The Attack and Defense of Little Round Top, Gettysburg, July 2, 1863"This is not a history of the Battle of Gettysburg, but an attempt to describe more fully and accurately than has heretofore been done that part of the battle which was fought on one corner of the field, where, more than in any other place, the fate of the contest between the two armies was decided ... The author, who was an eye-witness of the attack and took part in the defense on this part of the line, believes that it will serve to give a better idea of the fight on Little Round Top if in connection with what he saw and heard he presents the official reports of the Union and Confederate officers and extracts from the accounts of the leading historians which relate to this part of the battle, with his comparison and criticism of these documents, together with some important letters and papers not heretofore published"--Page 11. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
advance arrived artillery assault attack Barnes battle of Gettysburg Big Round Top Birney's Captain Colonel O'Rorke Colonel Rice Colonel Vincent Company Comte de Paris Confederate crest Culp's Hill detached Devil's Devil's Den direction Eighty-third Pennsylvania Emmittsburg road enemy enemy's engaged eral Federal fell field Fifteenth Fifth corps Fifth Texas fight fire Fortieth New York Forty-eighth Alabama Forty-fourth New York Fourth Alabama front G. K. WARREN gade gallant guns Hazlett Hazlett's battery hill Hood Hundred and Fortieth Hundred and Forty-sixth infantry July killed Law's brigade Lieutenant Lieutenant-Colonel line of battle Little Round Top Longstreet Meade ment mountain moved movement occupied officers onel Plum Run PORTER FARLEY position reached rear regi regiment ridge Robertson's rocks rode sent sharpshooters Sickles Sixteenth Michigan skirmishers slope staff Strong Vincent summit Sykes Third brigade Third corps troops Twentieth Maine Union Union army valley Vincent's brigade Weed Weed's brigade woods wounded
Popular passages
Page 72 - Emmetsburg road, as ordered, and to urge that you allow me to turn Round Top, and attack the enemy in flank and rear.
Page 123 - Just before the action began in earnest on July 2d, I was -with General Meade near General Sickles, whose troops seemed very badly disposed on that part of the field. At my suggestion, General Meade sent me to the left to examine the condition of affairs, and I continued on till I reached Little Round Top. There were no troops on it and it was used as a signal station. I saw that this was the key of the whole position...
Page 72 - The reconnaissance of my Texas scouts and the development of the Federal lines were effected in a very short space of time; in truth, shorter than I have taken to recall and jot down these facts, although the scenes and events of that day are as clear to my mind as if the great battle had been fought yesterday. I was in possession of these important facts so shortly after reaching the...
Page 70 - The General is a little nervous this morning ; he wishes me to attack ; I do not wish to do so without Pickett. I never like to go into battle with one boot off...
Page 301 - This motion revealed to me the glistening of gun barrels and bayonets of the enemy's line of battle, already formed and far outflanking the position of any of our troops, so that the line of his advance from his right to Little Round Top was unopposed. I have been particular in telling this, as the discovery was intensely thrilling to my feelings and almost appalling. I immediately sent a hastily written dispatch to General Meade to send a division at least to me, and General Meade directed the Fifth...
Page 70 - Emmetsburg road. McLaws moved off, and I followed with my division. In a short time I was ordered to quicken the march of my troops, and to pass, to the front of McLaws. "This movement was accomplished by throwing out an advanced force to tear down fences and clear the way. The instructions I received were to place my division across the Emmetsburg road, form line of battle, and attack.
Page 43 - At that crisis, I ordered the bayonet. The word was enough. It ran like fire along the line, from man to man, and rose into a shout, with which they sprang forward upon the enemy, now not 30 yards away.
Page 73 - ... had better come and look for yourself. I selected in this instance, my adjutant-general, Colonel Harry Sellers, whom you know to be not only an officer of great courage, but also of marked ability. Colonel Sellers returned with the same message, "General Lee's orders are to attack up the Emmitsburg Road.
Page 302 - He spoke to the effect that though he could do little execution on the enemy with his guns, he could aid in giving confidence to the infantry, and that his battery was of no consequence whatever compared with holding the position. He stayed there till he was killed. " ' I did not see Vincent's brigade come up, but I suppose it was about this time they did, and, coming up behind me through the woods and taking post to the left, their proper place, I did not see them.
Page 72 - In fact, it seemed to me the enemy occupied a position by nature so strong —I may say impregnable — that, independently of their flank fire, they could easily repel our attack by merely throwing and rolling stones down the mountain side, as we approached. " A third time I despatched one of my staff to explain fully in regard to the situation, and suggest that you had better come and look for yourself.