The National tribune., 1908-11-05
VINCENT'S BRIGADE ON LITTLE
ROUND TOP.

VINCENTS BRIGADE ON LITTLE
ROUND TOP.
| The Really Critical Point in the Battle
Of Gettysburg.
Editor National Tribune: was a
member of the SD Pa, Third Brigade,
First Division, Fifth Corps, commanded
by Col. Strong Vincent, and was pres
ent at the battle. The account given
by McElroy is the most accurate among
the many 1 have read, of the part taken
by Vincents Brigade in that action.
Col Powell, in his History of the
Army of the Potomac" truthfully says
of this action: Historians have ex-
hausted themselves in describing the
actions at the Peach orchard and the
events of the third day at Gettysburg.
Great stress has been laid upon the
result of Pickett's charge, while famous
pictures have presented that scene to
the gaze of the American public; but
the truth of history is that this little
brigade of Vincent's, with the self
sacrificing valor of the goth Me-, under
the gallant leadership of Joshua l..
Chamberlain, fighting amid the scrub
oaks and rocks in that vale between
the Round Tops on the second day Of
July, 1863, saved to the Union army
tie IIlStOElC HclQ ol IettySUufB. I1du
they faltered for one instant-had they
not exceeded their actual duty-whiIe
the left of the Third Corps was swung
in the air half a mile to the right and
front Of Little Round Top, there would
have been no grand charge of Pickett,
and Gettysburg would have been the
| mausoleum of departed hopes for the
National cause; for Longstreet would
have enyeloped Little Round Top, cap
f,Vva oil Tee. III
held The key Of the whole position"
Some two or three years ago l read
in your paper an account written by
member of the 21st Pa. Cav. Of the
raid across the Nottoway River and
destruction of the Weldon Railroad
from the Nottoway River to BeIlfeld.
l inclose herewith copy of a letter
written by me. containing an account
of the participation of the First Division
Of the Fifth Corps in the same field
e. L. Whittelsey, Captain, 83d Pa, Erie,
Pa.
Camp of SD P ", Dec. 13, 1864.
Dear Father: Yours of the 4th inst.
was received last evening. We We're
obliged to leave our nice quarters at
PEBBLES Farm the 9Th inst. Our corps
was massed on the Jerusalm plank road
during that day. The morning of the
7th we marched down the plank road.
The weather was very pleasant and
the road good, and we made rapid
progress. Our cavalry were in the
| advance. The expedition consisted Of
Corps, and the cavalry. We reached
the Nottoway River about 20 miles
from Petersburg, at o'clock p. m,
but did not cross until o'clock a. m.
| on the Sth. The pontoon train accom-
| panied us, and bridge was construct
| ed over the river during the afternoon
| and evening of the 7th. At 2 O'Clock
| a. m. on the 8th our division crossed
the river and marched to Sussex Court
House, and from there to the Weldon
Railroad. We struck the railroad at
the point where it crosses the Nottoway
| River, a little below Stony Creek Sta
| ton, and burned the bridge. During
| that day and until IL o'clock that night
we were engaged in destroying the rail-
road from the Nottoway River to Jar.
rett's Station, a distance of 10 miles
We tore up the track, burned the ties
heated and bent the rails. 1t was fine
sight to See the line of fire for 10 miles
We bivouacked at Jarretts Station the
night OF the 9Th. The morning of the
10th we moved on towards Hicksford
| and destroyed the railroad during the
day. At night we bivouacked on tn,
plantation of one Ben Balls, who hat
a lot of negros, poultry, grain, etc.
which poultry, grain, etc, we appro
priated He also had about 20 bar
rels of liquor called 'applejack.' Oul
men got hold of it, and many of then
were coon drunk We had very pleas
ant weather up to this time, but thi
night it rained. and the air was SO colt
that the rain was frozen, and the mex
morning the trees and ground wer
covered with ice.
ssUa commenced nnr retr,rp fb
morning of the 10th. 1t was a cold
rainy day, but we marched to Suisse:
Court House, distance of 20 miles
and 1t rained all day. The 11th we re
crossed the Nottoway River, an
bivouacked on the plantation of on
Mai. Relshes. whose poultry, grain, etc
we appropriated. The 18th we reaches
our lines near Petersburg. having bee
away from the main army six days. w
, destroyed large amount of grain, etC
! guess the rebels are not starving. TO
l saw very large quantity of graf
. and produce. Our cavalry went TO nea
Hicksford, on the North Carolina line
and destroyed the railroad. The in
fantry went within five miles Of tina
> place. / have not seen the box yet, no
have / heard Of Rowland Hood. II
was last seen by one of our men at tn
PEBBLES House, Sept 80. and was she
thru the neck. Since that time 1 car
4 not get any trace of him. I have ha
. the records of our division field hospi
, tai examined, also the records of tn
r depot hospital at City Point, Va, bu
v cannot hear anything OF him. You ca
say to Mr. Hood that shall do all tha
8 l can to find out what became of hin
D The weather Is very cold here, and
e think. with you, that the devil will b
5 to pay here shortly.-Ed."