The National tribune., 1908-10-22

| tain of their position. Why no advan-
tage was taken of this it was not for us
to explain. Why the infantry, when they
heard fighting in Laws rear, or when
afterwards, we delivered to their skir-
mish line our prisoners, did not adj
vance and drive his brigade into the
valley, where it would have been ex-
posed to a general flank attack, has
never been explained; but it was not a
| charge of madmen with mad lead
err We believed, and yet believe, that
| Farnsworth's charge was wisely or
dered. well timed, well executed and
| effective.
"Farnsworth fell in the enemy's lines
with his saber raised, dead with five
mortal wounds and without fame. So
fell this typical volunteer soldier of
| America man without military train
ing or ambition, yet born with genius
for war which carried him to d high
command and to the threshold of a
great career"
.MaGnihcent and War"
1t is said that the French Field Mar
shal, witnessing the celebrated charge
of the Light Brigade" at Balaklava,
remarked, 'It is magnificent, but it is
not war" This charge of Farnsw orth' s
was quite as magnificent as that of the
Light Brigade" and it was really war.
The Light Brigade's charge accom-
W
Farnsworth's Brigade disturbed the
whole arrangement of Longstreets
| forces, threw his well-ordered ranks
into confusion, and filed him with APP
| prehension of what was to come. Had
it been followed up by an advance of
our infantry the consequences would
have been momentous.
The Confederates say that Farms
worth fought desperately until the last.
and then blew out his own brains rath-
er than surrender. This is not con-
frmed by the Union reports The
| Surgeons who examined Farnsworth's
body say tnat there were five mortal
wounds on his body but none on his
head. 1t is thought that the Confeder-
ates mistook Capt. Cushman for Farms
worth. 1t was he who rode into the
ranks of the 18th Ala, ard was terri
bly, wounded in the face, fighting with
| his revolver till he tainted. He was not
killed, however, but lived to die in a
future battle
Longstreet says that Fitzpatrick had
a great opportunity which he missed ,v
not sending Farnsworths Brigade over
| to join Merritt's Brigade, where they
| had open ground, and where there
were comparatively few troops guarding
| Longstreets all-important trains.
Merritfs Brigade.
Brig.-Gen. Wesley Merritt COM
v,
consisting of the 9Th Pa, 1st, I'd, 5th
| and 9Th U. S. Cav. Merritt had been
| sent on scout to Hagerstown TO ascCr-
| tain the presence and strength of the
| enemy there, and reached Emmitsburg
| July 2. The next day he was ordered
! to attack the enemy's right and rear,
| and annoy him while the battle Was
In progress. i1e left Enmitsburg about
IL o'clock, and after marching four
miles encountered the enemy strongly
posted behind stone fences and barri-
cades. After fight of four hours Mer-
ritt routed him and drove him back
more than mile, but the engagement
was brought to a close by a heavy,
dashing rain. Maj. Starr, of the 9Th
U. S. Cav, was detached, and sent to
the left toward Fairfield to intercept a
train of wagons. The regiment en-
countered very superior force Of the
enemy and was very roughly handled,
losing nearly all of its officers and about
29O enlisted men killed, wounded and
missing: The official account of its jess
gives SIX killed, 2S wounded and 223
| captured or missing
| McCnndIess's Brigade.
A brilliant feat of arms by McCand-
less's PENNSYLVANIA Reserve Brigade
was one of the closing incidents of the
great struggle. A Confederate battery
in front of Little Round Top had been
quite active and annoying. McCandless
was ordered to get rid of it. To reach
it he would have to cross an open
| field 500 yards wide, with two brigades
Of Hoods infantry, which had put UP
such an aggressive fight the day before
| supporting it. McCandless made his
dispositions with soldierly skill He
sent the 9Th Pa. Reserves thru the
woods on the right to engage Wofford's
Georgia Brigade. and take the battery
in flank. With his remaining regi-
meuts-1st, I'd. 11th and 18th Pa. Re
serves-he charged directly across the
field in the face of Bennings Brigade
I'd, 18TH, 18th and Goth Ga. McCand-
less's men fell to the ground as the