The National tribune., 1906-11-22
ON LITTLE ROUND TOP.
The Fifth Corps Fight Gettysburg Particularly the 32d Mass s
Part
By OSCAR W. WEST,
Co. H. 32d Mass, 10 Richmond Ave-, Worcester, Mass.

which was composed of the 62d Pa.
S2d Mass, 4th Mich. and the 9th Mass
On the Field.
After reaching the field of operations
we were massed near VOLTS Hill 10
the right of the road We marched on
from Hanover. At about noon we were
moved to the left, and again massed
in field near the stone bridge where
the Baltimore pike crosses Rock Creek.
We remained in this place until nearly
o'clock in the afternoon. Not far
from where we were, but on little
higher ground and near the Taneytown
road. as ] remember, was battery OF
artillery. This battery got busy early
in the afternoon, which was very hot.
The batteries of the c. S. A. near the
Emmitsburg road were sending shell
over our way, in order to amuse those
of us who We're willing to be amused;
but in this case there was cause Tor
admiration, not for the rebs. but for
the bravery and patriotism OF the Wo-
men of Gettysburg.
During the engagement of the bat
terieS representatives of those women
carried water for the battery near us,
needing not the shot and shell fyins
across that field. During the night OF
July l Gen. Sickles had come in over
the Emmitsburg road with the Third
Corps, and had gone into camp along
that line with his center near the
Peach Orchard and his left partly COW
ering the Round Tops, and when In the
afternoon of July Gen. Longstreets
Division made the charge for the pos
session of Little Round Top the left
wing of the Third Corps was forced
back. making an angle of its line near
the Peach Orchard, the corps suffering
terribly.
Going Into Battle.
At this juncture the First Division of
the Fifth Corps was ordered to Sickles's S
relief. We moved rapidly to the left
towards the Peach Orchard, the Third
Brigade leading At the crossing of
the Taneytown road the Third Brigade
was marched to the defense of Little
Round Top. The Second and First
Brigades kept moving toward the
Peach Orchard, with the 32d Mass. in
front The largest regiments of the
Second Brigade were missing, SO there
were only three regiments, with hardly
men enough in all to make one good
regiment
Arriving at the position assigned us,
we marched thru a collection of trees
and halted at the edge of the grove,
where the monument of the 32d Mass.
now stands. At the foot of the slope
in front of us was a creek, only few
rods across a cleared field. The trolley
line to Little Round Top now runs
ment and the creek. Our regiment
wheeled into line in two divisions, the
62d Pa. and 4th Mich. performing the
evolution, SO that the brigade was in
column by regiments, with the 32d
Mass. in front.
Expecting to be wounded if not killed
in the engagement which l knew was
canteen and also those of three of my
comrades. and asked of my Captain
permission to go to the creek for wa
ter. He said: II don't dare give you
permission, for you will be likely to
be killed. and I shall be blamed for
letting you CO." But he finally said /
might ask the Colonel, which l at once
did, and he told me, There is going TO
be a battle right away" l said: Il
know that. and that is why 1 want the
water" He said: IF you go down
there you probably will be shot Is
your Captain willing to let you go?"
He referred me to you," 1 replied. ]
got the permission I was after, and also
the order to Get back just as quickly
as You possibly can,' which order
obeyed strictly returning with four
canteens full of water, just in season to
return the three L had borrowed and
get to my place in the company as the
order was given to Lie down." The
Johnnies were at the creek, just where
had been so short a time before. Our
muskets gave them the order to 'Halti'
which they promptly obeyed and an
swered Their answer was in a show
er of bullets, which took the man next
to me, and he was carried from the
field
Lieut.. March, of my company, took
his gun and cartridges and commenced
loading and firing as fast as he could.
He called my attention to a marker"
which was waving just above the pow
der smoke, which was so thick in front
of the rebel ranks as to make them in
visible to us, and told me there was a
crowd around where 1t stood. I could
see by the Jets of smoke and fame
just where the muzzles of their guns
were, and was careful to send my bull
lets just below the roll of smoke, so
as not to waste any lead.
In the Wheat Field.
They stood this punishment for some
time and then fell back, but as we saw,
two days later, they left great many
of their dead on the field. AS soon as
they withdrew We were ordered to fall
back to the road, and marched toward
Little Round Top until we came to the
wheat field. which we charged across
as far as the woods beyond, where we
again met the enemy. and at very close
quarters. My company (H) was then
deployed on the left of the brigade as
'fiankers," and were ordered to lie
down. The wheat was just ripe for
the harvest. and rebel bullets were do
ing the harvesting. Several heads oi
wheat fell where / was, and l gathered
handful, with the purpose of sending
them home for seed wheat but before
| could get them in my haversack the
order was, Forward" and / had tc
drop them, much to my later regret
and obey orders. In the meantime
"Griffin's Old Brigade" was hard prest
The First Brigade of our division had
not advanced, as was expected, on ou,
right, and It was feared the enemy
would push thru the gap thus left and
| flank the Second Brigade. Col. Sweitzer
| in command of the brigade, could mo-
be found. Col. Prescott, of the 32C
Mass, was wounded and gone to the
| rear. Lieut.-Col. Stephenson was there.
| fore in command of the 32d Mass and