Today in History:

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

Page 409 THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN. Chapter XXXIX.

eral ineffectual efforts upon the part of both the commanders of the Fifteenth Georgia and myself to separate the men of the two regiments, we gave the order to move forward, when both regiments, thus commingled, moved forward and occupied the crest of the hill, some 100 yards or more to the front, and where the enemy's artillery was stationed, where we remained until the close of the day and until 2 o'clock on Friday morning. During the evening of the 2d, an incessant fire was kept up by this regiment, and the enemy was several times repulsed in their efforts to retake the hill. My position was such tat I was enabled to pour a deadly enfilading fire into the enemy as they advanced trough a wheat-field to attack the troops in position on my left, and I have not a doubt that this fire contributed greatly to the repulse of the forces of the enemy attacking our forces some 300 to 500 yards on my left. Once during the evening the troops upon my left were driven back, and my left was exposed, when, directing Captain H. E. Moss, Company D, to take charge of the colors, and retaining them there with a few men to hold the hill until the regiment should safety retire, I ordered the regiment to fall back to a stone fence about 100 yards in rear. The major portion of the regiment and Fifteenth Georgia fell back, as ordered, but quite a large number, having noticed that the colors were not moving to the rear, refused to withdraw, and remaining upon the crest of the hill, succeeded in holding the enemy in check in their immediate front, and obliquely upon their front and left, until the troops upon my left had been reformed and ewe again advanced, when I directed Major F. S. Bass to return to the crest of the hill with the body of the regiment and, with Captain D. K. Rice, of Company C, proceeded myself to collect together all fugitives, slight wounded, and exhausted men, and placed them so as to protect my right and rear from an attack from that quarter, one of my advanced scouts in that direction having reported to me that a column of the enemy was moving down a ravine or hollow and threatening me in that quarter. Having made every disposition to guard my right and rear, I placed Captain D. K. Rice in charge of such defense, and proceeded to the Third Arkansas Regiment, of which General Robertson had order me to take charge. After the loss of some half hour in searching for the Third Arjabsaskm I found Lieutenant-Colonel Taylor and Major Reedy, of that regiment, both alive and uninjured, and in charge of the regiment which was doing its duty nobly and well. Late in the evening, a terrific fire of artillery was concetreted against the hill occupied by this (the First) regiment, and many were killed and wounded, some losing their heads, and others so horribly mutilated and mangled that their identity could scarcely be established; but, notwithstanding this, all the men continued heroically and unflinchingly to maintain their position. Immediately after dark, having detailed Companies E and I for the purpose, I sent three pieces of the artillery captured to the rear. There were there other pieces - two at one point and one at another-that I was unable to remove, for the reason that they were located between the lines of the enemy and our own, and were so much exposed that they could not be approached expecting under a murderous fire. While they could not be removed by me, neither could they be approached by the enemy, to the same fire that drove the artillerists from their guns and the infantry from their support was everyone readiness to keep them in check and drive them back.


Page 409 THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN. Chapter XXXIX.