New-York tribune., 1906-07-01
bEszzzs3 PICKETT'S CHARGE NgI
AT THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG
By La Sale Corbe11 Pickett
CHARGE

till ordered to the awful charge Pickett stood
with Lee and Longstreet the summit of the ridge.
In the shadows of the distant ridge were two tiers
OF guns supported by soldiers and served by gunners
of experience and skill Back of them were reserves
OF infantry. The line of advance was ObStructed
by strong pOst-and-rail fence in the plain below
The position must be taken by assault The
COnfederates knew the magnitude of the attempt
The fifteen thousand men,, said Longstreet who
can make a successful assault over that field have
never yet been arrayed for battle" The distance
alone more than half a mile of open ground, in
the face of terrible rain of canister and shrapnel
But Lee determined and Pickett was willing
Strong battle was in the air.
About eight o'clock the three Generals rode slowly
down the long line of prostrate waiting infantry
The men had been forbidden to cheer but they rose
silently and stood with uncovered heads motion
less dark line against the white light of morning
and the gloom of the hills in the background
For five hours of awful suspense the July SIN
poured its scorchng rays upon the men living in the
grass behind the artillery, waiting for some sign
Officers and men knew the work that was before
them, and when the word was finally given Picketts
men marched into the jaws of Death with the full
knowledge that they offering up their lives on
the altar OF duty. LOngstreet continued to urge a
movement around to the left of Meade's army; but
shaking his fist at Cemetery Hill, Lee replied The
enemy lies there! And | am going to strike him.
Preparing for the Death March
4 7 one o'clock the awful silence was broken bv
"A cannon-shot, followed by another from the
Washington artillery. The smoke still hung over the
plain and the echo yet rolling along the defiles
and gOrges, when the whole line ablaze, and the
thunder and crash of a hundred guns shook the
hills. Another hundred guns flashed an instant
reply and the greatest artillery duel of the western
continent had begun. The two ridges, about four
teen hundred yards apart, like blazing vol
canoes. The valley was filled with clouds of dust
and suffocatng smoke. A rolling sea of white and
bluegray mist tossed its pillows between the
heights. Fiery fuses shot across the field, leaving
death and mutilation in their track Shriekng
shells burst above the troops striking, tore up the
ground and bounded off for another deadly blow.
The Federal chief of artillery declared that had
such sight been seen before
Pickett was beside Longstreet waiting for orders,
when a courier rode up with note from Alexander,
saying: :" If you coming, come at once; but the
enemy's fire has not slackened at all. At least
eighteen guns are still firing from the cemetery
itself
Shall go forward, General Longstreet?" Pick
EFT asked
Longstreet looked at him with an expression that
seldom comes into any face. The friendship of
years flooded his soul. He remembered time long
before when he fell the stormy slope of
? Chapultepec, and his boy-ieutenant Pickett
Z took his place and bore the battle-fag, the
. Stars and Stripes, in triumph to the flame
b[5 crowned height. He held out his hand and