The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-03-27
TWO. OF THE 14TH VA.
Record Of Gallant Infantryt11et1
at Gettysburg, Pa.

at Gettysburg, Pa.
rcitor Of The Times Dispatch:
Sir.-1 was IL Gettysburg "A few years
ago, ana spent severe days an loeaSins
over tho field. Tho central object OF oil. IN :
,crcst of course, was the scei!e OF PICK
ett,s charge--the clnmp OF trees ana me
stone fence Thanking 1t on either sloe
for some distance and DEFENDED ny iaAil-
tor1,,s men. against which Pickett mace
Z M 4, ,at herolc charge In oil the annals
of war. 5s} 7 X =.
b C,tt,,sburE was tho clos e---ir. Ct, the
cli1nax-or Important Southern offensive
rpera tons OH tho part OF tho 51;onleu
eracy. When Pickett planted his tcoioI "
inside Of Hancock s line OF defense. IL
established Alie high water mark OF 'taet
Southern, cause and made an llnp6r y. n
saa,,a record of American ralor. Inc VIE =
fglnians and North Carolinians VINO SWEPT
over the Enlittsburg pixie, across ma y,
historic field, and over ddancock me
Mt the stone fence. were heroes, every
ore OF them. 1t was all Immortal record.
ON nv annual shooting outing on the
Roanoke in Virginia, last NoNern Der. "
had the pleasure Of meeting TWO mem
hers of the Fourteenth inia-frlends
Of or host. Colonel W. NJ. Tanner, OF
St. Leon plantation. They were Mr.
Thomas A. Parke, Of Company g, ana
Mr.. Richard Wilson, ST., Of Company ~
1t was the good fortune of these gentle
men to have been in that famous ch arg
and come ont alive. Their re cital OF the
event was DC Intense interest I4felt that
in gallantry OF action and q record OF
everlasting fame was In the preseel'ce
I, OF m Ell 4 he peers Of Grant Lee orgDewes.S
When tile order to advance and charge
was given 1T was made with alacrlty and
IN perfect formation. Before they had.
covered much ~ the space, Little Round
top was pouring All emilia ding IRE on
their right. and demoraltzlng their sup
ports I'll that quarter; fact, the whole
charging column was sterribly 81 depleted
ytthe rain or shot and shell from Round.
top on the Federal left. while Han
cock. S infantry ani light batteries were
dealing death and destruction from the
front There We're more dead and dying
in tho wake OF the charge than ltviEg
men loft to close up and press on FOR the
salient. TO turn back was almost GER
tain death. The only safe place seemed to
be on the northern side Of that stone
fence.
When within a hundred yards OF the
Federal line, Wilson had an ankle shat
tered by a piece of shell from Round-top
anG. went down and out; within minute
after, he received a rifle ball In the
thigh. and raising up on his elbow 10
feel where he was stung. his supporting
arm was shattered; after which he kept
very close to playground, for the few
minutes before the firing ceased. shot
all to Pieces, as he expnassed At. mis-
as the crisis of the charge, kempel
and Garnett, of Picketts ragadlers, had
fallen, as we'll as Colonel Hodges. Of the
Fourteenth virginia, together with most
OF their officers. Pressing on, the rem
nant Of. the division carried their colors
over Hancocls's line. Armistead, tho only
remaining brlgadier Of Ioicketts division.
with his cap OH the point OF his sword,
LEI; tn, column df desperation and fell Mt
the feet or lIancock's men, e. few feet
inside the line. Several hundred or Pick
3etts men had penetrated the line ana
were mixing it up with the Sixty ninth
md Scvcnty-first Pennsylvania. who held
tho front limo at the clump OF trees 1t
Vas a hand to hand fight for n few min
,,tes, .but the Ylrginians we're quickly
oyerpowcred by superior numbers.
nv friend parles. who went the route
without a hit surrendered within Inc ied-
cral line and for q year or moro was
kindly cared for at Fort Delaware be-
low Philadelphia, which probably ac-
counts for his being on earth at this mo-
mcnt. and able TO give his Yankee friends
| such a plantation rans.s OF good shoot
| inc. and the proverbial Virginia hosp-
tality. His comradc, Dick Wilson, OF
| tia Fourteenth. was still lying low on
! the field within a hundred yards Of the
Federal lines After the carnage was
| over, Dick did not quit that field for
| more than three weeks. He WAS cared
| for as best could be done IN field hos
| p,als. skirmshing continually witt
4 death, He credits those earthly angels
4 1he SISTERS of Charity" With his saliva
/, tion. Finally. he was removed 10 Ralti.
| more. where lie had the best of hospital
4 attendance. After several months No was
! ccnyaiescent and was exchanged In due
course and reported TO his command, MOI
being In marching condition. but desiring
to help fight II out. no was detached az
wagon master and was with Lee at APP
1 poTattcx ,,,v,op
| Trenton, N j.