The National tribune., 1904-05-19
~, Campaigns @'Me
W Army @ApPh0zua
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Critical History OF Operations in Virginia. Maryland and Penn
syvana from the Commencement to the Close of the W:r
l86l-865.
By WILLIAM SWINTON.
COPYRIGHT sCRrBNERs SONS NEW YORK CITY, 1882
THIRD DAY AT GETTYSBURG.

THIRD DAY AT GETTYSBURG.
Gwelps Success on Our Right Misleads Lee.
Our Lines Restored With Severe Punish
ment to the Enemy -Portentous Preparations
Against Our Center-Awful Cannonade Pre-.
ceding Pickett's Charge Fearful Repnlse Of
the Virginians.
Lees plan of attack of the previous day
had been directed against both fiankS of the
Union position, but. as have shown, though
the whole of the advanced line on the left
had been carried, this only brought Long
street abreast more formidable front
drawn on the original line. Ewell. however
still maintained his foothold within the
breastworks on Culp's Hill and this lodg-
ment inside of the works on the right shaped
the determination of the first plan of attack
for the third day. Gen. Ewell," says Lee,
had carried some of the strong positions
which he assailed. and the result was such
as to lead to the belief that he would ulti-
mately be able to dislodge the enemy. (5O)
GEARY REEsTABLIsHED ON CULP's HILL.
With this view, Johnson's force. hug
ging closely Culp's Hill, was considerably
strengthened; but before preparation
could be made for an attack, Meade as
sumed the offensive and drove back the
intrusive force. During the night a pow
erful artillery was accumulated against
the point entered by the enemy. and at 4
o'clock opened a heavy fire. Meanwhile.
the troops of the Twelfth Corps returned
from the left, and the divisions of Will
liams and Geary. aided by Shaler's Bri-
gade of the Sixth Corp, eutered upon
severe struggle TO regain II e lost portion
of the line. After four hOu-'s close con-
test. it was carried by charge of Geary S
Division, the original line on Culps Hill
was reestablished and the right flank made
secure. Being thus thwarted in lis plan
of ocly fho
sides. would have been difficult OF execn-
ton. owing to the wide separation OF the
Confederate wings-Gen. Lee altered MS
determination and resolved to assault the
center of the Union position. In TINS nv
seems to have aimed to initiate "agra"'
LEE OPENED WITH $50 GUNS.
That some weighty design was in prepa-
ration by the enemy was throughout the
morning evident; for after the struggle
had ceased ON the righ. there was for some
hours deep sill -. During all this time
heavy masser q artillery. Lee, less san
guine than the day before, knew we'll that
his only hope lay in his ability, hrst OF
all to sweep resistance from the slopes
before the assaulting columns moved for
ward By noon 145 guns were in position
along the ridge occupied by Longstreet and
Hill. At 1 o'clock the ominous silence
was broken by terrific outburst from TINS
massive concentration of the englnery OF
war. Ample means for a reply in kind
were at hand; for Gen. Hunt, the Chief
of Artillery. had crowned the ridge along
the left and left center, on which it was
manifest the attack was to fall, with ~
guns-a number not as great as that OF
the enemy, but it was all that could be
made effective in the more restricted space
occupied by the army. to11
Withholding the fire until the first hos
tile outburst had spent itself, Zen. Hunt
then ordered the batteries to open; and
thus from ridge to ridge was kept up for
near two hours a Titanic combat of artll-
lery that caused the solid fabric of the hills
to labor and shake. and filled the air with
fire and smoke and the mad clamOr of 200
guns. During this Outburst the troops
crouched behind such slight cover as they
could find; but the musket was tightly
grasped, for each man knew we'll what
was to follow-knew that this storm was
but the prelude to a less noisy, yet more
deadly shock of infantry. When. there
fore, after the duel had continued for near
two hours. the Chief of Artillery, finding
his ammunition running low, (52) and that
it was unsafe to bring up loads of it from
the rear tfor many caissons and llmbers
had been exploded), directed that the fir
ing should be gradually stopped: the enc
my also slackened fire, and Immediately
the Confederate columns of attack We're
seen forming on the edge of the woods
that cover the Seminary Ridge.
ADVANCE OF PICKETT AND PETTIGREw.
AS Pickett's Division of LGngstreet's
Corps had reached the ground during the
morning. and as Longstreet wished to use
the divisions of Hood and McLaws in
covering his right it was appointed to lead
the van. t33) Pickett formed his division in
double line of battle, with Kempers and
Garnett's Brigades in front and Armi-
stead's Brigade supporting: while on the
right of Pickett was one brigade of Hills
Corps, under Gen. Wilcox, formed in col
umn by battaliOns and on his left. IIeth's
Division talso of Hills Corps {, under Gen.
Pettigrew. The attacking force numbered
about 15.000 men, and il advanced over the
intervening space OF near n mile in such
compact and imposing order. that whether
friend or foe none who saw ii could refrain
from admiration of It's magnificent array.
The hostile line. aS il advanced covered a
front of not more than two OF the reduced
and incomplete divisions of the Second
Corps, numbering. il may be, some 5000
men. While crossing the plain. il received
severe fire of artillery. which however.
did not delay for a moment its determined
advance; so that the column pressing on,
came within musketry range-the troops
evincing a striking disposition TO withhold
their fire until il could be delivered with
deadly effect. The first opposition it re-
cclypI from rapimautS nf Stan