The National tribune., 1909-02-11

Seemed to have gone to smash, and
| the remnants were making time for
the rear of the ridge. What was left
of the Regular Division of the Fifth
| Corps was marching out from the field
| en~Jthe road that crosses to the right
of Round Top and the Wheat Field to
the Emmitsburg Road, with the vic
torious rebels following closely after.
The Regular troops were going off the
field IN such good order that the in
coming troops thought their going out
was on account of having exhausted
their supply of ammunition. The guns
of some Of the batteries, of which all
the horses had been killed, were being
drawn off by hand by the battery men
to save them, and things had, indeed,
desperate look for our side. The yell
|.sng and exuItant foe, following after in
pursuit, seemed to be as much broken
up and in disorder as were our men in
retreat. 1t did not, indeed, appear as
If they had in sight sufficient men to
form a solid line Of battle had they
been in that order, and their fire was
mot SO heavy. as was usually expert
enced in meeting their lines. But the
writer OF this would rather cite the
written testimony of officers of the bri-
'gade, given long ago, in reference TO
that evenings action, than to advance
his unsupported say-so from memory
at this late day, providing The National
IrlDune VIII permit It.
Time Of the Arrival of the Corps.
Z In the first place. as to the time of
The arrival of the Sixth Corps troops.
Gen. Sedgwick in his report states
that he reported his corps at Rock
Creek at 2 %. m. Capt -Cowan,. who
commanded Cowan's Battery of the
Sixth Corps, and whose admirable
statement OF the services of his battery
appeared in The National Tribune
couple of months ago, stated that his
battery arrived at ROCK Greek at l
p, m.
A historian OF the 9sth Pa, which
was the leading regiment of the Sixth
Corps that day, gives as to its expert
ences that evening the following:
"The regiment arrived at Rock
Creek at p. m or shortly after; matt
/ ed and were allowed TO rest an hour,
when, with1tfle brigade, were advanced
over Rock Gre *. Hardly were We
again in line when we were ordered
forward under Gen. Sedgwicks per-
sonsI supervision, being directed By
staff officer who accompanied us and
were brought to Little Round Top on
the double-quick. and by his direction
formed line of battle. OnT line was in
the immediate rear of other troops,
whom we found to be the Pennsylvania
Reserves, whose line was overlapped by
ours. Before the line was hardly
formed our regiment fixed bayonets.
|, and, passing the reserve line, advanced
on the charge to and across Plum Run
and over the stone fence skirting the
Wheat Field. The Reserves, whom we
passed, also advanced on the charge at
the same time. The opposition seemed
more that Of struggling and disorgan-
ized parties OF the enemy who retreat
ed before our advance with but little
firing Our Joss in movements thus far
were one killed and 10 wounded. We
were then ordered to the right of the
brigade. and held that position TO the
end OF the battle.'
"A statement concerning the 93d Pa.
another regiment of Wheaton's Bri-
gade, is as follows: about p. m.
were ordered into a field to the left of
the Baltimore Pike, and the men, too
much exhausted &c eat, threw them
selves down and lay like logs. In an
hour an order came TO advance to sup
mort the lines in front that were hard
pressed. Col. Nevin, of the 62d n. Y,
| in command of the brigade, moved
promptly. Gen. Sedgwick irf~ person
. led the brigade, and formed ii on the
/ brow OF a low, rocky knoll, covered
with scattered trees, just to the right
of Little Round Top, the left of the
brigade Joining with the Pennsylvania
| Reserves. 1t got into position just as
the troops which had been contesting
the ground in the open fields along the
! Emmitsburg Road, broken and almost
annihiiated, Were coming back in dis
order, followed closely by the victorious
enemy. A fire from the brigade line
checked their advance. The whole bri-
gade then advanced, and after short
contest the rebels were driven in tum-
ult. In the charge the $50 took 25
prisoners. The 93d had 3S officers and
237 men present for duty, and had one
officer and nine men wousdsd- pne
imortally."
4 The brigade In Action.
Capt. Herbert, at the deaiss.ion of
the monument OF the 139th Pa regi-
ment of Wheaton's Brigade, in refer
Hpce TO the part the regiment had in