Evening star., 1928-05-27
CONTINUED from Third page.)

center. Some one said that "the battle
of Gettysburg was crescendo of car
nage-each day marked by a special
climax more dramatic and deadly than
the preceding one"
Save for the regaining of Culps Hill
by the FederalS, there was strange
reluctance in resuming the battle on
that third day, for although the at
tacking columns under Longstreet were
ready by 8 o'clock, they never got into
action until 8 in the afternoon, and
by that time so many new troops mad
reached Meade that he could not be
driven from his breastworkS. Long
street was opposed to fighting the Fed
erals at Gettysburg. and more than
once opposed Lees plans. Many
believe that his delay lost Lee the bat
tie. Years after, Lee said that had he
had Jackson on that field he would
have won 1t.
From noon until o'clock, queer.
ominous silence hung like a pail ii
the scorching air between the bristliug
silence of that valley. Then with d
pent-up, sudden burst of ferocity those
steel throats belched forth the flame
that destroys. 1t must have been mag
nificent in it's fury. For two hours
each side continued firing. So deatening
and so destructive was that crashing
rain of shells that the men on tine
crest of Cemetery Ridge lay hugging
the ground under their breastworks.
their guns in their hands.
SUDDENLY the firing ceased, and the
Confederates, thinking that their
guns had done more damage than the
facts warranted. prepared to charge the
center of the blue line. Gibbons di-
vision was directly in line of that at
tack Lee designated Picketts division
for this test of courage.
It was the duty of Longstreet to order
Pickett forward, but he seemed unable
to give the word. Twice Pickett asked
him whether his men should move
forward. Finally Longstreet nodded
and bowed his head. These men were
chosen men, every one Virginian, the
very flower of Lees army.
Steadily, gallantly, blithely, in parade
formation. with colors flying, the divi-
sion moved across that valley, the Fed
erals withholding their fire for close
range. Down their awed lines-it was
magnificent piece of courage that
they were watching-could be heard
the voices of their officers: STEADY,
men. steady. Don't fire yeti" as the
gray line moved nearer.
Then, when the distance was right,
out blazed those annihilating rifle
blasts that tore cruel gaps in those
immortal lines, lines that always re-
formed and always moved forward. The
direct fire was severe enough in itself,
but at the same time they were raked
with an enf1lading fire that made death
a sure and kindly thing to their tor
tured progress. The wonder is that
any of that $4,000 ever got through
alive.
1t was left for Armistead to lead the
crest of that gray wave to the summit
of that ridge. Waving his cap on his
sword point. he cried: "Give them the
cold steel, boys" and seized a gun and
slew the gunnerS. 1t was a last tre- ,
mendous gesture of valor, the es-
sence of supreme invincibility, and for /,
one glorious minute the Confederate |
colors waved on that crest. For Armi- |
stead and his men it was glory enough, |
and superbly fitting, too. that he lay in |
that glory dead by the gun he had |
v rested from his foes.
AS the gray lines broke and fled |
across that valley, numbering scant |
third of their outgoing strength, Lee, /
the imperturbable and the unconquered !
still. rode out to meet them, his hat In /
nis hand. He said simply: 1T was all |
my fault. Now help me to save that /
which remains" Beneath that unre-
ouking calm what depths of disappoint-
ment must have lain!
During July a torrential rain fell,
making all active offensive effort out
If the question, so the two armies
buried their dad and cared Tor the