The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-16
Letters OF Criticism.

Confederate Editor Times-Dispatch
Richmond. Va:
Dear Sir,-Comrade y. b. Easley, in
last Sundays paper, speaking OF Pick
ett's charge at Gettysburg. SAYS Cen
eral Corse's Brigade came In that
nlght, but vas not in the charge. The
/ truth of the matter Is this: Pickett's
| Division was not composed entirely of
Nirginians; as some think. These are
the brigades which composed his di-
vision: Garnett's Brigade. Virginia,
.4SO men: kemper's Brigade, Virginia,
Lob men. Armistead's Brigade Vir-
ginia, 1850 mon; Corse's Brigade. Vir-
ginia. LOO men: Jenkins's Brigade.
South Carolina, 1000 men.
Before moving into Pennsylvania
General Jenkins's South Carolina Bri-
eade and General Corses Brigade we're
LETT in Virginia and stationed at the
bridges OF the North and South Anna
Rivers They never left Virginia dur
ing this campaign. The numbers |
give of the strength of Armistead's.
kempers and Garnett's BriEades are
borrowed from Federal authority and
are the numbers carried into the battle
of July 3 This same authority SAYS
Garnett lost 94I men, kemper lost 73l
men, Armistead lost 1871 men The
number of men in General Jenkins's
and General Corses BrIgades is taken
from their morning report TO General
Lonsstreet May 81. 1863.
Whenever that charge on Cemetery
! III is put in print the people who were
not with the army just think of Pickett
ana ms three Virginia brgades losing
sight of the fact that on the same line
10 the left OF General Garnet there
were about 5000 soldiers from North
Carolina and other States. who were
just as determined TO take Cemetery
Hill or die i'm the attempt as were the
Nirginans. Did they take it? Yes
General Armistead was PERHAPS the
only general officer who went over the
stone fence, the balance having been
killed and wounded But the men who
carried the muskcts went over and
some little distance beyond A. L. y
Williams, the color-bearer OF the Fiji
tN-siNth Virginia Regiment Peter
Gum, OF Company /, and Private VIII
liams. of Company A. two OF the color
GUARDS. marched that mile in an open
held. over the stone fence and some
distance beyond, and did not get n
scratch But soon a body of Federal
troops came UP, and 4. L. r. Williams
was shot in each thigh; almost at the
same time Peter GULL was shot i'm the
leg. and Williams. of Company A. was
killed upon the spot AS he took the
colors, GULL was killed In trying IN
make his way back from whence he
came. y. l.. r. Williams. the color
bearer. is living to-day in Tennessee
and is seventy-five years old but sound
in mind, and hopes to attend the re.
union of the Blue and Gray at Gettys-
burg next July.
good way TO show which suffered
most in killed and wounded. is 10 take
the First and Third Army Corps. The
Third Corps commenced the battle on
the first day, and 1t is said General
Archer was captured and many of his
men \ portion of the Third Corps
fought some on the second day and
was in the charge on the third day.
Now we will take the First Army
Corps. Hood and McLaws fought tbe
afternoon of the 3D. and we have no
account of prisoners taken. yet some
wounded may have fallen in the en-
emy's hands Then. on the third day.
Ficketts three brigades. Now KEN
per, being hanked on his right, may
have lost men taken who were not
wounded. but T don't believe that Gar
nett and Arrhistead lost ten men as
prisoners who were not wounded You
VIII note that not more than two hours
could have been consumed in Pickett,s
charge, and not over three or four
hours with Hood and McLaws on the
second dag. L omitted to say that on
the first day large portion of Davis's
Brigade was captured in a cut near
the Seminary. Now. taking all these
engagements into consideration, let's
sum up the losses OF the two corps
for the Gettysburg campaign.
The First Army Corps, General
Longstreet. losses .. 753s
The Third Army Corps, General
"A. =. HILL losses. .. 6.7sb
The Second Army Corps took part
in the first day, second day and
morning of third day; their
losses .............-..... 5.a37
cavalry .............. ....... 1A26
aggregate ........2T 1857
If any human being disregarded Lees
orders OF failed 10 strike the enemy at
the proper time, we can only guess who
was TO blame. But Longstreet, Ewell
or a. +. Hill would never have said
they failed because OF cowardice on
the part OF any regiment or brigade
of private soldiers. Now, my dear
reader, when you read of Pickett's
charge. remember that many States
were represented in that charge.
Yours very truly,
w. T.. CLARK.
Company I. Fifty-sixth Virginia Regi-
ment Garnetts Brigade. Picketrs
Division. Longstreets Corps. Army
OF Northern Virginia.
Chase city, Va. February 25, 1913.
Confederate Editor Times Dispa tch.
Hicnmond, Va;