The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-06-07
SURVIVOR TELLS OF GETrYs.
BURG.
w. VI. Reid Describes Game Incl.
dents Of the Fearful Clash.

one Just now j thought that perhaps
the experience of minor actor in
that bloody drama would be of in
terest to your many readers. The
writer was a member OF Capt. Hugh
X. Gardens battery light artillery,
Col. John c. Haskell's battalion,
Longstreets corps. A. y. V. This bat
talon consisted of Reillys and
Planners North Carolina and Bach
mans and Gardens batteries of South
Carolina. We arrived on the battle
field on the morning Of July 2 and
were placed Immediately in action on
the extreme right of our line. Gu,
guns opening on Round Top, the guns
on which We silenced in a short time
with our IA guns with the loss of one
man, two horses and one gun dis
mounted i'm Reilly's battery we re-
mained there the rest Of the day.
While lying there a regiment Of Yam
kee cavalry charged in amongst us,
but our cavalry, think Hampton,
soon surrounded and captured them.
When their Col. Farquhar saw that
he was surrounded he got off his
horse, drew his pistol from the hols-
ters and blew his brains out. We be-
lieved for some time that the act was
caused by humiliation at being cap
tured but were told later that there
was price on his head for executing
one Cf our men contrary to the rules
of war.
On the morning Of the 3rd we were
moved to our left and into the historic
peach orchard from which we en-
gagged the batteries on Little Round
Top. About o'clock orders came for
every gun In Longstreet's corps to
open on a certain point in front of
Pickett's division. This was always
done previous to q charge so as to
demoralize the enemy. The roar of
the guns was awful-far exceeding
anything the writer ever heard and
he was in all of the great battles or
Virginia. The very earth seemed to
tremble under the concussion. This
lasted for about one hour when or
ders came down the line to cease fir
ing and prepare to follow Pickett's 8
charge. On examination it was found
that there was only ammunition
enough for one gun in the whole bat
terry. This was placed in the timber
chest of our gun. When these ar
rangements were completed Lieut.. w.
A. Mcqueen, who was in command
or the piece, turned to Maj. Haskell
and asked when he should move, the
reply was Move at once" We moved
but knew what was coming. We went
out OF the orchard and down the
slope for 100 yards or more. Not a
shot was fired at us until the first
shell left the muzzle Of our gun and
then there was a hail Of shot and shell
In reply. Gen. Alexander, in his his
tory OF Longstreet's artillery, says
that the Northern account says that
theie were 210 guns bearing on this
gun and also says that the first she'll
we fred killed and disabled 27 of
their men by enfilading their line
anyhow in less than five minutes (this
b n
don't think any of our crowd was tim
ing things just them, five horses out
OF the six lay dead, two cannoners
dead and three woundd. Lieut.. Nc
Queen then called to us to leave
which we did without second sum-
mons. and as we were leaving, Pick
etts division passed on that grand
and awful charge-that is the way
that the third gun of Gardens bat
terry followed up" Pickett's charge.
Counting the drivers, there were II
men in this detachment The writer,
who rammed that fatal shell home,
and M T.. Haynsworth, who aimed
the gun, are the only living survivors.
Gen. Alexander says that the spot Is
now marked by the United States
government by stone tablet, and tho
writer hopes to stand on that spot
about o'clock on the 3rd day OF
July, 1913, just so years after that
awful day The two splendid boys
who gave their lives-cut almost in
twain by the same shell-were Bob
Small OF Charleston and Tom McIn-
tosh OF Lynchburg. Lieut.. Mcqueen
was killed near his home at Dingle's
Mill In Sumter county the day Lee
surrendered. w. NJ Reid.
81 Charles. May 80.
Shake ON Your Rheumatism