Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-11-25
go *s PIOISETTs 49,. :
DIVISION AT GETTYs-
s.. BURG. ...


quarters, and the plan of attack was
formed. The attack was to be open
ed with artillery fire to batter aud
asnsoraiiIe the Federal line, and was
to be opened by a signal of two shots
from the Washington Artillery. At
sl.SO the report of the first gun rang
out on the still summer air, followed
a minute later by the second, and
then came the roar and flash of one
hundred and thirty-eight Rebel can
non. Almost Immediately one hun
3dred Federal guns responded. Shot
&and shell tore through the air, crash
ing through batteries, tearing men
and horses to pieces, and the very
earth seemed to shake and the hills
to reel as the terrible thunder re-
echoed among them.
For nearly an hour every conceiv-
able form of ordnance known to mod
ern gunnery hissed and shrieked,
whistled and screamed, as it went
forth on its death mission, till ex-'
hausted by excitement and heat, the
lence reigned again. Then Pickett
and his brave legion stood up and
formed for the death struggle; rem
nants Of Garnett's Brigade, the Eight,
Eighteenth, Nineteenth, Twenty
Eighth, Fifty-Sixth Virginia; Armis-
tead's Brigade, the Ninth, Four
teenth, Thirty-Eighth, i Fifty-Third,
Fifty-Seventh Virginia; Kemper's
Brigade, the First, Third, Seventh,
Eleventh AMI Twelty-Fourth Vir-
ginia. Their tatteved flags bore the
scars Of score of battles, and from
their ranks the merciless bullet had
already taken two-thirds of their
number. In compact ranks, their
front scarcely covering two of Han
cocks brigades, with flags waving as
If for gala day, they stood. Gen.
Pickett saluted Longstreet and ask
ed, 'Shall l go forward, sir?" but
it was not in Longstreet's heart to
send those heroes Of so many battles
to certain death, and he turned away
his head, when Pickett. with that
proud, imperious air which has. earn
ed him the title Of the Ney Of the
lead my division froward!" The or
ders now rang out, Attention.! At
tention!" and the men, realizing the
end was near, cried out to their COM
rades, "Good-bye, boys; good-bye"
Suddenly rang out on the air the
final order from Pickett himself and
his saber flashed from its scabbard-
Column forward! Guide center!"
And the brigades Of Kemper, Gar
nett and Armistead moved toward
Cemetery Hill as one man. Soon
Pettigrew's Division emerged from
the woods and followed in echelon
on Pickett's left flank, and Wilcox,
with his Alabama Division, moved
out to support his right hank---in all
about fifteen thousand men. 1t was
nearly a mile to the Federal lines,
and as they advanced over the open
plain the Federal artillery opened
again, plowing great lanes through
their solid ranks, but they closed up
to Guide center" as If upon dress
parade. When half way over Pickett
halted his division amidst a terrible
fire Of shot and shell and changed his
direction by an oblique movement,
coolly and beautifully made. To
those who have never faced artillery
fire it Is marvellous and ineXplica-
BILE how human beings could have ad-
vanced a mile under the terrible fire
of hundred cannon, the he'atmosphere
being laden with missiles Of death;
but In splendid formation they still
went bravely on till within range of
the musketry, when the blue line of
Hancock's corps arose and poured
into their ranks a murderous fire.
With wild yell the Rebels pushed
on, unfalteringly, across the Federal
line, and laid hands on the cannon.
Men fired in each others faces.
There were bayonet thrusts, cutting
with sabers, hand-to-hand contests,
oaths, curses, yells and hurrahs.
The second corps of Federals fell
back behind the guns to allow the
use Of grape and double canister,
and as 1t tore the Confederate ranks
at only, few PAGES distant the dead
and wounded were piled in CHASTITY
t~,, 60 No
very muzzle Of the guns. Men were
mouth, but the line did not waver.
Pickett had taken the key to the
position, and the glad shout of VIC
tory was heard as, the very imper-
sonation of a soldier, he, still forced
his way to the crest, Cemetery Ridge.
Kemper and Armistead broke
through Hancock's line, 1caled the
hill and planted their tag on its
crest. Just before Armistea1 was
shot hes placed his flag upon cap
tured cannon and cried, "Give them
cold steel, boys!" but valor could do
no more. The handful of braves had
won immortality, but could not con-
quer an army.
Pettigrew's weak division was bro
ken; Wilcox, owing to his great mis-
take in separating his column, was
easily routed. and Stannard's Ver-
monters, thrown into the gap, were
creating havoc on Pickett's flank.
Pickett's support was gone, his gene
rals-Kemper, Armistead and Gar
nett-killed or wounded; every field
officer Of three brigades gone; three
fourths Of his men killed or captured,
though himself untouched; but, he
roes as they were, they fed not, but
amidst that still continuous. terrible
fire they slowly, sullenly Tecrossed
the plain-all that were left of them