Year: 1877

position of the two armies. Our army was
$4,000 inf.ntry. Meade's was $4,000; these
are our highest figures and the enemy's lowest
We had learned on the night of the 1st. from
some prisoners captured near Seminary Ridge
that the first, eleventh and third corps had
arrived by the Emmettsburg road, and had
taken position on the heights in front of US
and that reinforcements had been seen com
ing by the Baltimore road just after the fight
of the 1st. From an intercepted dispatch, we
learned that another corps was in camp about
four miles from the field. We had every
reason, therefore, to believe that the Federalf
were prepared to renew the battle. Our army
was stretched in an elliptical curve, reaching
from the front of Round Top around Semi
nary Ridge, and envelopiug Cemetery Heights
on the left thus covering space of four OF
FIVE miles. The enemy occupied the high
ground in front of US, being massed within q
curve of about two miles, nearly concentrie
with the curve described by our forces. His
line was about / 400 yards from ours. Any
one will see that the proposition for this infe
rior force to assault and drive out the masses
oftroops upon the heights, was very profile
matical one. Ny orders from General Lee
were Ito envelop the ememy's left and begin
the attack there, following up as near as pos.
sible the direction of the Emmetsburg road"


THE BATTLE OPENED.


My corps occupied our right, with Hood on
the extreme right and McLaws next. Hills
corps was next to mine, in front Of the Fed
eral centre, and Ewell was on our extreme
left. My corps, with Pickett's division alb.
sent, numbered hardly $4,000 men. I real
lied that the fight was to be fearful one, but
being assured that my flank would be protect
ed by the brigades Of Wilcox, Perry, Wright,
Posey and Malone moving en- echelon, aud
that Ewel was to cooperate by direct at
tack on the enemy's right, and Hill to threat
en- his centre and attack, if opportunity Offer
ed, and thus prevent reinforcements from be.
ing launched either against myself or Ewell,
it seemed that We might possibly dislodge the
great army in front Of U.s. At half-past three
o'clock the order was given Gen. Hood to
advance upon the enemy, and, hurrying to
the head of McLaws' divisions, moved with
his line. Then was fairly commenced what
l do not hesitate to pronounce the best three
hours fighting ever done by any troops on
any battle field. Directly in front Of US, occu-
pying the peach orchard, on piece of eleva'
ted ground, that Gen. Lee desired me to take
and hold for bis artillery, was the third corps
of the Federals, commanded by Gen. Sickles.
My men charged with great spirit, and dis:
lodged the Federals from the peach orchard
with but little delay, though they fought stub.
bornly. We were then on the crest of Semi
nary Ridge. The artillery was brought for
ward and put into position at the peach or
chard. The infantry swept down the slope
and soon reached the marshy ground that lay
between Seminary and Cemetery Ridges ;
fighting their way over every foot of ground
and against overwhelming odds. At every
step we found that reinforcements were pour
ing into the Federals from every side. Moth.
ing could stop my men, however, and they
commenced their heroic charge up the side of
Cemetery Ridge Our attack was to progress
in the general direction of the Emmettsburg
road, but the Federal troops. as they were
forced from point to point, availing themselves
of the stone fences and boulders near the
mountains as rallying points, so annoyed our
right flank that Gen. Hoods division was
obliged to make partial change of front 80
as to relieve itself of this CALLING flank fire.
This drew General McLaws little further to
the right than General Lee had anticipated,
so that the defensive advantages of the ground
enabled the Federals to delay our purposes
until they could occupy little Round Top,
which they just then discovered was the key
to their position. The force thrown upon this
point was so strong as to seize our right, as it
were, in wise.


THE CHARGE UP CEMETERY RIDGE.


Still the battle on our main line continued
to progress. The situation was critical one
My corps had been lighting over an hour,
having encountered and driven back line after
line of the enemy. In front of them was
high and rugged ridge, on its crest the bulk
of the Army of the Potomac, numbering six
to one, and securely resting behind strong po-
sitions. My brave fellows never hesitated,
however. Their duty was in front of them
and they met it. They charged up the hill in
splendid style, sweeping everything before
them, dislodging the enemy in the face of a
whitening fire. When they had fairly started
up the second ridge, I discovered that they
were suffering terribly from fire that swept
over their right and left fanks. also found
that my left flank was not protected by the
brigades that we're to move en- echeton with It,
McLaws' line was consequently spread out to
the left to protect its flank, and Hoods line
was extended to the right to protect its flank
from the sweeping fire Of the large bodies Of
troops that were posted on Round Top
These two movements of extension 80 drew my
forces that found myself attacking Cemete.
ry Hill with single line of battle against not
less than $4,000 troops.


NV two divisions, at that time, we're cut
down to eight or nine thousand men, four
thousand having been killed or wounded.
We felt at every step the heavy stroke of fresh
troops-the sturdy regular blow that tells
soldier instantly that he has encountered re-
serves or reinforcements. We received no
support at all, and there was no evidence Of
cooperation on any side. To- urge my men
forward, under these circumstances, would
have been madness, and / withdrew them, in
good order, to the peach orchard that we had ta-
ken from the Federals early in the afternoon.
1t may be mentioned here, as illustrative ofthe
dauntless spirit of these men, that when Gen.
Humphreys, of Mississippi, was ordered to
withdraw his troops from the charge, he
thought there was some mistake, and retired
to captured battery near the swale between
the two ridges, where he halted, and when or.
dered to retire to the new line second time,
he did so under protestt Our men had no
thought of retreat. They broke every line
they encountered. When the order to with
draw was given, courier was sent to General
Lee informing him of the result of the days
work.


A MARVELLOUS ASSAULT.


Before pursuing this narrative further, !


&'rhe Importance of Round Top as point dap
phi was not appreciated until after my attack.