134 Nortru Carouina Troops, 1861-’65.

we pushed, and were now right upon the enemy’s works when
we received a murderous fire upon our left flank. I looked
to see where it came from, and lo, we were completely flanked
upon our left, not only by infantry, but by artillery. Here
candor compels me to admit that one of the brigades of our
division had given way, the enemy had seized upon the gap,
and now poured a galling fire into our left, which compelled
the troops to give way in succession to the right. What could
we do now? At the very moment I thought victory ours, I
saw it snatched from our hands. With no support upon the
left, I asked myself what we should do. I had only about
sixty men left in my regiment, and that small number dimin-
ishing ev-ry moment. The others had suffered as badly.
The order ame from the right to fall back. We did so at the
same time with Pickett. The day was lost. You must ob
serve I do not attach any blame to Pickett. I think he did
his duty, and if he did, we certainly did ours, because I know
we went as far as he did, and I ean safely assert some distance
beyond, owing to the shape of the enemy’s works, which ran
backward in our front in the form of a curve, and which
compelled us to go beyond where Pickett’s men were already
at their works in order to reach them ourselves. The color
bearer of my regiment was shot down while attempting to
plant the flag on the wall. I will here mention a remark
made to me afterwards by General Pettigrew. With tears
in his eyes he spoke of the loss in his brigade, and then re-
marked: ‘My noble brigade had gained the enemy’s works,
and would have held them had not —’s brigade given
way. Qh! had they have known the consequences that hung
upon their action at that moment, they would have pressed
on.”

It is well to be remembered that while Pickett’s men were
perfectly fresh, having never fired a gun and having just come
up, our brigade had been terribly cut up on the Ist, especially
two of the regiments. The Twenty-sixth, which went into
action on the 1st 850 strong, on the 3d only had for duty 230
men, and not officers enough to command the companies. If
some troops can gain so much credit for being defeated, is it
not strange that nothing is said of us when we (on the 1st)

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Sitar rian iaaitae’ aussi sta abenadehalibtaues deena aimee aes Giese aealtaiae a eeaaliate ad

PrrriGREw’s BRIGADE AT GETTYSBURG. 135

drove line after line of the enemy from their positions like
sheep, and pursued them for two miles. What I say of our
brigade I might say of the whole division. No troops ever
fought better than ours. We were engaged for hours with
five times our number, and routed them completely; but our
loss was fearful—about 50 per cent.—among them our best
officers. Our Major-General was wounded the first day.
Captains and Lieutenants were in command of regiments on
the 3d. Still we were put in the front rank, the post of
honor, and not in support, as the Enquirer has it, when there
were other troops comparatively fresh, who might have taken
our place. Does not this show the confidence of our general
in us?

Then look at our losses, which leaving out of account the
first day, greatly exceed those of any other troops. Had Gen-
eral Heth not been wounded, or had the lamented Pettigrew
lived they could have told a tale that would have made those
blush who are now trying to bear off the honors so nobly won
by others. But alas, we have not even enough left to refute
the foul calumny of those who would basely endeavor to pluck
from our brows the laurels placed there at the sacrifice of so
many of our noble companions.

That we still retain the confidence of our commander is
shown by our being placed as rear-guard, the post of honor,
while the other troops were safely crossing the river (Poto-
mac.) It was here in an attack made upon our lines that the
brave Pettigrew fell, while setting an example of heroic cour-
age and presence of mind to those who had followed him un-
faltering through so many dangers and hardships. In him
the brigade sustained its heaviest loss. In him our State lost
one of her brightest stars, and the Confederacy one of her

ablest defenders.
Joun T. Jones.

Cutprprer C. H., Va.,
80 July, 1863,