Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-01
e go PICKETT'S CHARGE N11E1
AT THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG
By La Sale Corbe11 Pickett

till ordered to the awful charge Pickett stood
with Lee and Longstreet the summit of the ridge
In the shadows of the distant ridge two tiers
of guns supported by soldiers and served by gnners
of experience and skill Back of them were reserves
of infantry. The line of advance was INSTRUCTED
by strong post-and-rai1 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
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 was 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 Tu1v sun
poured its scorchng rays upon the lying 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 Meades army; but,
shaking his fist at Cemetery Hill, Lee replied: The
enemy lies therel And am going to strike him.,
Preparing for the Death March
a 7 one o'clock the awful silence was broken by a
cannon-shot, followed by another from the
Washington artillery The smoke still hung over the
plain and the echo was yet rolling along the defles
and gorges, when the whole line was ab1aze and the
thunder and crash Of 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 were like blazing vol
canoes. The valley filled with clouds of dust
and suffocating smoke A rolling sea of white and
bluegray mist tossed it's pillows between the
heights. Fiery fuses shot across the field leaving
death and mutilation in their track. Shrieking
shells burst above the troops or 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 are coming, come at once; but the
enemy's fire has not s1ackened at all At least
eighteen guns still firing from the cemetery
itself
Shall go forward, General Longstreet?" Pick
EFT asked.
Longstreet looked at him with expression that
seldom comes into any face The friendship of
years flooded his soul. He remembered time long
, Chapultepec and his boy-lieutenant Pickett
Z took his place and bore the batte-fag, the
. Stars and Stripes, in triumph to the flame
"a crowned height. He held out his hand and