Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1905-03-03

or bad, as lost. For. once in his life
that brilliant and daring leader OF
horse is of no use to his commander
Through some error of Judgment he
has gone far to the east and has been
cut off from communication. For once
the Army of the Potomac has its eyes
and its wits at the front when the
eyes, at least, of the Army of Virginia
are away to the rear. At breakfast
time in Gettysburg, this morn OF the
first of July, Heth's division of A P.
Hills corps of the Army of the South
comes "bulgings ahead, without the
accustomed screen of cavalry skirmish-
ers, and is brought up standing by the
challenge OF Calef's light guns, plant
ed squarely in the middle of the Cash
town pike, and the simultaneous up
rising of squadron on squadron north
and south of the road-Devin's and
Candles gallant hrigades of famous
John Buford's division-and there,
like a bulldog Buford holds them two
mortal hours, until Reynolds. with his
foremost men, comes spurrlng up the
eastward face of the brigade, joins Blu
ford at the old Lutheran seminary,
and notes that the main lines of Heth's
division, north and south OF the pike,
are Just forming for advance to the
attack in force-all that preceded hav-
ing been the work of strong skirmish
nnes-and now begins in grim earnest
the greatest and most momentous bat
tie of American history.
First to reach the field in support of
Buford's hard-fghting Horse is the
First division of the First corps of the
old Army Of the Potomac, and the
first brigade to come swarming up the
slope is led by old graybeard Cutler,
whom we saw at the head OF the Sixth
Wisconsin in its maiden battle on the
Warrenton pike, while, following close
at the heels of the foremost and. ODE
dent to Reynolds orders, breasting
the height to the south of the sem
mary, stride the five battalions of the
Iron Brigade, the biggest not quite 500.
the others barely 800 strong. White
haired Wadsworth rides at the head of
the little division. That's all there is
of it-these two brigades, led by those
two far western brigades, barring the
batteries that ever go with them-but
the blue-blooded old Gothamite in
command swears he wouldn't swap it,
small as it is, for the strongest di-
/ vision in the whole army-and he
means it.
1t is a sight never to be forgotten,
that which greets their eyes as the
Black Hats come popping up over the
ridge. The westward forest is all
alive with flashing hayonets aligned on
the little red battle flags, the division
of Heth in battle array. reaching al
most from pike to pike, with one
| brigade thrown out "in the air. to the
north, and pushing daringly forward to
sweep the stubborn troopers, fighting
dismounted, out of the way. 1t is
barely quarter past ten, as Reynolds
for the last time looks at his watch !;
bids Doubleday, who has galloped for
ward for orders, to back Wadsworth
at the seminary and extend his line to
the right; then, calling on Meredith
points to that forward grove at the
brook side, "Seize it, he says, be
fore the rebels can reach it" TheI
| with the Sixth in reserve. with full
lunged shout in its throat and fire II
its eye, the old brigade breaks into
run, Fairchild with the Black Hats II
the van-a 5O0-yard race for the goal
field, staff and commanders cheering
them on, and Reynolds-noble Rey
nolds-spurring swift in the lead. rid
ing down to his soldier fate.
/