Today in History:

359 Series I Volume XXVII-II Serial 44 - Gettysburg Campaign Part II

Page 359 Chapter XXXIX. THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.

General [R. H.]Anderson division, which were co-operating upon my left, drove of them back, and, checking the support of the other, caused my left to be somewhat exposed and outflanked. Wofford's brigade, of McLaws' division, was driven back at the same time. I thought it prudent not to push farther until my other troops came up.

General Hood received a severe wound soon after getting under fire, and was obliged to leave the field. The misfortune occasioned some delay in our operations. Brig. General G. T. Anderson, of this division, was also severely wounded, and obliged to leave the field. In the same attack, General McLaws lost two of his brigadiers(General Barksdale mortally wounded, and General Semmes severely wounded, and since died of his wounds). The command was finally so disposed as to hold the ground gained on the right, with my left withdrawn to the first position of the enemy, resting at the peach orchard. During the combat of this day, for pieces of artillery were captured and secured by the command, and two regimental standards. Pender's division, the assault to be made directly at the enemy's main position, the Cemetery Hill. The distance to be passed over under the fire of the enemy's batteries, and in plain view, seemed too great to insure great results, particularly as two-thirds of the troops to be engaged in the assault had been in a severe battle two days previous Pickett's division alone being fresh.

Orders were given to Major-General Pickett to form his line under the best cover that he could get from the enemy's batteries, and so that the center of the assaulting column would arrive at the salient of the enemy's position. General Pickett's line to be the guide and to attack the line of the enemy's defenses, and General Pettigrew, in command of Heth's division, moving on the same line as General Pickett, was to assault the salient at the same moment. Piskett's division was arranged, two brigades in the front line, supported by his brigade, and Wilcox's brigade was ordered to move in rear of his right flank, to protect in form any force that the enemy might attempt to move against it.

Heth's division under the command of Brigadier-General Pettigrew, was arranged in two lines, and these supported by part of Major-General Pender's division, under Major-General Trimble. All of the batteries of the First and Third Corps, and some of those of the Second, were but into the best positions for effective fore upon the point of attack and the hill occupied by the enemy's left. Colonel Walton, chief of artillery of First Corps, and Colonel Alexander had posted our batteries and agreed with the artillery officers of the other corp upon the signal for the batteries to open.

About 2 p. m. General Pickett, who had been charged with the duty of arranging the lines behind our batteries, reported that the troops were in order and on the most sheltered ground. Colonel Walton was ordered to open the batteries. The signal guns were fired, and all the batteries opened very handsomely and apparently with effective fire. The guns on the hill, at the enemy's left were


Page 359 Chapter XXXIX. THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.