was yet rolling along the distant defiles and mountain gorges, an uproar began as wonderful as had been the previous silence. General Lee's one hundred and twenty guns opened at once with a crash and thunder sound that shook the hills for miles around from crest to base, and were instantly replied to by about eighty guns ranged by General Meade along the front of Cemetery Ridge, about one mile in front.

"No sound of roaring waters, nor wind, nor thunder, nor of these combined, ever equaled the tremendous uproar, and no command, no order, no sound of voice, could be heard at all above the ceaseless din of thousands of shrieking shot and shell falling thick and fast on every side and bursting with terrific explosions, while others by thousands came bounding, skipping, racing and chasing each other over the hill and down the slope, hissing, scoffing, spitting and moaning like relentless demons as they dashed through the detachments and went onward to crash among the reserves far back in the rear. The bursting shell in mid-heaven or upon the earth scattered death wherever its fragments flew, and the shrill shot over head or bounding madly across the field would both alike dip through a line of prostrate men and tear away with a wail to the rear, leaving a wide track of blood behind. The air was filled with clouds of dust and volumes of sulphurous, suffocating smoke rolled up white and bluish-gray like frightful storm clouds, and hung like a pall over the field, through the rifts and rents of which the sun with dim light looked down upon the ghastly scene.

"After two hours the firing suddenly ceased, and silence again rested for half an hour over the battle- field, during

THE SCENE OF THE ASSAULT.

369

which time the Confederates were rapidly forming an attacking column just below the brow of Seminary Ridge. Long double lines of infantry came pouring out of the woods and bottoms, across ravines and little valleys, hurrying on to the positions assigned them in the column. Two separate lines of double ranks were formed a hundred yards apart, and in the center of the column was placed the division of Pickett, said to be 'the flower of Lee's army,' - 4,481 privates, 244 company officers, 32 field officers, and four general officers, making 4,761 all told. In the front line were placed Kemper's and Garnett's brigades side by side, covered by Armistead's brigade in the second line."

Before describing the great assault which followed this terrible artillery prelude, the reader's attention is specially called to the illustration given on the next page, which shows the ground over which the assaulting columns moved, as well as the point where the Federal line was pierced. The Federal line from the center to its extreme left was from the north-east to the south-west; but owing to a curve toward the west at the point where this view was taken, the prospect is south-west. The inside of the line, and the breast- works of stone which yet remain, are here seen. The house and barn to the right are Codori's. They stand beside the Emmittsburg road, which is seen running south-westwardly. This house marked about the center of the assaulting column. The Confederate position from which the columns of assault proceeded, was about a half mile further to the right of this house, which will be to the west. The umbrella-shaped tree by the side of the tablet on the left, which yet remains, was the ob

[370] THE HIGH WATER-MARK OF THE REBELLION, OR THE POINT AT WHICH THE REBELLION RECEIVED ITS DEATH-WOUND. From a Photograph by Tipton,

jective point at which General Pickett directed his men to aim, and it was at this place that the Confederates pierced the Federal line. There the Confederate General Armistead received his mortal wound, and a little to the right Hancock was wounded. This place, by general consent, has been designated the High water-mark of the Rebellion. There it reached its highest-its supreme effort, and there it received its death - wound.

The Federal commanders well understood what the object of this tremendous fire was, and calmly prepared to meet it. After it had continued about an hour and a half, the artillerists were ordered to slacken their fire so as to give their guns time to cool for the final effort, as well as to induce the enemy to suppose that he had silenced them, and thus bring on the expected attack sooner. The ruse succeeded, and soon the enemy in three massive lines were seen to emerge from the wooded crest of Seminary Ridge, and to move steadily over the intervening space towards the Federal left center. This assaulting force consisted of Pickett's division of Longstreet's Corps, Heth's division of Hill's Corps,-under the temporary command of General Pettigrew, Heth having been wounded, and the brigades of Wilcox, Lane and Scales, also of Hill's Corps, the whole amounting to from twelve

* Another cause for the cessation of the Federal fire has been given, which is, that General Warren, Meade's chief engineer, who was holding a position on Round Top with some of the signal corps, constructed a temporary telegraph from the heights of the mountain to Meade's head-quarters. A little after two o'clock he notified General Meade that he was doing the enemy but little injury, and that he was filling the valley between the two ridges with smoke, under cover of which the Confederates would make their expected assault. He also advised him to discontinue the firing and get ready for the assault. By Meade's permission General Hunt, the chief of artillery, arrested the firing all along the line.

to fifteen thousand men.* Two brigades of Pickett's division formed the front, and one in the second line as a support, with the brigade of Wilcox in the rear of the right, to protect that flank. Heth's division moved on Pickett's left, and Lane and Scales were placed in the rear of its right. Its left was without reserve or support. While these lines were being formed General Meade moved his headquarters from its exposed position, to Power's Hill, where General Slocum was already established. General Hunt also took advantage of the opportunity to withdraw such of the guns as had been injured by the

* Colonel W. H. Swallow, who participated in the battle of Gettysburg, on the Confederate side, in response to a letter of inquiry from the writer, as to the frontage of this great assaulting column, replies as follows:

"If I were to speak from the impression made while the column was moving before my eyes, I should say that from Brockenborough's brigade on the left of Pettigrew's division to Kemper's right brigade of Pickett's division, which measured the distance of the assaulting column, the frontage was about three fourths of a mile. But if you also include the brigades of Thomas and McGowan, which covered the left flank of Pettigrew's division, to the brigades of Wilcox and Perry that covered the right flank of Pickett's divis ion, the distance was fully one mile.

"I make the depth 1,372 yards. My measurements, which were afterwards made, were from line of battle to line of battle.

"Now it should be remembered that Trimble's division lay in line of battle, on the western slope of Seminary Ridge, in the rear of the artillery. Now from Trimble's left to the right of Hays' division, the distance was 1,733 yards; and from the right of Trimble's division to the central point of attack on the Union line, the distance was 1,400 yards. From the left of Pickett's division to the central point of attack on the Union line, the distance was only 1,066 yards. From Pickett's right to the left of General Stannard's left regiment was 1,350 yards. You will see that these figures will give an average of about 1,375 yards.

"The troops in the column that received the heaviest artillery fire were Pettigrew's own brigade, commanded by Jones. The right of Trimble's command also reached the point of attack as far as Pickett's, but then Trimble's men got there about fifteen minutes later than Pickett. General Kemper was up to the works when repulsed. General Kemper writes to me: 'I was nearly up to the Federal line, so near that I could easily see the faces and the expression on the countenances of the Union men, and I thought I could identify the individual soldier that shot me.'"'