The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-05-27
HIGH WATER MARX
OF THE REBELLION
A Memorial Day Sketch.

AN
"There is no battlefield in Europe
said the Count de Paris. so magnih-
Gently adorned as your Gettysburg
while another historian has declared
that the american Waterloo was
worthy OF "a visit from every tourist
not only on account OF its historical
associations, but as one of the
try's art centers.
Among the largest and most beauti-
full OF the many monuments at Gettys-
burg is thai which designates the ioca-
ton OF the Bloody Angle fight, or what
perhaps Is better known as h high
water mark of the rebellion" where the
three divisions of the Second army corps
h~eroically repulsed the terrific assault
made upon the center of the federal
lines by the forces of the confederate
army under the command OF one OF its
brightest leaders, Longstreet.
This tablet possesses equal interest
TO the veterans OF both armies, COM
memorating, as 1t does the presence
m valor of each. General Hancock
was wounded near this spot. and there
Is a monument now standing to the
Confederate General Armistead, who
led his command farthest int the IN
ion lines.
The tablet marking the Bloody An
gle Is In the form OF an open book of
bronze. 5 by 8 feet in size, supported
by q pyramid Of bronze cannon balls
upon a granite plinth. The pIinth, 6
feet 4 inches by s feet 4 inches at the
bottom, 5 feet by z at the top, with
a rise Of 2 feet, rests upon a granite
base s feet 4 inches wide and 10 feet
long, with a rise OF Is inches.
Across the top of the open pages OF
the bronze book is cut the inscription,
high Water Mark of the Rebellion"
and under II are the words, "This
copse OF trees is the Landmark toward
which Longstreet's assault was direct
ed, July 8, 1868" Then follow the
names of the divisions composing the
a~ssaulting column n those Of the
army which repulsed the attack.
On the front OF the base are the
names OF the northern states whose SOL
diers fought in this action and which
erected the monument-Maine. Yer
mont, Massachusetts,, Rhode Island,
Connecticut. New York, New Jersey,
delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michi-
On the left OF the base are the names
OF the infantry regiments in Long
streets column and on the right he
names or all the regiments, batteries
and battalions directly participating in
the repulse.
The charge which this monument
commentaries was one Of the most
magnificent in the history OF war. n
was on the morning of the third day
OF the battle that Lee ordered Ions
street to send Pickett to attack the
union center as soon as the federal
artillery should be silenced. Soon after
noon h confederates concentrated
their gun fire on Cemetery ridge. The
FEDERAL artillery replied for an hour,
then ceased fire to save ammunition
and prepare for the coming attack.
This silence was misunderstood by the
confederate officers, and PiSxett's divi-
sion, 1000 men, supported by Wilcox,
with 5000 on the right. and Pettigrew,
with 5000 more on the left, moved for
ward. Advancing in three columns, the
confederate forces met unfinchingiy
the fire of the federal batteries on Gem
etery ridge N after they had passed
the Emmetsburg road an enfilading fire
from Little Round Top, promptly clos
Ing up the great gaps in their ranks
caused by the terrific ~cannonade. When
within 300 yards OF Hancock's lines they
met the musketry fire of the federals
previously withheld. The forces of Will
cox and Pettigrew were demoralized,
but Pickett pressed or and carried the
first of the union lines. But he was
soon turned back, and his men fed in
confusion, enveloped by the pursuing
federals. 1t has been asserted that as
many Is two-thirds Of the men in
Pickett's division were lost. OF his
brigade commanders Garnett was
killed, Armistead was fatally wounded
and Kempner badly shot. On the union
side General Hancock was seriously
wounded and many officers of rank
killed. The ext day Lee began his re-
treat, and the threatened invasion OF
the north was ended.