128 Nortru Carotina Troops, 1861-65.

give any assistance to the assaulting column. When I deliv-
ered my message, I knew it was too late, and I recall my sad
reflection, “What a pity that these brave men should be sacri-
ficed.” Already had the remnants of Pickett’s and Heth’s
Divisions broken. They broke simultaneously. They had
together struck the stone fence, driven back the enemy posted
behind it, looked down on the multitude beyond; and in the
words of General McLaws, who was watching that attack,
“rebounded like an India rubber ball.” The lodgment ef-
fected, was apparently only for an instant. No twenty min-
utes expired, as claimed by some, before the hand full of
brave men was driven back by overwhelming numbers. Then
Trimble’s command should have been ordered to the rear.
It continued its useless advance alone, only to return before
it had gone as far as we had.

After delivering my message to General Trimble I re-
turned to General Pettigrew. I found him walking out qui-
etly ; he too had been dismounted, and together we returned
to our starting point, arriving there after most of the survi-
vors from the two divisions. Thus ended the famous battle
of Gettysburg. Notwithstanding the failure of its efforts,
the army was still unconquered in spirit, and had Meade fol-
lowed us back to Seminary Ridge, he would have found our
troops ready to mete out to him what he had given us. But
according to General Sickles, before the committee on the con-
duct of the war, “it was by no means clear, in the judgment
of the corps commanders, or of the general in command,
whether they had won or not,” they therefore made no coun-
ter attack, and scarcely molested General Lee’s army, as it
slowly and deliberately withdrew, and returned to Virginia.

The number composing the assaulting column on this last
day is variously estimated at 13,500 to 18,000 men. The
troops actually engaged were in reality, only Pickett’s Divis-
ion of 4,500 to 5,000, and three brigades of Heth’s, which
were at the outside not over 4,000. Wileox on the right ad-
vanced only a small part of the way and was of no assistance
to Pickett, and Trimble’s advance was too late to be of the
least support to our left. The little band of less than 9,000
men had traversed the wide plain, intersected with fences

sinister te TRI Aah Sapa ain ciate eileen

ties

PETTIGREW’s BRIGADE AT GETTYSBURG. 129

running, some parallel, some oblique to our line, without shel-
ter of any kind, without assistance from our artillery which
had expended its ammunition, and had done no damage to
that of the enemy or its infantry. The charge was grand,
but that is all it was. ‘Some one had blundered.” Said
General Lee, “had I had Stonewall Jackson at Gettysburg I
would have won a great victory.”” So I believe, but the man-
tle of Elijah had not fallen on Elisha. Longstreet was not
Jackson.

There was, now is and always will be given to Pickett’s
Division exalted praise for its part in this famous charge
upon the heights of Gettysburg and it deserves it; but I claim
for Pettigrew’s and Archer’s Brigade not only equal, but a
larger share of the honors of the day ; and even to Davis’ Bri-
gade, although the first to break, is due the tribute which is
the meed of noble effort and heroic sacrifice in face of certain
defeat. Whatever might have been the probabilities on the
right and center of the assaulting column, there was no hope
for the left, its flank stormed on by every conceivable missile
of destruction. In its shattered condition it could have made
no lodgment. Pickett on the right, although not supported
by Wilcox as was intended, had the advantage of having been
formed in two lines—two brigades on the front, one on the
second line as a support; whereas Heth’s Division, under or-
ders, advanced in one line. Pickett’s Division having been
posted more than one hundred yards in advance of Heth’s,
had a shorter distance to go; and above all, Pickett’s Division
was fresh. It had not yet participated in the battle; its or-
ganization was complete, with a full roll of staff and field of-
ficers. Eleth’s Division had suffered great loss on the Ist,
and General Pettigrew had with him as division staff, only
the young volunteer aide, W. B. Sheppard, and myself;
therefore the brigades of Archer and Pettigrew, which did in
all respects as well as did Pickett’s Division, are entitled to
more credit, whereas they have been often included in the
number of those blamed for the failure of the charge on Cem-
etery Ridge.

No State in the Confederacy contributed braver, more de-
voted or better soldiers, or a greater number of them than did

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