Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-12-24

lery in the Confederate army, and a
participant in the great battle of Get
tysburg, thus graphically describes
General Pickett's desperate charge on
the Union lines:
Pickett was sitting on his horse,
when General Wilcox rode up to him
and, taking flask of whisky from his
pocket, said:
Pickett, take drink with me. In
an hour you will be in hell or glory"
BE it so. General Wilcox. returned
Pickett, taking the proffered drink:
whatever my fate l shall do my duty
like brave man"
The line being formed, the gallant
men on whom we're centered a peoples
hope of a nation moved out of the
woods.
Firm-faced and slow, a horrid front
they form,
Still as the breeze, but dreadful as
the storm.
Nothing interrupted the view OF this
superb movement. From the cannon
covered top of Cemetery hill, along the
Federal lines, the soldiers of the Fed
eral army watched with wonderment
not unmiXed with admiration, the on
coming of those heroic columns, while
the Confederates looked on admiring
iy, hoping against hope that success
would reward the splendid courage
evinced by Picketts men. When a
short distance from their starting
point they obliqued TO the right and
then TO the left in order to secure COW
er in the fluctuations of the plain
across which they were moving BY
some strange fatality the artillery
smoke, which had settled over the field
after cannonading, and hung there
close to the ground, lifted after the
Confederate division had got some dis
lance in its journey to death. and
glory, and revealed distinctly to both
armies the movement then being made
Marching in the direction of the OBJ
jective position with measured step
and unfaltering courage, Pickett's dl-
vision drew nearer and nearer to their
goal without hindrance from the foes
What did it mean? Was their attack
to be bloodless victory? These we're
questions that sprung instinctively to
the minds of the gallant men Oh, no;
for suddenly a cloud-burst of flame.
shot and shell came laundering from
the ridge into the devoted ranks
There was no wavering, no hating
on went Pickett's men, presenting as
solid and undaunted front as the rock
of Gibraltar. Many dead and wounded
were left by their brave comrades on
the spot where they fell. There was
no time for anything but duty, and
that stern duty was ahead of them.
Again and again the Federal batteries
poured forth a rain of shot, shell,
shrapnel and canister upon them In
measure Horrid rents.
which are quickly closed up, are made
In their lines as the men press stead
lily forward, thunder cloud of war
that would not be stayed The FEEDER
ais, seeing hat they were dealing with
a desperate foe, increase their fire. IL
possible, with no apparent effect, ex-
cept to mark the tract over which the
force is moving with the dead and
wounded heroes.
Never was there a sublimer exhibit,
ton Of bravery on the field of battle.
Courage was personifed in every man.
On they went in the face of the relent-
less hail of death that was beating
against them. General Armistead was
seen with his hat aloft on his sword.
marching resolutely at the head OF
his gallant men. Shot and shell
whistled about him, and yet he was
His journey was a desper-
ate one. but he continued bravely on.
not with the courage of desperation,
but with the courage OF a perfect man
and a gallant soldier
Don't finch an inch, boys" he had
said TO his men before starting away.
and they were heroically responding.
The carnage in their ranks was fear.
full to contemplate. It seemed more
like cold-blOoded butchery than sys-
tematic war. That part of our army
not engaged watched the gallant band
in painful suspense. 1t did not seem
within the limit of human endeavor
that they could ever reach the objec-
tive point, so terrible was the slaugh
ter to which they were being subject
ed. On they went, with every step be-
coming more determined. Surely there
never was seen such matchless hero
ism. Nothing could stay or check
them. When within short distance
Of the Federal line their wild wells of
defiance were heard above the thunder
Ing Of their guns. The greatest mo-
ment Of their lives had come. They
dashed forward in wild and disorder
I'd rush Garnett, whose brigade was
In front, fell dead within a hundred
yards Of the Union front, sword In
hand His men rushed madly upon
he Sfyty-nfntb and Seventv-firgt Pam,