The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-05-05

Robinson, reached the ground. The former
division was Immediately thrown in to sus-
tain the now hard-pressed left, and was
precipitafed into close action. The men
were in the highest spirits. as vas shown
by their behavior, and by one incident
among others. One of the brigades of this
division. under command of Col. Roy
Stone. had been assigned to a position
where it came under heavy artillery fire:
and as the troops took their post. tol.
This went quickly through the brigade. the
men adopting it as n watchword-"We
have come tn stay" And very large part
of them never left that grOund.t2O
RoDEs MENACED UNION RIGHT.
Meantime. Robinson's Division remained
for awhile in reserve on the Seminary
Ridge: bur almost simultaneously with the
arrival of these reenforcements. the adj
vance division of Ewells Corps. under
Gen. Rodes. came in from the direction of
Carlisle. and. swinging round under cover
and unperceiyed. seized IL position mem
acing the right of the Union line. This
brought a heavy pressure to bear OH that
flank held by Cutters command. and to
relieve ii Robinson's Division was moved
forward from the Seminary. First. Bax-
ter's Brigade IF this division took posi-
ton on the right of Cutler. resting it's
right on the Mummasburg Road. and then.
rs the needs became more urgent, Baxter s
| command relieved Cutler. and the brigade
of Gen. Paul was brought up on Baxter :
right. These troops opposed vigorous
| resistance to Rodes's attack, and early in
the action. hy skilful movement. cap
| iured three North Carolina regiments, un-
der Gen. Iverson.
HOWARD IN COMMAND OF THE FIELD.
With this series of successes the com
bat opened: but it was destined soon IL
he beclouded by all nntoward sequel. Thus
| far the action had been sustained on the
| Union side by the First Corps alone. and
| on the Confederate side by the advance
divisions of the corps of Hill and Ewell.
stage. Hill was reinforced by another
division under Gen. pender. and towards
/ O'Clock the Eleventh Corps came up
Gen. Howard having arrived some time
before and by virtue of his rank assumed
command of the field. Gen. Howard left
a diviSion,2S) in reserve on Cemetery Hill
and placed the divisions of SchurZ(20 and
Barlow 10 the right of the First Corps.
on prolongatiOn Of its general line. and
covering the approaches To Gettysburg
from the north and northwest. Almost 81
multaDeously with the forming of the
Eleventh Corps. Il fresh division Of Ewelr $
Corps. under Gen. Early. arrived from the
direction of York and took position OH
Barlow ) front.
SPREAD HIS WINGS TOO WIDE
1t has been seen how. by fresh arrivals.
the Union line was gradually extended.
till now it made wide curve Of several
miles around the west and north of the
town. In this disposition Of his troops
Gen. Howard fell into an error that has
been common throughout the war-the
error Of attempting TO cover too much
| ground by which il comes about that these
long lines are everywhere weak. and that
III attempting TO cover every thing one
really covers nothing. 1t would have been
n disposition much better suited To the na
ture of the ground had Gen. Howard
massed heavy force of his newly arrived
corps Oh the right of the First Corps
where the line ended III Robinson's Divi-
sion-sweeping the plain to the north by
its fire. in place of attempting To hold the
whole stretch of q line thinly drawn out.
FEDERALs FORCED BACK IN DISORDER.
| This faulty placing of the force had a
powerful influence Oh the result that fol-
lowed; and taken in connection with an
other circumstance. accounts quite as much
as the alleged misbehavior of some of the
troops for the disastrous sequel. The cir