ELON J. FARNSWORTH, BRIGADIER-GENERAL, U. S. Y. Killed in Farnsworth’s Charge.
the men were heard to exclaim : “ Here they come ! ” “Here they come ! ” “ Here comes the infantry ! ” Soon little puffs of smoke issued from the skirmish line, as it came dashing forward, firing in reply to our own skirmishers in the plain helow, and with this faint rattle of musketry the stillness was broken ; never hesitating for an instant, but driving our men before it, or knocking them over by a biting fire as they rose up to run in, their skirmish line reached the fences of the Emmitsburg road. This was Pickett’s advance, which carried a front of five hundred yards or more. I was just in rear of the right of the brigade, standing upon a large boulder, in front of my regiment, the 19th Massachusetts, where, from the configuration of the ground, I had an excellent view of the advancing lines, and.could see the entire formation of the attacking column. Pickett’s separate brigade lines lost their formation as they swept across the Emmitsburg road, carrying with them their chain of skirmishers. They pushed on toward the crest, and merged into one crowding, rushing line, many ranks deep. As they crossed the road, Webb’s infantry, on the right of the trees, commenced an irregular, hesitating fire, gradually increasing to a rapid file firing, while the shrapnel and canister from the batteries tore gaps through those splendid Virginia battalions.
The men of our brigade, with their muskets at the ready, lay in waiting. One could plainly hear the orders of the officers as they commanded, “ Steady, men, steady ! Don’t fire ! ” and not a shot was fired at the advancing hostile line, now getting closer every moment. The heavy file firing on the right in Webb’s brigade continued.
By an undulation of the surface of the ground to the left of the trees, the rapid advance of the dense line of Confederates was for a moment lost to view ; an instant after they seemed to rise out of the earth, and so near that the expression on their faces was distinctly seen. Now our men knew that the time had come, and could wait no longer. Aiming low, they opened a deadly concentrated discharge upon the moving mass in their front. Staggered by the storm of lead, the charging line hesitated, answered
CEMETERY RIDGE AFTER PICKETT’S CHARGE.
From a war-time sketch.
clump of trees, called by the enemy the salient of our position, and this grove was the focus of the most fearful cannonade that preceded Pickett’s charge. One regiment, the 72d Pennsylvania, in Webb’s command, was a little in rear of the left of its brigade ; two regiments, the 19th Massachusetts and 42d New York, Colonel A. P. Devereux commanding, of Hall’s brigade, were in rear of the right of their brigade.
Prom the opposite ridge, three-fourths of a mile away, a line of skirmishers sprang lightly forward out of the woods, and with intervals well kept moved rapidly down into the open fields, closely followed by a line of battle, then by another, and by yet a third. Both sides watched this never-to-be-forgotten scene,— the grandeur of attack of so many thousand men. Gibbon’s division, which was to stand the brunt of the assault, looked with admiration on the different lines of Confederates, marching forward with easy, swinging step, and
Wilcox’sandPerry’sbrigades,which shouiahave guarded Pickett’s right flank, became separated from it, and attacked the First Corps, commanded since the night of the first day by General Newton. Stannard turned about and took this second column in flank, drove it back, and again captured a large number of prisoners.
The whole plain was soon covered witli fugitives, but, as no pursuit was ordered, General Lee in person succeeded in rallying them, and in re-forming the line of battle.
REPELLING LEE’S LAST BLOW AT GETTYSBURG.
BY EDMUND RICE, BREVET LIEUTENANT-COLONEL, U. S. A.
rpHE brigades of Harrow, Webb, and Hall, of X Gibbon’s division, Hancock’s corps, occupied the crest on Cemetery Ridge on July 3d. The right of Hail’s and the left of Webb’s brigades were in a
BRIGADIER-GENERAL LEWIS A. ARMISTEAD, C. S. A.
Killed in Pickett’s Charge.
avoiding the obstacles with intelligence, they carried their riders over rocks and fallen timber and fences that the boldest hunter would hardly attempt to-day; and I doubt if there was a single fall of man or horse, except from the shot of the enemy.
. .. There was no charging of cannon, no sabering of men. Farnsworth and his troopers understood that they were to draw the enemy’s fire, to create a diversion, preparatory to the main movement. They were to ride as deep into the enemy’s lines as possible, to disclose his plan and force his positions.
The taking of the prisoners on the return was the accident, not the order, of the charge. There was no encouragement of on-looking armies, no cheer, no bravado ; and each man felt, as he tightened his saber belt, that he was summoned to a ride to death.
Farnsworth fell in the enemy’s lines with his saber raised, dead with five mortal wounds, and without fame. So fell this typical volunteer soldier of America — a man without military training or ambition, yet born with a genius for war which carried him to high command and to the threshold of a great career.
NARRATIVE NOTE.
Hancock rode along the line and made prompt dispositions to meet the coming storm. Gibbon’s division, of the Second Corps, received and repelled the shock, while part of Doubleday’s command, principally Stannard’s Vermont brigade, struck the right flank of the main body and doubled it up in confusion so as greatly to impede its progress.
General Hancock was wounded by the side of Stannard.
FARNSWORTH’S CHARGE.
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