The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1913-06-26

|
road. Here the divisions of General
D. B. Birney and General A. A. Hum
phreys were suddenly assailed.
| Sickles was wounded, fighting hero
ically, and his line destroyed and hurl-
ed back toward the main ridge, which
at this point terminates in the eleva-
lions known as Round Top and Little
Round Top.
Lee Decides to Fight It Out.
During the height Of the battle troops
of the Second and Fifth Federal CORPS
reached the scene of combat. At the
beginning of the attack General G. X.
Warren hurried brigade and cannon
to Little Round Top, at the foot of
which just at nightfall the fierce on
slaught Of Hood was checked. Mean
while two of Hills brigades pierced
the Federal center of Cemetery ridge.
At the close of the day Ewell attacked
the Federal right flank. Early's divi-
sion was repulsed in desperate as
sault on Cemetery hill, but Johnson's
division broke through the Federal
breastworks on Culp's hill.
| In the evening an important council
was held in the Confederate camp. In
| spite of opposition to the plan, Lee de-
| cided that there should be grand as
sault on Meade's position on Gene
terry ridge the next day. Early on July
3 fighting began on the Federal right
flank on Culp's hill.
Gonoro1 Euo11 ruho M v,ondof7 &l,o
| Confederate corps on this front, de-
termined that having obtained a foot
hold on the hill he would not be driven
out Johnson's division was establish
ed there in breastworks built by Gen
eral Slocum's Federal corps. Ewell
sent two brigades to support Johnson.
who Immediately charged forward, but
was soon checked. Unknown to him
| Federal re-enforcements had arrived
during the night. The captured ground
| was untenable. and he withdrew from
| the hill. ..-,' 2
Pickett's Historic Charge.
The Confederates having failed in
! their attacks upon each extremity Of
| Meade's long line of battle. it remain
ed for Lee to withdraw or attack the
Federal CENTER The division of Gen
eral George E. Pickett of Longstreet's
corps alone remained fresh in the
whole army. Pickett had reached the
front early on the Sd with 5000 men,
To this body Lee added 5000 men
from Hills corps under General Pen
der and General ]. J. Pettigrew.
The point to be assailed was held by
detachments from four Federal corps
under command of Hancock. The Sec
ond corps troops were fresh; others
belonging to the First, Third and Elev-
enth corps had fought on the list or
3D. The prelude to Pickett's charge
was a cannonade of Hancock's line
opened by $50 Confederate guns at /
p. m. The object was to break up
Hancock's ranks and prepare the way
for the assaulting column to rush to
the crest of the ridge at one dash.
On the Federal side eighty guns had
been posted along the crest, all that it
would hold. to answer the fire. Dur
ling the two hours duel of artillery the
batteries Of both sides suffered severe
ly. At o'clock General Hunt, Meade's
chief of artillery, directed his guns to
cease firing in order to cool the pieces
and preserve some ammunition for the
contest at close quarters which he saw
was impending. .-.
lery fire gave Lee the impression that
Hunts guns had been silenced. The
grand column Of $1,000 men then
moved out across an intervening plain
only to meet rain of solid shot as
soon as they came in sight of Hunts
artuerists. Gaps torn in the ranks
by Federal shots were quickly closed.
and the line moved onward
Climax at the Stone Wall.
Hancock's main line was posted be-
hind stone wall. The troops held
their fire until the assailants were
close up. Fresh batteries relieved
those which had spent all their ammu-
milton, infantry reserves were brought
up, and a few moments Of UNEQUAL
struggle decided the day and decided
Gettysburg. The brigades of General
L. A. Armistead and General r. B.
Garrett alone carried their banners to
and across the stone wall. Both lend
ers fell.
Pickett saw that it was impossible to
hold the position which had been At
tanned by Armistead and Garnett. Fed
erals were rushing at him from all
sides. His men were fighting hand to
hand with troops Of the Second CORDS.
Clubbed muskets and slaves Of repi-
mental banners were used in srue.
gle at once fierce and hopeless for tho
Confederates. Pettigrew's forces on
the left Of Pickett's column had given
way, and strong Federal line had ac-
clmulafed on that Aanlr nh