The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-26

 force of the enemy was observed bear Ing down on our left flank. We halt ed for a moment: 1t became evident that nothing could save us but re- treat. The order was therefore given and we fell back to our former posi- ton in support of the artillery. The enemy not advancing, there was no further fighting during the day. The loss of the regiment at Gettys- burg was 2s2 killed. wounded and missing. This loss Is considerably greater than appears in the official records but the figures here given are from rolls of the regi-aent and believe are correct Of 26 officers, IT were killed and wounded, Among the killed were Captain Branagan. Go. ''I". Lieutenant J. B. Fuller of Go. "K'', and Lieutenant George Swartz. Go. "G", all gallant officers. Captain l.. A. Livingston, Go. "F', a brave and faith ful officer, and Lieutenant R. R. Scott. heretofore mentioned for gallantry, afterwards died of wounds received here.
 The color sergeant, L. P. Ragsdale. was conspicuous for the coolness with which he obeyed orders in the thickest of the fight. Privates Rothschild, Go. "G", James Reynolds and s. H. White. Go "K", Sergeant. Go. '.R". were con- spicuous for bravery"
 In his report o. R. Vol. xvii series i. part 2, page 620, General Wilcox active and zealous in commanding ana dividing their men. Lieutenant Colonel Herbert of the Sth. Lieutenant Colonel Shelly of the 10th, Lieutenant Colonel Tayioe of the 11th and Captain King are all deserving of especial praise"
 It will be noted that in this account. ,.te te@. i0hf m h c after the battle of Gettysburg, wrote. speaking of this charge: What we could have been expected to effect has always remained a mystery. This expression, like every other sentence in the account, had the approval of all the officers who were present when 1t was written. 4Pickett's charge had already been practically repuised when we were ordered forward and 1t never occurred to any officer of the sth nor when this account was written Janu- ary, 1864 had 1t been even suggested to any; of us, that we, had been expect ed to support Pickett's charge. On the contrary, our speculation was that we had simply been ordered forward on the right of where Pickett had charged and after his repIise as forlorn hope to prevent the enemy from making a counter charge. The writer was very surprised two years since, in conversation with Gen. eral E. P. Alexander, Longstreets chief of artillery to learn from him that 1t had been the intention of General Lee that Wilcox should go forward with Pickett, but that somehow or other sle orders had miscarried And this is an important point in the general history of the battle.
 now quote from General Wilcox's report. o. R. Series Vol. xvii, part II eapitaIizing the words in that repoTe ] which bear upon the account above as to the interval between Pickett's charge and ours:
 and other brigades on his left. As soon as these troops rose to advance. the hostile artillery opened upon them. These brave men (Pickett's) neverthe- less moved on, and. as far as I saw them, without wavering. The enemy's artillery opposed them on both Hanks and directly in front. Every variety of artillery missiles was thrown into their ranks
 The advance had not been made more than TWENTY OR THIRTY MIN UTES BEFORE THREE STAFF OF TIGERS IN QUICK SUCCESSION (ONE | FROM THE MAJOR GENERAL COM HANDING DIVISION gave me orders to advance to the support of Picketts divisie'n. My brigade, about 1900 in
 number, then moved forward i'll the
 following order from right to left; | Ninth. Tenth, Eleventh, Eighth and Fourteenth Alabama Regiments. As they advanced, they changed direc- ton slightly to the left, so as to cover in part the ground over which Pick ett's division had moved. As they came in view on the turnpike, all of the enemy's terrible artillery that could
 
 them from both Hanks and directly in front and more than on the evening previous. NOT A MAN OF THE DI- VISION THAT WAS ORDERED TO SUPPORT COULD I SEE; but as my orders were to go to their support, on my men went down | the slope until they came near the
 teries and intrenchments.
 | Here they were exposed to a close
 and terrible fire of artillery. Two lines of the enemy's infantry were
 seen moving by the flank toward the
 rear of my left I ordered my men
 to hold their ground until could get
 artillery to fire upon them. I then
 rode back rapidly to our artillery, but | could find none near that had ammu-
 milton. After some little delay, not
 getting any artillery to fire upon the
 enemy's infantry that were on my left flank, and knowing that my small force could do nothing save to make
 a useless sacrifice of themselves, I or dered them back The enemy did not pursue. My men, as on the day be-
 fore, had to retire under a heavy ar
 tillery fire. My line was reformed
 on the ground 1t occupied before it advanced"
 The enemy did not attempt to attack
 us after repulsing Pickett's assault
 and the assault of our little handful | of men, subsequently, made. When we fell back we resumed our former position in line on the brow of the ridge where we had lain when the bat
 tie of that day began. Soon General Lee on Traveller and accompanied by
 an aide, rode slowly along our front,
 and the majestic mien of horse and rider, both calm as a May morning, | would have tended to reassure us, if | reassurance had been necessary. We had been repulsed and as 1t after
 wards turned out, defeated, but we
 were not demoralized. Every man of
 us felt that If the enemy should att
 tack us In our position his repulse | would be as disastrous as ours had l been.
 All that day our army remained in line. and that night Gas 1t now ap- pears) In council of war among the
 generals of the Union army the ques- ton was seriously discussed. whether
 they should not retreat. They did not
 retreat. nor did we the next day until
 night fall came.
 On the 4th day of July both armies laid in line of battle like two wound .