Return to the Valley. Battle at Winchester. Crossed the Potomac. Battle
at Gettysburg. Charge of Hays and Hoke. Charge of 3rd Brigade.
Early in June Jackson's, now Ewell's corps, took up the march to the
valley, passing through the Blue Ridge, crossing the Shenandoah River
at Front Royal. From here Johnston's division, to which my brigade
and regiment belonged, moved over the Front Royal road, while Early's
division moved over the valley pike, on Winchester, now occupied by a
Federal force under General Milroy. Johnston's division took position
on the south and engaged the attention of the enemy, while Early moved
to the north and by rapid and skilful movement captured the heights
that dominated the fort and works of the enemy and made them untenable,
but too late to complete the work of reduction on that day.
Anticipating the retreat of the enemy, Johnston's division was sent
during the night to his rear on the Martinsburg road at Stephens
Station, some four or five miles from Winchester. We had hardly gotten
to position before the enemy appeared and, discovering their way
blocked, made a vigorous effort to cut through our lines; but they
were repulsed, and over three thousand surrendered. A small number,
including General Milroy and his cavalry, escaped. The entire number
of prisoners captured by us was about 4,000, together with a number of
pieces of artillery, wagons and stores. The fighting and casualties
were not heavy; but withal, the enterprise was well and skilfully
managed by the Confederates. If there was a lack of wise leadership on
the part of the enemy it was in not retiring in time.
We now moved on toward the Potomac, crossing into Maryland near
Shepherdstown about the 20th. The Maryland line, one of the regiments
of our brigade of Johnston's division, was given the honor of being
at the head of the column, because we were entering their state.
Before reaching the river the excellent band of this regiment had
gone forward and had taken position in the middle of the stream, a
little above the broad and shallow ford, and as the head of the column
entered the ford the melodious strains of "Maryland, My Maryland"
floated out from the band with such forceful expression as to stir to
the depths the emotions of these war worn veterans of so many fields.
The memory of this event when recalled will be of interest doubtless
to those who witnessed it. We moved on to camp near Sharpsburg and
near the great battle grounds of less than a year before. Here we
remained two or three days, thence the course of our division was to
Greencastle, thence our brigade made a detour to the left to disperse a
militia force and to also gather supplies, thence by McConnelsburg to
Chambersburg and on toward Carlisle.
We were still west of the Blue Ridge and in the beautiful valley of
the Cumberland. Our march was easterly toward Harrisburg, but about
the 29th our direction was suddenly changed to the south toward
Gettysburg. We passed through the mountain range into the beautiful
Susquehanna valley in which Gettysburg is located, and approached that
place from the northeast over the Harrisburg road, reaching position
late in the afternoon of July 1st, and after the first day's battle
which had occurred earlier in the day between Heth's and Pender's
divisions of A. P. Hill's corps and the First and Eleventh corps of
the Federals, resulting in the retirement of the latter in great
confusion to Cemetery Hill, already fortified and occupied by another
corps of Federals under General Steinwehr. The battle was spirited
and sanguinary, resulting in nearly a complete annihilation of the
first corps of the Federals and the capture of two pieces of artillery
and over two thousand prisoners by the Confederates. This ended the
first day's battle just two months after the first day's battle at
Chancellorsville; and it was now as then the first day of the month.
The second day of the battle and of the month was to be a day of
supreme effort, and the commanders of the two armies hurried their
forces to position during the night. The responsibility was upon them
and they were supposed to know conditions and advantages and to avail
themselves of them. Was this done? Was any advantage of position that
might have been taken overlooked, not seen, or seen and lost by either
side? This must be decided by military experts from the facts.
At nightfall of the 1st the Federals held Cemetery Hill. On the morning
of the 2d they occupied and had fortified that part of their final
line, including Culps Hill on their right, thence south along the
ridge, including Cemetery Hill to Little Round Top; and later in the
day they extended their left so as to embrace Little and Big Round
Tops, and to their right so as to embrace Wolf Hill. This formation
was somewhat in the shape of a great hook. Big Round Top, thence to
Cemetery Hill, representing the shank, Cemetery, Culps and Wolf Hills
the curve to the point. The Confederate right occupied Seminary Ridge,
thence to the left to Oak Ridge, thence with Oak Ridge to the north
of the town, thence around the bend of the hook, conforming to the
formation of the Federal line. Big and Little Round Tops and Culps
Hill dominated, and Cemetery Hill equaled in strength any part of the
Confederate position. Longstreet of the Confederates held the right,
Hill the center, and Ewell the left. Of the Federals, the twelfth
corps under Slocum was on the right, occupying Culps Hill. To his
left, occupying Cemetery Hill, the first and eleventh corps; to their
left, the second corps under General Hancock extended the line to
Little Round Top; the third corps under General Sickels occupied a
ridge to the front of the Federal left. The fifth and sixth corps
were in reserve. The Federals had entrenched their already strong
position and assumed the defensive. The ominous calm before the storm
now prevailed until about the middle of the afternoon, at which time
Longstreet advanced to the attack of Sickels. The contest was furious
and sanguinary from the beginning. The Peach Orchard, Loop, Wheatfield
and Devil's Den, so often won and lost, were made historic by reason
of the bloody fierceness of the contest. Sickels was reinforced from
time to time with fresh troops, thus increasing the extension and fury
of the contest until much of the opposing armies were engaged, and so
continued until about 5 o'clock, resulting in the Federals being forced
from the field and back to their entrenchments on the ridge. After
this battle Ewell and Hill moved against the Federal right on Cemetery
and Culp's Hills. The contest was ferocious from the beginning, and so
continued to its end.
At Cemetery Hill the Confederates under Hays and Hoke, as did their
antagonists under Slocum, gained immortal fame. The former fought their
way to the summit of the hill, captured the works and many pieces of
artillery, "and when the mix-up made guns of little use the men fought
with guns as clubs, stones, rammers and even fists." But fresh Federal
reinforcements compelled the exhausted Confederates to relinquish this
costly capture and retire to their lines.
Simultaneous with the attack on Cemetery Hill, Johnston's Division,
occupying the Confederate extreme left, moved against Culp's Hill.
The advance was across Rock Creek, a small but rugged stream with
deep stretches reaching up to the waist, thence through timber
and undergrowth up the slope to the steep ascent, thence up to the
entrenched Federals. The fire was withering, but did not impede the
charge. The part of the works in its front were carried by the "Third
Brigade" and the retreating Federals were pushed back from the works
to the west summit of the hill. The battle continued until about 9
o'clock. We occupied this advance position until morning, when we
retired to the entrenchments captured in the early part of the night.
In the early morning of the 3d, the Federals in heavy force made a
furious attack on Johnston's Division, directing its heaviest blows
against our position and brigade to regain the entrenchments. After one
of the most determined and bloody battles yet fought the attack was
repulsed with heavy loss to the Federals. The Confederates now became
the aggressors and pursued the Federals along the top of the hill or
small mountain; here the Federals were found to be so well entrenched
and with such formidable obstructions in his front that the position
was practically unassailable from the front, so an order to retire
was given, but not before we had been well paid for our temerity in
advancing against this position.
The engagement had continued for several hours with great fury. Before
its beginning the first Maryland Regiment of our brigade had in some
way learned of the position, in the Federal line in our front, of
the first Maryland regiment of the Federal army; and, so it was then
reported, sought and was assigned to position in the Confederate line
in its front. Here was a contest truly of old friends, acquaintances
and in some instances, relatives arrayed against each other. All the
courage, manhood and pride in each was aroused and the bloody strife
between these two regiments was more desperately furious, if possible,
than at other parts of the line; but the Confederates, as stated,
prevailed. A beautiful monument has been erected on the spot, in
commemoration of the valor of this regiment which was at the time of
my visit the only Confederate monument of the hundreds erected to the
Federals on this vast battlefield, long since owned and beautified by
the Government. Its monuments, statues, splendid roads of many miles
reaching every point of interest, its observation towers and its well
kept grounds are worth the trouble and expense of a pilgrimage to see
them. But I have digressed.
We now retired to the entrenchments we had left, but were ordered about
noon to a new line three hundred yards to the rear. This change of
position was necessary because a strong force now threatened our left
and rear. At our new line I was placed in command of the skirmish line
which I disposed so as to protect our flank, as well as front. The
game of sharpshooting was now open and was well played by both sides.
We held this position during the rest of the day. About noon of that
day the most terrific artillery duel of the war, and perhaps of all
time, occurred. Malvern Hill and Fredericksburg had been theretofore
considered the fields of greatest artillery duels, but they were
toyings in comparison. The Federals had 300 guns of various caliber,
and the Confederates 190. Nearly four hundred of these guns were
engaged for nearly two hours sending forth their missiles of death and
destruction. "The air was filled with hissing shot and bursting shell."
The detonations of thunder during a great storm could not be compared
to the detonations of the artillery in this duel.
At its end came Pickett's world famous charge, which has been so often
written of that it needs no detailed recital here. His force was
estimated at about 14,000 men. The distance across the smooth open
plain between his position on Seminary Ridge and the Federal lines on
Cemetery Hill, his objective point of attack, was more than a mile.
The artillery duel had moderated to occasional shots at the time of
the start, but as soon as the line debouched from the woods, moving at
double quick time, the Federal artillery opened upon this long line,
stretching across the Federal front for over a mile, with solid shot
until half the distance had been traversed, then with shell and later
grape, and then cannister, tearing great gaps in the ranks which were
quickly closed, and onward the line sped. They now met the infantry
fire which decimated their ranks still more rapidly. They did not
falter, but pressed forward to a hand-to-hand contest with the foe,
capturing a part of his line at the angle and a number of pieces of his
artillery.
Victory now appeared to be won and General Armistead, who had lead his
brigade, sharing this belief laid his hand upon a piece of the captured
artillery and with the other waved his hat aloft on the point of his
sword in ecstacy because of the victory, but here fresh relays of
Federals began to pour in against the well nigh exhausted Confederates
and opened fire. General Armistead and many others were killed, and
with no support at hand the Confederates were compelled to retire and
again traverse this wide, open plain of death and destruction. Here
Meade failed to avail himself of a most important rule in military
science by not returning Pickett's charge. Everything was favorable for
it and he had two fresh corps at hand. Pickett's ranks were decimated,
exhausted and practically without ammunition; and in Lee's center
immediately in front a gap of more than a mile--from Hill's right
to Longstreet's left--existed. A more favorable opportunity seldom
occurs for the sundering in twain and beating in detail the wings of
a great army. Had conditions been reversed Lee would unquestionably
have availed himself of such an opportunity. This practically ended the
battle of Gettysburg, and both armies rested on their arms during the
night and following day. During the time nothing occurred, except one
or two contests between small detachments from the opposing armies and
some skirmishing. This great battle fraught with so many probabilities
was over. Sixty-eight thousand Confederates had assaulted ninety-seven
thousand Federals in entrenched position and on the enemy's own soil,
and had failed. The tide of Confederate hopes and prospects had been in
the ascendant up to this crushing blow. That blunders lost the victory
to the Confederates has seemingly been conceded, but who committed them
has been a question of bitter discussion through the press between
Longstreet, Fitz Lee, Early and others. Such generally occurs after
the loss of a great battle. It is much easier after than before to see
what should and should not have been done, but the discussion of this
question, however, will not be taken up here. Recently I went over this
field for the first time since the battle.
[Illustration]