Pennsylvania campaign--third day at Gettysburg.
[from our own correspondent.] Army of Northern Virginia, April 1st, 1864.
My last letter closed with the fall of night of July the second. Two days of terrible carnage and unsurpassed gallantry had been spent, and still the enemy held there famed, and to us, ill-fated heights of Gettysburg.
During the night of the second of July, both sides were unremittingly active.
In our camps a council of war was held. --Future history will perhaps lift the veil from this consultation, and do justice to all who participated in it. For the present I will merely mention that it was the purpose of Lieut Gen. Longstreet to have passed around the heights occupied by the enemy's left wing, and to have made a hold effort to carry it by reverse attack.
This plan, however was overruled by the Commanding General whether wisely or unwisely, history and posterity will decide.
On the morning of the third, Gen. Lee gave orders that the enemy should be attacked on our front, in their entrenched position on Cemetery heights.
The column of attack consisted of Kemper's, Garnett's and Armistead's brigades, (all Virginians,) of Pickett's division, (Horse's brigade was not in the Pennsylvania campaign,) the division of Major Gen. Heth, which consisted of Davis's Miss., Archer's Tenn., Brockenbrough's Va., and Pettigrew's N. C. brigades, and Lone and Scales's brigades, of Pender's old division, now Wilcox's.
The attacking column was arranged in the following order.
Pickett was put in position so as to move directly on the enemy's frowning line of works.
Heth's division, commanded by Pettigrew, was to move on the same line as Pickett, and attack the enemy's salient at the same moment. --Pickett's division was arranged: two brigades in the front line, supported by the third brigade; Wilcox's brigade, of Anderson's division, was to move in the rear of the right of Pickett's division to protect Pickett's right flank.
Heth's division was formed in two lines, supported by Lane's and Scales's N C brigades, under the command of Maj Gen Trimble.
All of the artillery of the third corps (consisting of Alexander's, Dearing's, Cabell's and Henry's battalions, and the Washington artillery,) and part of the artillery of the second corps, the whole under the command of that skillful and accomplished artillerist, then Colonel, now General E P Alexander, were placed in position with all the guns bearing upon the enemy's left.
Our artillery was massed on the summit of a long, high ridge, about one mile from but parralel to, the enemy, who were pasted on a like ridge, with his right rest ting on Cemetery Hill, and his left on an elevation that rose to the proportions of a mountain.
The two lines of battle were distant about a mile, the intervening space being a plain covered with fields of tall grass and waving grain.
This occupied the morning, and save some picket firing and desultory artillery skirmishing, nothing transpired until about two o'clock, when at a concerted signal our guns opened their murderous fire of shot and shell upon the enemy's position.
The guns of the enemy on the hill on the left were soon silenced, but those on Cemetery heights replied with great vigor.
The terrific roar of the artillery, the bursting of she is, and the scream of solid shot from guns of various calibre, mingled with the groans of the dying, made up a scene and awaken reminiscences that can never be obliterated from the memories of any of the surviving actors in that bloody drama.
After the artillery duct had lasted for some two hours, the order came to advance.
Pickett on the right, and Pettigrew on the left, moved forward.
In the two previous days battles Pickett had not been engaged.
Heth's old division had, however, borns a memorable part in the first day's struggle, where it lost over two thirds of its field and one half of its company officers, and a large number of its men in killed and wounded.
Lane and Scales's North Carolina brigades having been ordered by Lieut. Gen. Hill to report to Lieut. Gen Longs rent, were ordered by that officer to form in the rear of the right of Heth's division as a support to that division, which they accordingly did.
Pickett's troops advanced like men who understood their work and had resolved to do their whole duty or fall on the theatre of strife.
As they swept on over that grand plain intervening between the crest occupied by our artillery and the one held by the enemy, and which was the prize of battle, no man who beheld their cool bravery and undaunted heroism could refrain from dropping a sign and a tear for the many brave ones who momentarily were falling before the terrible stream of grape and canister which the enemy were hurling upon their advancing ranks from their many mouthed cannon and many a prayer ascended heavenward in that hour that the brave Virginians might wrest the fruits of victory and independence, so strongly guarded on those frowning heights, now so rapidly being baptised in blood.
Still onward they press, and now the musketry begins to mingle with the coarser notes of the artillery, and the work of death is being accelerated.
Now Pickett's men, being in convenient distance, halt for a moment, not to retreat, but to deliver their fire, and this done they again advance on the charge, and soon have pierced the enemy's lines, capturing his outer works and some of his batteries.
In the meantime Heth's division, under the gallant Pettigrew, moved rapidly over the crest occupied by our artillery and into the plain or valley below, and on towards the enemy's works, with all the firmness characteristic of veterans.
The same deadly and continuous fire which greeted Pickett was poured upon this gallant division.--Still they pressed gallantly on, their ranks growing perceptibly thinner at each advancing step in the charge, until they reached the front line of the enemy, posted behind a stone fence.
Owing to the formation of the enemy's line Archer's brigade of Tennesseans had a shorter distance to go, and these having reached the stone fence quickly planted the flag of the Confederacy on the Yankee breastworks.
The other brigades soon after reached the same line.
But they proceeded no further.--Why they halted has been much discussed, and much criticism has been bestowed; but until I can have more light than is now before me I prefer to withhold any criticism of my own. Says a gallant officer attached to the division, in giving me information upon this point: "In our front were double lines of the enemy, strongly posted; on our flanks were overwhelming forces.
To attempt to go further was madness." And so the division gave way and retreated in considerable disorder.--The loss in Heth's division was very great.
In most of the brigades not a single field officer was left, and in many instances, after the battle, regiments were commanded by Lieutenants.
Brigadier General Pettigrew was wounded sufficiently, in the judgment of his physician, to leave the field, but declined to do so.
We must not lose sight of Trimble's command, made up of Lane's and Seale's North Carolina brigades, and so let us now look to the part it bore in the day's work.
The two brigades, with Gen. Trimble at their head, advanced in close supporting distance of Gen Pettigrew's line.
The line moved forward through the woods into the open field about one mile, in full view of the enemy's fortified position, exposed to a murderous artillery and infantry fire in front, a severe artillery fire from the right, and an enfilade fire of musketry foom the left.
The line moved handsomely and firmly forward.
When within a few hundred yards of the enemy's works their line of battle was found to have entirely gone; the division moved rapidly up, (connecting with the troops on the right of Pickett's column, who were still stubbornly contesting the ground with the enemy,) reserving their fire until within easy range, when they opened with such telling effect as to drive the artillerists from their guns completely silencing the batteries and breaking the line of infantry supports formed on the crest of the hill.
And now, as another question in dispute rises, I prefer to give this division the benefit of the statement furnished me by one of its brave and intelligent officers who took part in the battle, and in his own words.
I cannot avouch the statement.
This officer, however, assures me that should Gen Trimble live to be exchanged that he can substantiate the while statement.
Says my informant: "All the guns in front of the division were now silenced, and the enemy's infantry had fallen behind their second and third lines of breastworks, when the division, advancing in an oblique direction, the extreme right of which had reached the works, was compelled to fall back, the troops on the right having already gone, exposing the line to a very deadly fire from that direction, immediately on the right flank, and a large column of infantry appearing on the left, that flank also became exposed; the two left regiments of Cols. Avery and Barry advanced some moments after the whole line had given away, and fall back under direct orders" In this attack Maj. Gen. Trimble was wounded in the leg, rendering amputation necessary.
His bravery and efficiency is attested by all who fought under him. One member of his staff was killed and two others were wounded.
We left Pickett's men on the breastworks, and in order to preserve perspicuity and connection we alluded to Pettigrew and Trimble's parts in the ever memorable charge.
It will thus be remembered that Pettigrew's column claims only to have fallen back when forced to do so by overpowering numbers, and that Trimble's line claims not to have left the works until after Pickett had fallen back.
This is contrary to the received opinion on the subject; and, in order to do Pickett justice, we shall be compelled to give the version of the matter which has been furnished us from General Longstreet's corps.
Says my informant: "In the mean time Heth and Trimble's divisions advanced very beautifully for some distance, but when within a short distance of the enemy's works they began to stagger from the effects of the enemy's canister, and finally broke their ranks and fell back in disorder.
Maj. Gen. And son was started forward to their support, but before he could reach them the enemy had thrown his entire forces against Pickett, and he being attacked at the same time on both flanks and in front, was compelled to get back."
The enemy from this time until nightfall threatened attacks at various portions of the line, but whenever our batteries opened upon them they would invariably retire.
In this celebrated assault Pickett's loss amounted to 224 killed, 1,140 wounded, and 1,500 missing. Pettigrew's loss was fully one thousand more, and Trimble's perhaps as great as Pettigrew's. The noble Garnett was killed, and the gallant Armistead fell mortally wounded.
The gallant Kemper was also severely, but thanks to a kind Providence, not mortally wounded.
Every field officer except one in this division was either killed, wounded, or taken prisoner.
Many of those reported as missing are supposed to have been killed or wounded.
On the evening of the third the enemy's cavalry appeared on Longstreet's right flank against Hood's division, commanded by Gen. Law After skirmishing for some time a body of them, estimated at four hundred, made a dash at Henry's battalion of artillery, and came very near to it; but the artillerists played upon them grape and canister with very damaging effect.
At the same time Major W H. Sellars, Adjutant Hood's division, arranged some regiments with the view of cutting off their retreat.
The Yankee cavalry, finding themselves hemmed in, abandoned their original purpose and began to make efforts to cut their way out. A few succeeded; but the majority were either killed or captured.
It is said that the Yankee commander Gen. Farnesworth, rather than surrender, blew his brains out.
We have hitherto alluded to the situation during this day on the right wing and in the centre.
It will be remembered that with the close of the second day's engagement Johnson's division, of Ewell's corps, had gained most important ground, a part of it being only a short distance from the top of the mountain, which, if once gained, commanded the enemy's position.
Plainly, therefore, any further attack on the left wing in order to be successful should be made on that part of the enemy's lines confronting General J. Accordingly, during the night Smith's brigade, of Early's division, and Daniel's N C brigade, of Rodes's division, were sent to reinforce Gen J. At daylight the enemy not waiting to be attacked made an effort to drive Gen Johnson from their works, which he had previously taken and then occupied, but were repulsed.
In turn Gen Johnson assaulted their works and in turn was unsuccessful, owing to the rugged and precipitous character of the ground on which the enemy were posted.
The enemy were strongly entrenched, and the heights were so steep that they could only be ascended by assuming a crawling attitude.
About eleven o'clock on this day, and whilst more or less skirmishing was transpiring on all parts of the line, the cavalry reported several times to Gens. Ewell and Johnson that heavy columns of infantry were moving on the extreme left of the left wing of the army, in order to get in Gen. Johnson's rear.
This information was borne by several couriers, and, though disbelieved at first, being repeated so often, was supposed to be true.
Gen. Ewell sent one of his aids to reconnoitre and report as to the truth of the rumor.
It is but just, however, to say that the aid of Gen. E., on going to ascertain its truth or falsity, met a courier from Gen. Stuart, who was on the way to correct it — The rumor had, however, been so often reported to Gen. J that he had withdrawn his troops from the works back to the creek, along which he reformed his lines.
This was done less reluctantly since the natural strength of the position had been artificially increased by the enemy, who had by this time concentrated at that point a force so heavy as to destroy all hopes of our getting possession of the much covered mountain, on which the enemy rested.
It has since been ascertained that the enemy had collected two corps at this point.
It was about 1½ P. M. when General J. fell back to this line.
The enemy did not follow him in force, but kept up heavy skirmishing here, as along the whole line, until night threw her mantle of darkness over the earth, and so put an end to the conflict.
I have thus endeavored hastily to recapitulate the events of the three days battles at Gettysburg, about which so much of inaccuracy has been written, and in regard to which no little misapprehension and misunderstanding, not to say ignorance of real facts, has existed.
It is not my purpose to censure on the one hand, on to applaud on the other.
It is rather my wish to state facts, and to leave the reader to draw his own conclusions.
One observation which I will indulge is so palpable that in making it I do but state what is self-evident, viz: That the field seems to have been lost more from a want of proper skill in execution than a lack of judgment in conception.
The brave men who assaulted those works, whose bones have bleached the soil of Pennsylvania, and whose bodies have darkened many a Northern prison, will be adjudged heroes by this age and by oil posterity.
It was for no lack of bravery on the part of the rank and file of the Army of Northern Virginia that they failed to realize victory.
Nor do I believe that history will ascribe the failure to any want of forecast or lack of military skill and ability in our noble commanding General.
On the contrary, I believe every move was well considered, and, if executed as planned, different results would have been realized.
His true we had no Jackson at Gettysburg.
But the brilliant achievement at Winchester, and the magnificent bearing of his corps at Gettysburg, showed that while Ewell should live we could never say that we had lost all that was valuable in Jackson.
Nor must we forget the services of the "noble war horse" Longstreet, or the parts borne by his brave troops in the second and third days' battles.
On no part of our whole line was there more bravery displayed than by Longstreet, when in person he superintended the operation of his corps in both days' engagements.
His noble and well known form was always foremost in the rudest shock of battle, encouraging by his presence and stimulating by his example to the highest deeds of bravely and daring.
The chivalric Pender, bright star in the constellation of our departed heroes, fell not in the charge, 'tis true, but by a straggling shell.
Still he lived long enough to make memorable in history his name and that of the light division which he commanded, by the part which it bore in the first day's fights.
I have not space to speak of all our gallant ones, living and dead, but the hearing of one general officer who fell wounded in these fights was sublimely grand.
Providence made him a hero at Gettysburg, but at Chickamauga he even surpassed himself, and a grateful people will ever delight to do honor to Lt. Gen John B Hood.
Over the graves of Barksdale, whose bravery was only equalled by his patriotism, and Semmes, than whom God never made a purer Christian gentleman, we can only drop the tears of regret at their untimely fall, leaving to a grateful posterity, and to other hands, the pleasing task of perpetuating their memories and enshrining their virtues.
Whilst of Garnett and Armistead, Virginia's offering of Generals on that fatal field, it will suffice to say that they lived like men and died as heroes, cheerfully sacrificing their lives to the good of their country.
Let us, then, hope and believe as there is nothing without a purpose in the economy of God's providence, that the great and terrible tragedy of Gettysburg had its lesson of wisdom and its measure of utility, which though to us weak mortals is now unseen, may yet he fully known and appreciated, so that when we come to count the cost of this bloody struggle we may have the consolation of knowing that our loved and lost who fell on those distant and gory heights died not in vain. X.
