Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-10-24
THE FIRST ARTILLERY DUEL
AT GETTYSBURG ~
{ Written for the .Gazette.)

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Few, few, shall part where many meet
And every sod beneath their feet
Shall be q soldier sepulchre.'
T. The second of July ended at last.
Since noon LongSteet- had hurled his
b1igades against the enemy's left.
The third corps was not engaged
this day, holding as it did, the center
of the battle line. So we listened to
the roar Of Longstreet's guns and
the steady crash Of rs musketry
which seemed never to cease. The
sun went down, and for that day at
lest, the awful carnage was over.
Longstreet's sledge- hammer blows
had been terrific. Had any material
advantage been gained? The train
ed soldier can lend his ear to the
sound Of battle and tell how it goes.
As the darkness came on feeling Of
depression prevailed Had the gods
of battle begun to frown; was the
great army Of Northern Virginia to
be baked; was victory not to perch
upon its banners. Had we missed
our opportunity in failing to follow
the brilliant victory Of the day be-
fore? What was the morrow TO
bring forth? We Laird down to rest
with feeling Of anxiety and I'M
certainty. The Bird day of July broke
clear so far as a cloudess sky was
concerned, but the sun rose red and
obscure ny the smoke of the two
days battle, which still cIung to the
field A lurii light shown over all.
We got breakfast, fed and watcred
the horses and received orders to
hitch up and wait. About ten o'clock
we began to move, and the whole
artillery Of the army was soon IN mo-
ton, battery after battery, and ha-
tallion after battalion, long columns
Of steel and brass moved up and
along Seminary Ridge. As each bat
terry reached the position assigned it
the guns were numbered and train
el on Cemetery Hill, where the enemy
had already concentrated his artil-
erv. Our guns numbered about l20.
Those Of the enemy about so. Such
an array had never been seen on the
continent. 1t was now twelve
o'clock, the weather was hot, sultry
and close.
"The bloody sun at noon
Right up above the mast did Stand
No bigger than the moon
The water buckets for keeping
the guns cool were filled and plac-
ed near the muzzlcs. The cannoniers
took their posts at the guns and
the drivers stood by their horses
heads. Suddenly off upon the right
two signal guns were fired III
rapid succession and the lid was
promptly taken off He'll Every gun
opened firing by batteries, by batal-
. lions. twenty-tifty guns at one time
the enemy responding in like man
/ ncr. The range was soon found and
the air was alive with the flying mis-
! siles. WhiStling round shot, scream
! ing, bursting shells, schrapnel bull
lets and fragments Of iron saving
the air. The earth shook and trcm'
bled as in the throes Of an earth
quake. With their packets off and
sleeves rolled up the cannonicrs toll
cd at the guns keeping them cool by
dipping the sponge heads in the wa
ter buckets. As fast as one man
fell another took his place. Guns
were dismounted, lmbers and cas-.
sons blown and horses ripped open
and disembowled and for two hours
this fearful fire never ceased q mo-
ment. The enemies batteries were by
now completely silenced, and ours
ceased ifringl .he Smoke blowing
away the curtain was about to liti
upon the last act in this long and
bloody drama Pickettis ;;divisfonl'
5 900 of the flower Of Virginia sol
diers debauched from wood on the
right and sweeping by with theil
red cross battle-flag flutterlng along
the line of gllstening bayonets, ad
vanced to the final assault. As they
were in our line Of fire we could hell
them no more. The enemy KEEP
some of the batteries in reserve
and bringing them now into action
opened upon Pickett's division, as
sisting their infantry to repel tht
charge. It was quickly over thi: