I extended it well up on the side of Bound Top, and m'y ׳brigade, in closing to the right, left a considerable interval between its left and the right of the Texas brigade of Bobertson. Into this interval I threw Benning’s Georgia brigade, which had up to that time occupied the second line. At the same time seeing a heavy Federal force on Bobertson’s left, and no Confederate troops having come up to extend our line in that direction, Anderson’s Georgia brigade, till then also in the second line, was thrown out on that flank.
Thus disposed, the division continued to move forward, encountering, as it ascended the heights around the battery on the spur and to the right and left of it, a most determined resistance from the Federal troops, who seemed to be continually reinforced. The ground was rough and difficult, broken by rocks and boulders, which rendered an orderly advance impossible. Sometimes the Federals would hold one side of the huge boulders on the slope until the Confederates occupied the other. In some cases my men, with reckless daring, mounted to the top of the large rocks in order to get a better view, and to deliver their fire with greater effect. One of these, Sergeant Barbee of the Texas brigade, having reached a rock a little in advance of the line, stood erect on the top of it, loading and firing as coolly as if unconscious of danger, while the air around him was fairly swarming with bullets. lie soon fell helpless from several wounds ; but he held his rock, lying upon the top of it until the litter-bearers carried him off.
In less than an hour from the time we advanced to the attack, the hill by Devil’s Den opposite our center was taken, with three pieces of the artillery that had occupied it. The remaining pieeo was run down the opposite slope by the gunners, and escaped capture.
In the mean time my brigade, on the right, had swept over the northern slope of Bound Top, cleared it of the enemy, and then, making a partial change of front to the left, advanced upon Little Bound Top, which lay in rear of the spur on which the battery had been taken. This change of direction
THE “SLAUGHTER PEN” AT THE BASE AND ON THE LEFT SLOPE OF LITTLE ROUND TOP.
DEAD CONFEDERATE SHARP-SHOOTER IN THE DEVIL’S DEN.
eral Wood was severely wounded in the arm by a shot from the Federal artillery as we moved into action.
Advancing rapidly across the valley which separated the opposing lines,— all the time under a heavy fire from the batteries,—our front line struck the enemy’s skirmishers posted along the farther edge of the valley. Brushing these quickly away, we soon came upon their first line of battle, running along the slopes of the hills known as Devil’s Den, to our left of Bound Top, and separated from the latter by Plum Bun valley. The fighting soon became close and severe. Exposed to the artillery fire from the heights in front and on our left, as well as to the musketry of the infantry, it required all the courage and steadiness of the veterans who composed the Army of Northern Virginia — whose spirit was never higher than then — to face the storm.
Not one moment was lost.
With rapidly thinning ranks the gray line swept on, until the blue line in front wavered, broke, and seemed to dissolve in the woods and rocks on the mountain-side.
The advance continued steadily, the center of the division moving directly upon the guns on the hill adjoining Devil’s Den on the north, from whieh we had been suffering so ■severely. In order to secure my right flank,
to descend into tlie plain, wiiere all its important operations were in full view of the Union signal-stations on the heights, where were officers with powerful glasses. To reinforce any part of the Confederate line required a long march around, on the circumference of the circle, which consumed much valuable time.
On the other hand the nature of the ground made the fire from the Union batteries diffusive, while the Confederate batteries were able to concentrate a heavy fire upon almost any point in front of them.
THE UNION ARMY REACHES GETTYSBURG.
Most of the troops, though worn out with hard marching, arrived by midday of July 2d. The Sixth Corps had thirty-four miles to march, and came later in the afternoon.
SICKLES MOVES IN ADVANCE.
In the preceding diagram, A marks the position to which Sickles had been assigned with the Third Corps. As the ridge disappears there for a considerable space, the ground is low, and, in the opinion of General Sickles, was unfavorable for defense. He therefore went out about three-quarters of a mile to some high ground in front (marked B on the diagram). General Meade, who visited the position, disapproved this movement.
Sickles was soon fiercely assailed by Longstreet’s corps.
showed that these advantages had not been neglected. The thick woods which in great part covered the sides of Bound Top and the adjacent hills concealed from view the rugged nature of the ground, which increased fourfold the difficulties of the attack.
How far up the slope of Bound Top the Federal left extended we could not tell, as the woods effectually concealed from view everything in that quarter. . . .
Our order of attack — issued as soon as the two divisions of Longstreet’s corps came into position on the line already described—was, that the movement should begin on the right, my brigade on that flank leading, theothercommands taking it up successively toward the left. It was near 5 o’clock p. M. when we advanced to the attack. The artillery on both sides had been warmly engaged for about fifteen minutes, and continued to fire heavily until we became engaged with the Federal infantry, when the Confederate batteries ceased firing to avoid injury to our own troops, who were then, for the most part, concealed by the woods about the base of Bound Top and the spurs to the north of it. Gen-
THE SECOND DAY—THE CONFEDERATE SIDE.
THE STRUGGLE FOR “ ROUND TOP.”
BY E. M. LAW, MAJOR-GENERAL, C. S. A.
Commanding a division in the assault on “ Round Top.”
. . . The Confederate line of battle occupied a ridge, partly wooded, with a valley intervening between it and the heights held by the Federal troops in front. The position occupied by the Federal left wing in front of us was fully disclosed to view, and it was certainly one of the most formidable it had ever been the fortune of any troops to confront. Bound Top rose like a huge sentinel guarding the Federal left flank, while the spurs and ridges trending off to the north of it afforded unrivaled positions for the use of artillery. The puffs of smoke rising at intervals along the line of hills, as the Federal batteries fired upon such portions of our line as became exposed to view, clearly
THE STRUGGLE FOR DEVIL’S DEN (LOOKING TOWARD THE CONFEDERATE LINES).