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mate is correct, these regiments averaged but two hundred and forty men each, leaving out the artillery entirely. The fallacy of the general's statement is too apparent to require any further notice. The Federal forces engaged were the Third and Fifth corps, and Caldwell's division of the Second Corps, and probably a few others. The total number did not exceed thirty thousand. The advantage of numbers was undoubtedly with the Federals, but not to the extent that General Longstreet claims.

In this terrific engagement of about three hours, the losses on both the Federal and Confederate sides were very heavy. General Sickles was severely wounded, necessitating the amputation of one of his limbs above the knee. Generals Zook, Weed, and Vincent, and Colonels O'Rourke, Taylor, Cross, Ellis, and several other eminent officers were killed, and many others wounded. General Longstreet, in Annals of the War, page 426, admits a loss of four thousand five hundred and twenty-nine in his two divisions which were engaged. The losses of the three brigades of Anderson's division of Hill's Corps, which were also in the engagement, although not stated, were also very heavy. Among the distinguished officers who suf fered upon the Confederate side, were General Barksdale, of Mississippi, killed, and Generals Hood, Semmes, and Heth, wounded.

As a striking illustration of the unnatural and fratricidal character of the strife, the following occurence is related: In the yard attached to the house which stands in the angle of the road across the lane from the Peach Orchard -marked upon the maps of the battle field, "Wentz's House"-stood a Confederate battery, commanded by

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Lieutenant Wentz. This officer was brought up in that house, and his parents, at the time of the battle, yet resided there. Some years before the outbreak of the war, he went South, and now came back in command of a Confederate battery, and by a singular coincidence, his battery was ordered into position in his father's yard. Before his guns opened upon the patriot troops, some of whom were his former neighbors and associates (in the Pennsylvania Reserves were a number of men whose homes were in sight of Round Top), this recreant son of Pennsylvania placed his aged parents in the cellar of their house to save them from the missiles of death which his guns would draw upon them.

It will be recollected that Lee's plan for the battle of this day contemplated a simultaneous attack upon both wings of the Federal army, while Hill, who occupied the Confederate center, was to throw his force in whatever direction he could accomplish the most. But for reasons which are as inexplicable as the delay of Longstreet in opening the battle upon the left, Ewell delayed his attack upon the right until Longstreet's assault had been repulsed, and the engagement upon that part of the field was over. And even when his assault was made, it was not made in concert, but disjointed and consequently unsupported.

It was nearly eight o'clock-one hour after the battle had ended on the Federal left-before Ewell's troops were in position to commence the attack. Previous to that time. there had been some sharp firing along the center and right, but nothing like a general engagement had taken place. General Ewell had advanced Johnson's division, which had

been posted on the extreme left of the Confederate line, and had been directed to assail the right of Culp's Hill; and with the purpose of preventing reinforcements from being sent from the center, Early was directed to carry Cemetery Hill by assault. Rodes' division was to support Early in this attack. Pender's division of Hill's Corps was also expected to take part in the engagement, if circumstances made it necessary. Early moved forward, Hays' brigade on the right, Hoke's brigade on the left, and Gordon's in reserve. As these troops approached, the powerful batteries upon the hill were brought to bear upon them with fearful effect, and the left and center were compelled to fall back. The right, however, composed of the renowned fighters known as "The Louisiana Tigers,” under the shelter of the houses of the town, were enabled to approach the Federal line, and after driving Von Gilsa's brigade, which it encountered at the foot of the hill, they made a sudden and irresistible rush for the summit. Weidrick's battery was captured, and two of Ricketts' guns were spiked. These captured guns were about being turned upon the Federal right, when a brigade of Schurz's troops fell upon the temporarily successful Tigers, and a most desperate hand to hand fight ensued, which for ferocity and determination had no parallel in all the war. The bayonet was freely used on both sides, and brains were beaten out with clubbed muskets, hand-spikes, cannonrammers, and even stones. The troops occupying this hill had been addressed by their officers, and the importance of holding it to the last had been impressed upon them. At length General Hancock, seeing that no demonstration upon his lines was intended, and fearful that the

DEFEAT OF THE LOUISIANA TIGERS.

339

hill would be carried and his position flanked, and thus the army compelled to retreat, sent Carroll's brigade to the rescue. Carroll was joined by the One Hundred and Sixth Pennsylvania and some reinforcements from Schurz's division. These troops went in upon the enemy with a cheer, and finding that they were about to be overwhelmed, with no one coming to their assistance, the Confederates fell back. In their retreat they suffered fearfully from the Federal batteries, which poured into them tremendous discharges of grape and canister. The Louisiana Tigers had met their match, and Howard's Germans redeemed themselves from the reproach of Chancellorsville. This whole engagement lasted but a short time, but in that short space these noted fighters were sadly worsted. The severity of their losses may be seen in the fact that Hays' and Hoke's brigades, which were engaged in the assault, lost respectively three hundred and thirteen and three hundred and forty-five men. The Louisiana Tigers belonged to the former.

The failure of General Rodes to support Early in this attack is accounted for as follows: General Rodes, it will be remembered, occupied the town of Gettysburg from Early's right to Seminary Ridge. His explanation of his failure to be on hand in time is thus stated by himself:

"After I had conferred with General Early on my right and General Lane upon my left, and arranged to attack in concert, I proceeded at once to make the necessary preparations; but as I had to draw my troops out of the town by the flank, change the direction of the line of battle, and then traverse a distance of twelve or fourteen hundred yards, while General Early had to move only

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