The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-23
Letters to the Editor.
Some Facts of History.

Kindly give space to the following historical correction in regard to the battle of Gettysburg, and oblige.
 have been reading history of the war. which many If our people have in their homes, that was wrftten by & Major. Handy. I believe he was with injustice to Archer's Brigade of Heath's Division, A. P. Hilfs Corps. Said Bri- gade was composed of the 1st, 7th and 14th Tennessee regiments. the lsth and Joe Davis Mississippi Brigade.
 On the mornirg of The first day of July, 1863. these commands broke Gettysburg, the 18th Alabama in ad- vance. We passed Anderscn's Division in camps, and when within about four miles of Gettysburg passed through a small village of a few brick houses. About one-half mile. above the village the turnpike enters a thick woodland or swamp. Here we halted misty rain had begun to fall.
 Colonel B. D. Fry, of our regiment. rode back to the color bearer and or dered him to uncase the colors-the first intimation that we had that we were about to engage the enemy. We discovered about this time a squad of Federal cavalry up to our right in an old field, holding their horses. We were then ordered to file to the right guns at will. Companies B. ., and G, of. the 18th Alabama and the 18th Ala bafna Battalion were ordered out and deployed as a skirmish line. After he line of the brigade was fornej. the words, "Forward, March," were givtr As socn as the skirmish line .ntered the swamp shot rang out. 1t oe'n,; the first gun fired in the great battle of Gettysburg. The skirmish Ene ard regular line of Confederatcs advanced d. tine Federal cavalry falling back before
 viii say here that the cavalry we encountered was Bufords Division, which was easily driven back. When wErhin about one mile of Gettysburg, we came in plain view of the town and also a long string of blue coats march = ing. We learned that 1t was the first Federal Army Corps. commanded by Major-Generai ReyrolIdds' 1aId ,n wnen enen,% we artillery. which was. locatad in the edge of town, opened up on us with shct and shell. We were then or1ered to double quick. Just before reaching Willoughbys Run, the cavalry began to get stubborn and our line passed the skirmish line. Then we drove them back until we crossed the & Run ana ana fourth of mile from the town we dis covered that we had tackled a hard proposition, fer there were Federal As the lamented Rlll Arp would express it, We had Yankees on the front, Yankees on the Hanks and soon Yan- kees behind us" For as soon as we
 
 ed around and came in behind us.
 Here occurred one of the most un- equal and hard fought battles, consider ing the number of men engaged on of The 18th Alabama was on the right of the two brigades and had struck the Federal line in or about it's center, So all they had to do was to short, furious fight, surrounded by in- fantry and cavalry. nothing was left for us to do but lie down in the field and allow the enemy to come on. or surrender. which we did General Archer had gone in on foot and when the writer arose two or three say how many were taken prisoners, but all who had not grasped time by the forelock and left when they real ized what deadly trap we wcre being taken to the edge of the town and I can say. truthfully, that we could see one mile back in the direction from which we came and not sign of Con federates or endorsements were in sight. The brigade we met that day was the Iron Brigade of the Army of the Potomac, commanded by General Sol Meredith, and all Western men.
 I give you this brief, plain state ment of facts and refer, you to any member of Archer's Brigade now living as to its truthfulness. One of the companies was from Greenville and one from Camden. Ala.
 Very truly,
 Private. Company F. 18th, Alabama Infantry.
 Brewton, Ala. May 21. 1906.
 
 What Good Will It Do.
 Editor The Advertiser:
 see from the proceedings of the City Council. under date of May the 7th. the following ordinance was intro duced:
 An Ordinance
 To purchase the personal property of the estate of A. S. Gerald, deceased.
 Section 1. Be it ordained by the City Council of Montgomery as follows That the Mayor Is hereby directed to purchase from the widow of the late Adolphus Gerald at a sum not to ex- ceed one thousand dollars the personal property belonging to the estate of Adolphus Gerald, now stored at police headquarters.
 Section 2, Be 1t further ordained That the sum of one thousand dollars is hereby appropriated out of any funds in the City Treasury not otherwise ap- propriated. f-- the purpose. of carrying into effect section one of this oEdi- nance. And that the Mayor Is hereby authorized to draw his warrent for