The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-16
Rev. James A. Weston
Writes of Gettysburg.
North CaroIinians Under Scales and
Lane Continued the Battle After
Mere Than Hall the Line Had
- c,.nrk 49,,
Be IN Swept Away.

fox on last Monday mainly commem-
CRATES the fact that North CAROLYN
ians were farthest at Gettysburg. No
one, / think, can truthfully dispute
this claim. But it is equally undenia-
bic that North Carolinians were also
the last at Gettysburg. There was no
inscription of this kind on the monu-
ment Nothing was said about 1T.
None of the speakers mentioned it;
but l was strongly tempted to in
troduce it in my prayer because |
felt it was the truth, and the whole
truth We didn't go there to honor
this man or that man, to honor one
body of soldiers or another body of
soldiers-we went there to honor the
truth in its highest and best forms.
Let's have the truth Justice and
judgment or the habitation of Gods
throne If / know my own heart l
would rather cut off my right arm
than to do the humbleSt individual
the slightest act Of injustice
In proving the truth of my claim
that North Carolinians were the last
at Gettysburg, / hope l shall be par
doned for quoting from my sketch
of the 33rd II. G. Regiment, Vol. H.,
Regimental Histories, as follows:
"The attack began about p. IN.
Major General Trimble was in com
on the third day General Trimble
says: We passed over the remnant
of their line (Pcttigrews), and inn
mediately after some one down by
my left sung out three cheers for
the Old North state" when both
brigades, (Scales's and Iane's) sent
up a hearty shout, on which | said to
my aid, Charlesy, I believe those fine
fellows are going into the enemy's
4 7 Io,c
Brigades), were the last to leave the
field. This, ! know for / rode in the
line between tho two brigades CLane's
and Scales's) from the start down TO
the Emmettsburg road passing over
the north of IIeth's Division (Petti-
greW's). Before my line recoiled un-
der a concentrated fire from my front
and left, | looked to the right where
Pickett's men had been seen to adj
vance and beheld nothing but issolat-
ed and scattered remnants of that
splendid line. Thus / am sure that
my command continued the contest
some time after Pickett's force had
been dispersed General Trimbie, in
those statements, is substantially sup
ported by General, Lane and Colonel
Avery, Of the Bard Regiment These
officers say the whole right had given
way before Lanes and Scales's
Trimble says further: mo one ac-
quainted with the fact can for a mo-
ment dodbt the intrepid bravery and
splendid bearing of Pickett's men.
They did all that any men could do
under the circumstances, but others
did as we'll. went as far or farther,
fought longer, and lost as heavily"
General Lane says: AS soon as
some of the troops fell out, Lawrance,
a. C BRIO "A 4 h.
out even having halted, took position
on the left of the troops that were
fighting Brigade and
Archer's. That Is, we occupied that
part of the fighting line formerly held
by Davis Of Pettigrews HIeth's) Di-
vision. My Brigade was now the eX-
treme left of the attacking force, and
the Thirty-Third Regiment was on
the left of the Brigade. / never saw,
than that my Brigade kept as it adj
Vanced under that murdcrOus fire.
The field was open--lio troops in front
of us, and it was our yell as we
joined the front line that caused GEN
eral Trimble to make that remark j
believe those fine fellows are going
into the enemy's line. The men re-
served their fire in accordance with
orders, until within good range Of the
effect repeatedly driving the can
noreerS from their pieces, completely
silcncing the guns in our front, and
breaking the line which was formed
on the crest of the hill. We advanced
to within q few yards of the stone
wall. Some of my right had gone
over the fence, yelling furiously My
left, under Colonel Avery, was here
very much exposed. and a column of
fo Mt nv no
enemy in that direction which epfilad-
ed my whole line. When | ordered
Colonel Avery in obedience to instruc-
tiOns from General Iongstrcet to face
to the left for the purpose of meeting
the thanking column of the enemy, he
replied: "My God, General do you
intend risking your troops into such
place unsupported, when the whole
right has given Wav?" | looked to
the right and saw that it was as he
stated: no line OF battle was anywhere
visible or the right. Col. Avery had
already reached the fence and his
men were firing and charging. My
Brigade was the last to leave the
field, and it did SC by my order. Major
Joseph II. Saunders, of the 33rd says:
Just before l was shot, | distinctly
remember seeing Yankee color
bearer just in front of the left of the
Regiment get up and run away, trail
ing his flag and followed by his regi-
ment, 50 that there was nothing to
keep our regiment from going into
the eremy's ranks. | see from the
''Virginian" that Captain Young
states Lanes and Scales's brigades
did not reach the front attained by
Pettigrew's. AS to this point | can
be perfectly positive as we overlook
the first line, and the two lines pet
tigrew and Trimble), then became
one, and the advance was continued.
There can be no mistake about this
Colonel Lawrance commanding
Scales's Brigade on the third day,
says: Now all had apparently for
saken us. The two Brigades (Lane's
and ScaIes's) were reduced to mere
squads, not numbering in all 500 men,
were the only lines to be seen upon
that vast field, and with no support
in view the brigades retreated -
There can be no doubt that Petit
Crews old brigade and Archer
maintained the contest q short time
after Davis had fled, but Lane and
Scales continued to fight sometime
after Pettigrew and Archer had been
swept from the field. Thus it is in
dispcns a ble-no testimony can be
st,onaor that Trim HES man Tona