Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 198, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 August 1911 — STORIES OF CAMP AND WAR [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

STORIES OF CAMP AND WAR

ONE PICTURE AT GETTYSBURG How Great Pickett Charge Looked to a • Spectator on Union LeftGathered Up Wounded. On the first day at Gettysburg Sedgwick’s Sixth corps, to which I was attached, was at Manchester. About 1 o’clock a. m., July 1, 1863, we received orders to make all fiaste to Gettysburg, Pa., writes Franklin Broadbelt, of the One Hundred and Nineteenth Pennsylvania, now living in Philadelphia, in the National Tribune. The 37 miles was made in 17 hours without a halt. We arrived on the field at 2 o’clock in the afternoon of July 2, and occupied positions on Utile Round Top. I, with a number of others, was detailed to gather in the wounded from the wheat field, the adjacent wood back of the Devil’s Den and away over the fields toward the Trostle

house, where General Sickles was so badly wounded and lost a leg. ' It was weary work for us to do after our long and arduous march of the day, but many human lives were at stake. A tew moments’ time meant life or death to many of them. Amid the wicked whirring of the rifle balls and exploding shells the wounded were searched out and carried to the rear of Little Round Top to an improvised hospital, where their injuries were attended to. Many died on the stretchers while being carried off the Held. We beheld scenes that day which can never be effaced from a beholder’s memory. Up to midnight we remained on detail. We lay down on. the bare ground and fell asleep, to be awakened by the boom of the rebels* cannon in the early morning of the third day’s battle. Early In the afternoon, away off to our right, we could hear the booming of the cannon and see the long line of Pickett’s forces emerging from the wooded slope of Seminary Ridge, to start on their ever memorable but fatal charge upon the center of the Union line. We watched their lines advancing under the storm of shot and shell from the Union cannon. Great gaps opened up their lines, which were promptly filled up, and by the time the Emmitsburg pike was reached we lost sight of them in the great vot ume of smoke which enveloped them. The musketry was terrific. Thefi came orders for our brigade to move to the right. But the conflict was over before we could reach the scene, were then hurried back to the Round Tops to protect our left flank. Our next position was on the right. General Russel’s Third brigade being to the left of the Taneytown pike, faxsing south. During the night of July 3 our regiment took up a position near the summit of Big Round Top, where we spent our Fourth of July, 1863. On Sunday morning, July 5, the Sixth corps received orders to follow Lee’s army on Its retreat. Lee’s rear guard, was encountered at Marsh Run; Bridge, about three miles from Get-* tysburg. A few pieces of artillery-be-', ing brought to bear on them, they* soon skedaddled. At Fairfield, Pa..' we had quite a lively skirmish with them, after which they fell back* through the mountain passes toward* Emmitsburg. All along our line off march that day every house and-barn' was filled with wounded men of Lee’s*' army. At about 10 o’clock that wingreceived orders to report at Hagerstown, and from thence we marched, tot face Lee’s army at Williamsport, onthe Potomac river.

“The Musketry Was Terrific.”