The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-21

conduct OF the gallant general Ia the
charge of Pickctt's Division at Gettys-
burg.
The Fif,y-,hird Virginia Regiment
was the centre regiment of Armi-
stead's Brigade. Captain John Latane.
Of King William County, than whom
more intrepid ana self poised soldier
! never saw under fire. commanded the
company To the right Of the colors,
and Company l. Cmy company the left
centre of this regiment The sergeant
bearing the colors was Lcander Black
burn. OF Hanover County, who had en-
listed under my command at West
Point. at commencement of hostilitics,
and had borne himself with conspic-
uous bravery in every battle in which
we had been engagedA rom our hap
,ismal fire at Seven Pines TO Gettys-
burg. His Hanover relatives may well
honor and fee! proud OF him. and for
ever cherish h.s name. FOR the rcpu;cd
hero!sn Of Sergeant Jasper. Of Revo-
lur.onary fame. ~ fully paralleled by
that OF Sergeant Blackburn a, Gettys-
burg, who with the glow Of his vigor-
Gus young manhood and the cagerness
for battle plainly showing in mis- face.
stood forth al Gettysburg. proud of his
colors and his responsible position on
that cventful day.
Determined Line of unttle.
You viii observe that, as Armis,ead's
A'4 = cue "dS ia inc centre, Win Gar
nett and Kcmper on the left and right,
the Fifty third Virginia Regiment
being the centre OF Arnisteads Bril-
gade. thus occupied the centre OF the
division. and Armistead in front on
FOOT. Sergeant Blackburn. with tho
colors OF this regiment, thus became
tho ntre OF our entire division No
man, living or dead, ever has seen a
more eager. confident and determined
line or battle advance TO the charge
than the three br!gades OF Pickett's
DIVISION. as under perfect alignment,
with colo,s aloft and with buoyant
hearts they advanced 20 engage the
flower and centre Of the Federal Army.
eHtfenched behind a solid stone fence
on the crest OF Cemetery Ridge II
WAS then that General Argnistead
turned TO Sergeant Blackburn and
asked: Sergeant. are you going 10
plant your colors on the works UP
there" And Blackburn Din whom
took especial pride. having months be-
iorc detailed him as color sergeant)
replied; Yes, general. / am going TO
30 my duty. and II mortal man can,
Will"
Alas, bravery could not withstand
The death dealing fire we were then
'ece.v!ng from both infantry and ar
lI!cfy, and as We advanced a perfect
sheet OF lire from shell, solid shot and
ne enhiad!ng battery on our right on
Little Round Top Mountain, hardly a
mile away. carried down, whenever
their shots struck, half dozen or more
men 81 once. We had advanced scarce
~ 300 yards after Biackburn's reply
20 Arfn!stead. when a she'll struck the
flagstaff and cutting 1, off, passed
through and Instantly killed Black
hurn. our colors were then CRASHED
Hnd carried forward by Color Bearer
Iimberlakc. from New Kent and he
and three others fell. carrying our
"olors in this advance. Our colors were
each time quickly seized from the
hands of those struck down. and de-
family raised and borne forward. Final
~ Robert Tyler Jones, a grandson OF
President Tyler, grasped the broken
stan, and fastening the colors over it.
hore il rapidly forward and planted it
upon the reinforced stone fence. from
which we had with almost superhuman
determination and fearful slaughter on
both sides, driven the enemy. our own
and their dead were comm!ngled around
their artillery, which we had cap
tured where 1t was posted Just within
the stone wall. and where our beloved
General Armistead placed his hand OH
one OF their guns and called for some
OF our men drilled IN artillery ito turn
these guns upon Them. this day is
. Ours" II was then that we had in our
possession tho centre of Meads posi-
ton, and the gallant Gushing. In
charge OF their guns along this line,
lay dead amidst his wounded and dying.
Delivers whitening Fire.
But fresh line under General Han
cock. pressing forward at double quick,
delivered a whitening fire, cutting down
General Arm!stead. Colonel Martin, this
writer and many others who had been
thus far spared until within and hold
Ing the climax to Cemetery Ridge.
General Kemper and General Garnett,
commanding our other two brigades.
had already been shot down. They
had advanced mounted. Kemper was
fearfully wounded. Garrett was killed
and these two brigades suffered great
loss in this charge. Many of them,
after the loss Of their generals and
after nearly all their line officers had
either been killed or wounded, united
with Arnistend's men in the final rush
on the enemys well-entrenched posi-
ton.
How any OF us escaped death in this
charge over 1000 yards over an up
ward incline In the open, against more
than fifty pieces of artillery PLAYING
upon us with shell, solid shot and
shrapnel, and in face of 10000 seasoned
Federal infantry equipped with and
cutting through our ranks with we'll
directed rifles from the time we had
gotten within 500 yards of their fire.
is one of the ineXplcable things of this
battle, where the combined loss of tho
two armies amounted to over 10000.
This writer visited the Gettysburg
battlefield on July 3. 1887. and went
over the scenes of this third days
battle with some fellow Confederates
and many Federals. who were partici-
pants In that desperate engagement. |
and in friendly converse recalled many
Of tho bloody scenes OF that day TWEEN |
ty-four years past. We also went I'D |
on Little Round Top and recalled the !
havoc the enflading guns on that
mountain, tho key to tho Federal sue |
cess, caused In our line as we adj
Vanced. and the concensus of opinion !
was an agreement with Colonel A. X.
Mcclure. OF the Philadelphia Times, n |
friend and adviser OF Mr. Lincoln. who |
delivered an address that night in |
which he said, had this desperate |
charge and capture of the central posi- |
ton OF Meade's limo been fully and |
properly supported. the division OF The |
two wings of Meades army would :