Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-19
RS&;kBKTTLES and LEADERS Of the CIVIL Y
Picketts Charge at Gettysburg urning Point of tn

Hoods following After marching some
distance there was delay in front, and
] rode forward to ascertain the cause
when it was reported to me that part oil
the road just in advance of us was IL
plain view of the Federal signal station
on Round Top. To avoid that point the
direction of the troops was changed.
Again ] found there was some delay.
and ordering Hoods division. then in the
rear, to move on and double with the
division in front, as to save as much
time as possible, | went forward again
to see the cause of the delay II seemed
there was doubt again about the men
being concealed. when | stated that
could see the signal station, and there
was no reason why they could not see us.
1t seemed to me useless. therefore, to
delay the troops any longer with the
idea of concealing the movement, and
the two divisions advanced. AS the line
was deployed / rode along from left to
right. examining the Federal position
and putting my troops in the best posi-
ton we could find. Gen. Lee at the same
time gave orders for the attack to be
made by my right. AS soon as the
troops were in position. and we could
find the points against which we should
march and give the guiding points. the
advance was ordered-at half-past )
o'clock in the afternoon. The attack was
made in splendid style by both divisions,
and the Federal line was broken by the
first impact They retired. many of them,
in the direction of Round Top behind
powders and fences, which gave them
shelter, and where they received rein
forcementS.
When the battle of the ID was over
tthe Federals still held Round Top and
Little Round Top. the points OF greatest
strategic value on their left, Gen. Lee
pronounced it a success, as We were in
possession of ground from which we had
driven the FederalS and had taken sew
erals field pieces. The conflict had been
fierce and bloody. and my troops had
driven back heavy columns. but we had
accomplished little toward victorious re-
suits. Our success of the first day had
led us into battle on the I'd. and the bat
tie on the ID was to lead us into the ter
rible and hopeless slaughter on the I'D
On the night of the I'd l sent to our
extreme right to make little recon-
noissance in that direction. thinking Gen.
Lee might yet conclude to move around
the Federal left The morning of the sd
broke clear and indicated a day on which
operations would not be interrupted by
the elements The Confederate forces
still occupied Seminary Ridge. while the
F'ederals occupied the range stretching
from Round Top TO Cemetery Hill and
around CUPS Hill. The position of the
F'ederals was quite strong, and the battle
of the I'd had concentrated them so that
l considered an attack from the front
more hazardous than the battle on the
I'd had been. The Federals were concen-
trated, while our troops We're stretched
out in a long, broken-and thus a weak
line.
However Gen. Lee hoped to break
through the Federal line and drive them
off. was disappointed when he came to
me on the morning of the Sd and directed
that | should renew the attack against
Cemetery Hill. probably the strongest
point of the Federal line. For that pur-
nose he had already ordered up Picketts
division, which had been left at Cham
bersburg, to guard our supply trains In
the meantime the Federals had placed
batteries on Round Top. in position to
make a raking fire against troops attack
ing the Federal front. Meade knew that
if the battle were renewed it would be viz
tualy over the same ground as my bat
tie of the I'd. | stated to Gen. Lee that
| had been examining the ground over
to the right and was much inclined to
think the best thing was to move to the
Federal left.
No he said; 81 am going to take
them where they are on Cemetery Hill.
l want you to take Pickett's division and
make the attack. l will reinforce you by
two divisions (Heth's under Pettigrew
and Penders under Trimble) of the Sd
Corps
That will give me 5000 men, 1 re-
Piled Il have been soldier, may say,
from the ranks up to the position / now
hold. l have been in pretty much all
kinds of skirmshes, from those of two
or three soldiers up to those of an army
corps, and l think l can safely say there