The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-07-02
THE CHARGE Or
c .E|:..N||..Pl|'C c '5|NEN|.
Story of Deeds of Daring at
Gettysburg, Told BY
Participant.
JUST FoRTY-TWo YEARS AGO
The ft-Told Story Will Be Read
Over. and Over I.
Again.

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To-day Is the anniversary Of the battle
OF Gettysburg. The story OF tho famous
charge OF Plckett's men has often been
told but 1t will bear rctclling, especially
vi Inc anniversary Of the wonderful fight.
lfere Is the story told by n participant:
On the 1st of July, 1863, plckett's d..
VISION OF Virginians was the rear guard
OF the Army Of Northern Virginia." and
at night was blvouacked near Chambors-
burg, Pa, about twenty miles from Cot
tysburg.
inc division was composed OF three
4prlEadcs, commanded by Armlstead. Car
5n st ana Kempcr; tho first two being
luan,s,y = ynited States army officers.
General George u. Pickett was also. at
one time an officer in tho United states
army. ana had gained much notoricty
previous to the Civil War, as the officer
commanding the United States troops
which s were ordered to take possession Of
t''e lsiafd OF San Juan, when n dispute
occurred with Great Britain as to who
nag the right to occupy It. AS have
SAID before. Plckett's Division was lying
at Chambersburg on tho night OF the
, y. or July and had no intination TINT
II would. sbc called on to take part ii,
the battle which was going on ut Cot
tysburg.
3 me men were quietly sleeping after
q most fatiguing march, and many, no
doupt. dreaming of their homes along
the Atlantic and chesapeake, and others
of9their mountains and beautiful valleys
ana IN their dreams. perhaps, felt the
warm KISS of their loved ones. All at
once the long rool was sounded. and
these sweet visions vanished al they
awoke and realized that grim war was
still rampant. IS s{
me division! was ordered about 1 a.
NJ. to pack up" and, while doing SO, 1t
was rumored that in the engagement
Mt Gettysburg, II on the 1st, Hoods Di-
Vision Of Texans, which we considered
one OF the very best In our army, and,
In fact, crack division had been re-
pulsed In charging Cemetery Heights,
with frightful loss, and that 1t was tho
intention of General Lee to hurl his Vir-
GINA Division against this terrible posi-
ton, as u forlon hope :5 ~
Inc division moved about 3 A. NJ,
July End. and marched as rapidly as cir
cumstances would permit, but as the
roads were blocked with wagons artil-
lery and the wounded Of both armies,
1t frequently had to leave them, and
enter the woods or fields Of ripening
grain. It arrived within two miles OF
Gettysburg, about 9 P. NJ, ana imme-
diately went into camp, and as we were
doing SO, courier rode&up and informed
US that McLaw's Division of Georgians
had Just made a charge! on Cemetery
Heights, and had been rcpulsed with ter
rible loss, as Hoods Texans had been
the day before. The above divisions
with P!clsetts, formed Longstreet;s Corp
d 'armee. and 1t seemed that each OF his
divisions was to have the honor Of max ng
th rs a. assault So but, SO far the skill of
Hancock and tho bravery of his men,
had frustrated each attempt, we were
now informed that General Pickett had
orders to hur his division against this
position next day. unless the artillery
succeeded in dislodging them. The fol-
lowing day we took position In battle
with the command to lie down. as in a
short time one of the most terrible ar
tillcry duels, which had ever been wit
messed. would be fought. General Lee
had massed in front OF the division, about
one hundred and twenty pieces OF ar
tillcry. and they were to open on Gene
terry Heights and endeavor, If possible.
to dlsodge the enemy. This cannonading
commenced about noon. and as our p eces
/, opened, tho enemy replied by q fire from
about, ono hundred pieces. If mortal
has ever witnessed u more terrific fire
than ACQUIRED about noon on the 3r1 OF
July, 1868, then history has not recorded
1t. Tho earth was shaken by its roar.
such as probably the younger Pliny
! mentioned in his description Of tho erup-
ton of Vesuvus when Pompcii and Her
cuaneum were destroyed. The sky was
black with smoke, and livid with the
flame belching from the mouths Of these
| horrible engines Of war Under all this
terrific cannonading. Plckett's Division
was lying. awaiting It to cease. Round
shot whistled through the trees, cutting
limbs from them, which fell upon us.
Shells burst over our heads, and scat
| terlng fell among lis dealing destruction
within our ranks. Our artillery, which
was about one hundred yards In front,
| were firing with almost tho rapldlty OF
TO have ~ most deadly aim. threw smells
amongst us, apparently. at evcry shot,
| blowing up caisgors and killing horses
\ anu men. When the shells flew over
tho artillery, they almost itvnrnhly- OK
| plodcn within the ranks of the division.
which seemed doomed to destruction
without even the opportunity Of firing
a gun. Whilst this Smelling WIS going
On, General Armistead, our brigade COM
mnnder. passed In front OF his COM
mand and informed Ills men that. unless
| the artillery succeeded In dislodging tho
enemy from Cemetery HILL we were Ia
charge tho position
The division knew tho thing was most
desperate, for they had been told that
I two attempts had been made. one by
McLaw's Division and THO other by
4 Hoods, and both had been repplsed,
| with heavy loss--although the men
knew this, apparently there was no dread
upon the face Of any man. They seemed
| determined to win for Virginia and tho
con1lederai,e States. q name which Won, would
and which would be spoken of with pride
not only BY Virginia, but by all America
l And they succeeded. for not only have
/ tier foes accorded them the crown Of
laurel but England herself, spoke word:
!tof praise for these men, whose Anglo
Saxon blood ncryed them to such abrnvs
deed But to return to the scene Of
action. The artillery aftc! throwing
round-shot and sholl into each other fol
an hour, suddenly ceased on the part Of
the Cpnfedcratcs The enemy also dis
continued firing, and the stiffness OF
death succeeded u noise and, tumult whicl
must have been equal to that with Whicl
/ the gods assalled the Titans.
| The Nirglnions We're soon made aware
that, the artillery had not succeeded ~