Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 23.djvu/235

 The <;/*hurg Charge. 229

Tlu- result of General Stuart's action was that two armies invaded Pennsylvania in 1863, instead of one. One of those armies had no cavalry, the other had nothing but cavalry. One was commanded by General Lee, the other by General Stuart.

[From the Richmond, Va., Dispatch, January a6, 1896.]

GETTYSBURG CHARGE.

Paper as to Pickett's Men.

[The following is a compilation of a modest infantryman. Cap- tain Martin W. Hazlewood is an earnest member of the History Com- mittee of the Grand Camp of Confederate Veterans, Virginia. ED.]

This interesting paper on the " Gettysburg Charge," was read be- fore Pickett Camp Monday night, January 2Oth, by Captain M. W. Hazlewood :

The third day's battle of Gettysburg, more familiarly spoken of as "Pickett's charge," has been so often treated in books and essays, that it would seem almost useless to write on the subject at this late day. In defence of the commanding general, whose con- duct has been unwittingly impeached by superficial writers in search of a scapegoat for the untoward results of this fatal battle, and in justice to the troops engaged, it will hardly be regarded as out of place to cite some facts which have not ordinarily attracted attention.

On the morning of the 3d of July the Federal line was complete, and occupied all the hills and ridges from Gulp's Hill to Round Top mountain, without a break, while Kilpatrick.s cavalry enveloped the Confederate right, where McLaws and Hood, with about eight thou- sand men, were confronted by the Fifth and Sixth army corps occu- pying an impregnable position. These facts, it would seem, decided General Lee to form a column of attack on the point where Wright's Brigade had penetrated the Federal line on the previous evening.

AN INTERVIEW WITH LEE.

On the night of July 3d, General Imboden states that in response to a message he had an interview with General Lee, during which the latter, in a voice tremulous with emotion, said: