Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-07-03
Last Day of Battle, When 49,.
900 Rebs Fell and Union
Won.
PIcKETT'S GREAT CHARGE
LEE RETREATS
BY a Military Expert.

GETTYSBURG. July 3.--At dawn
the guns from Culp's Hill and ada
cent eminences Numbered the begin
ming of the third day of battle.
The cannon were trained on the
position the Confederates had occu-
pied the night before. The artillery
had been hastily assembled during
the night to drive these men from
their hard-won prize.
Slowly the men in gray retreated
and before the sun was high the Fed
eral line was once more intact.
Lee determined to use every ounce
of strength left in his army to pierce
the Federal centre. He felt that If
he could divide Meade's army he
would accomplish it's defeat
Pickett's division of Virginia troops
was assigned the honor of making the
assault. To assist him Pickett was
given two other divisions commanded
by Wilcox and Pettigrew, bringing
the total force up to Is, 900 men.
In preparation for the charge. lis
Confederate cannon were trained ON
Cemetery Hill, where Hancock and
a
Eighty guns of the Federal force were
brought into action to reply.
1t was l O'Clock in the afternoon
when the Confederate artillery opened
fire. For two hours two hundred can
non shook the hills. Both the Union
and Confederate losses were tremen-
dous.
At last the Union artillery ceased
firing and then the signal for the Con-
federate charge was given.
History has never recorded more
stirring event. In three columns
these compact lines of gray detached
themselves from the great army on
Seminary Ridge and marched stead
lily toward their enemy.
Not a man In the whole $4,000
but knew the deadly game he was
playing. But not man faltered.
The guns they had thought were
silenced were merely waiting. So,
when the movement of Pickett and
Pettigrew and Wilcox shaped itself
before the Union centre. every gun of
the whole long Federal line was
turned loose on these $1,000 gallant
men.
Shells burst in the front, in the rear
overhead. Huge gaps We're torn in
the lines by canister and solid shot.
Squads. companies, battalions even
were wiped out.
Before the Confederates were half
way across that valley of destruction
half the charging force was down.
The horse of almost every mounted
officer was killed. and Pickett's three
brigade commanders all fell.
! Then, when they were three hun
dred yards from the goal the thou
sands of Union muskets long held In
silence suddenly roared their message
of death.
| Pettigrew's men faltered and broke.
| Wilcox's lines wayered and fell back
| But Pickett and a scarce third of the
5000 Virginians that started with him
rushed on--oni
! Over the first lines of works and
up to the second they stormed. The
| Confederate flag waved for minute
from the top Of the inner works and
the men in gray and blue mingled in
a hand hand death struggle.
Slowly, very slowly-so desperately
fought these charging Southerners--
the blue prevailed. The Confederate
line gave way and then rushed back
in a pell-rnell retreat. And the battle
of Gettysburg was won by the Union
| forces.
The charge of Pickett was the last
effort of Lee.
The next day both armies rested