas and had killed three more OF
them. One day our company came
suddenly on a superior force of the
enemy and the order was to retreat
Some Of the men took TO the woods,
however, and rallying some Of their
old neighbors serving in other compan.
j les ambushed the rebels and drove
them back AS they put ii, they were
in the service 10 fight the rebels, and
If they couldn't do it one way they
would another. Many men of this
character were in Wolford's First Ken
lucky Cavalry, and were notorious for
their disposition to scatter over the
country on march"
ResponsibiIit, for Pickett's Charge.
General Gordon" said the doctor,
has written of Gettysburg in a gen
erous. fair-minded spirit. but has given
new life to old controversies. No man
can write of Lee at Gettysburg with
out seeming to take sides for or
against Longstreet, and to side with
Longstreet on disputed points is to be
against Lee. All Confederates who
have written of Picketts charge admit
that, made as it was. late In the day.
1t was a mistake. Longstreet's friends
insist that the responsibility for Ie
mistake rests wholly with Lee, while
Lees champions contend that the mis-
take was Longstreet's, in that he did
not make the charge early in the day,
as planned by Lee. when it would
have been part of a general NOV cment
instead OF an independent assault.
Il lived in Virginia for twenty-five
years after the close of the war, and
had as neighbors good many men
who We're in the divisions of Pickett
and l 'tgrew at Gettysburg They
were ii, e habit of meeting for what
they called gra Teyard talks-that is.
for confidential conversations about
the fighting at Gettysburg and of 9TH
err battles and about the mistakes of
| the commanders under whom they
served Naturally the most of the yir-
| ginians We're champions of Lee, but
some of them stood by Longstreet in
his contention that Pickett's charge
/ should never have been made, and
that Lee himself came to regard it as
a bIunder.
las these graveyard talks were to
be held sacred during the lifetime of
the takers. there was aston shing free
dom in expressing opinions. As all
the men, with one exception. are now
dead. 1t seems not inappropriate to re-
Ter to the spirit OF their conversations.
Some of them insisted that Longstreet
had a motive in carrying out Lees
order as TO Pickett's charge. He
knew 1t would fail, and he wanted to
fix the responsibility of failure on Lee.
One man told the story of how Long
street hesitated at the last moment to
order the men forward. Pickett rode
to Longstreet and asked for instruc-
tons Longstreet said not a word
Then Pickett asked: Has the time
come to move forwardY And Long
street, without speaking. bowed his
head. Thereupon Pickett turned his
horse, saluted. and, saying: L shall
| lead the division forward rode away
! Another man who held an impor-
tant command at Gettysburg said he
! was a witness to a scene not in keep
/ ing with the above. Pickett as "
ing down in a fence corner in the ia
| nous peach orchard when General
Armistead. commanding one of his
brigades. rode up. saluted and said:
General. my brigade is formed ready
| for an advance. What are your or
ders?' Pickett raised his head. and,
resting on his right elbow. looked up
into Armisteads face in a dazed way,
but said nothing. Armistead waited
a moment. and then, turning impa-
tiently said: / lead my men in the
/ charge
This officer left open the inference
| that Pickett no more than Longstreet,
approved the order to charge. and that,
| like Longstrcet. he hesitated TO speak
| the words that would send SO many
| of his men to certain death. At all
events, Armistead led the charge and
rode squarely against the Union
| breastworks before he was killed.
! Pickett, according 10 his men. made no
| comment on the charge. Longstreet
made no secret of his distress, and Lee
I said to Longstreet and to the men
who were driven back that the fault
was his The Virginans claimed all
the honors of the desperate magnif-
cent charge, while the Alahamians and
! Tennesseeans insisted that they played
as conspicuous q part in the charge
! as the Nirginians. All the graveyard
| takers Inclined TO the opinion that
after the order for the charge had
been Issued no one cared to ask its
/ suspension Chicago Inter Ocean.
Effect of Brave Example.
At the battle of Chlckamauga a
/ charge OF the enemy broke General
Palmer's ranks and separated several
| Of his regiments in great confusion
/ one Of the retiring regiments was the
| Sixth Ohio. which, IN charge of Gen
/ org Anderson had IN to this fine