The Ronan pioneer., 1917-02-02
M0NTANAN BARES
MYSTERY OF WAR
ORDER OF PICKETrS Cuapor
OPPOSED BY GENERAL
LONGSTREET.
+. Van Orsdel of Collins Learned
Story of Gettysburg Conference
From Officer; Noted Confederate
strategist Warned Lee Onslaught
Would Be Futile.

Would Be Futile.
Has this chapter of the civil war
ever been written?
F. Van Orsdel of Collins, near
. Great Falls, took part in the battle
OF gettysburg and heard there, from
confederate prisoners, the inside of
P1ckett's charge and why it failed.
Mr.. Van Orsdel. who is a pioneer
Montanan and a brother of BRO
ther Van Orsdel, the noted Meth
odist divine, served in the 184th
pennsylvania infantry. He was liy-
Ing In Gettysburg at the time the
war broke out. So was Brother
Van,' by the way, the latter being a
barefoot boy, who wandered through
both lines during the great battle
and saw much of the confederate
side of the fight. But it is with F..
Van Orsdel that this story deals
and with Pickett's charge.
You all know something of the
famous onset. Lee had risen to his
zenith. The confederacy had put
forth its utmost power. The north
was being invaded for the first time
Could he prevail at Gettysburg?
Lee hoped to hold Washington, and
even New York at his mercy, and end
the war in 80 days.
Desperate Stroke Decided On.
But the federal army had with
stood his utmost attempts and as
1t was being reinforced hourly,
desperate stroke was decided on. Lee
determined to sent Pickett, with his
Virginians, the flower of the confed-
eracy, against the Yankee lines
Van Orsdel heard the details of
the plan described by a confederate
staff officer, who was captured at
the close of the charge, and who
wept bitterly as he told of the defeat
Lee, as the story was told by this
officer to Mr.. Van Orsdel, decided on
the charge against his war counsel.
Longstreet was particularly opposed.
1t could never succeed, he told Lee;
he would sacrifice his men in vain
Nevertheless, l must have one more
try at them," Lee is said to have re-
piled, and he told Longstreet to go
and order Pickett to get his men
ready and make the charge.
Rebels at Lees Order.
II will never give the order!"
Longstreet said, in this staff officers
hearing. "You are sending these men
to their death, without the shadow
of chance"
But Lee was obdurate, and Long
street, whom history now regards as
the great strategist of the war, had
no course but to obey. He went to
Pickett and told him what had
been determined upon. The briga-
d1er made no comment but pre-
pared to assemble his men.
At the appointed hour they were
drawn up in line, and Pickett briefly
explained to the officers what was
to be done. Longstreet sat by on
great white horse. The line officers
having returned to their posts, Pic
kett saluted Longstreet. General,
the men are ready" he said, quietly.
Longstreet made no reply.
He bowed his head, and Pickett
took this as his order.
Longstreet had kept his word, he
had not actually ordered the Virgin
1ans to charge.
Van Orsdel Witnessed Charge.
Van Orsdel was in the federal
trenches and saw the charge.
"The popular notion of the bat
tle," he sadi the other day, sis a
misconception. People who have
never been in battle, picture a
charge as men running with bayon-
cts stretched before them. 1t is al
ways that way in the moving pic
lures, believe.
There was nothing like that in
Pickett's charge. The Virginians
had to pass over an open space, three
quarters of mile, during all of
which they were exposed from fire
of 200 of our guns, and part of it
to a double cross-fire. We knew
they were coming and saw them the
moment they came over the brow of
the hill. The men were in solid reg-
ment formation, in three lines, with
a front of 600 yards-and they came
at a slow walk. Our artillery began
to play on them at once, but from
the top of the hill. Even through the
smoke, we could see them, at inter-
walls, very plainly; and never once
did they break from the slow walk.
Their guns were carried at right
shoulder-shift and they had orders
to hold their fire.
Never Had Chance.
1T was awful. Men in the
trenches all about were weeping.
They never had chance. Our can
non tore great gaps in their lines,
the moment they appeared, and
when they came under the cross-fire
entire platoons disappeared at once.
But they closed their lines as though
on parade and marched calmly on,
Pickett riding up and down the front
on black horse, evidently talking to
his men. .
"Half of them were down before
they had come within musket range,
and, anyway, the FEDERAL infantry !
had orders not to fire until the COM
mand was given. A miserable rem ..