Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 23.djvu/236

 230 Southern Historical Society Papers.

"I never saw troops behave more magnificently than Pickett's Division of Virginians did to-day in that grand charge upon the enemy. And if they had been supported as they were to have been but, for some reason not yet fully explained to me, were not we would have held the position and the day would have been ours. ' '

This remark of the commanding general has been almost univer- sally construed as a censure of Heth's and Fender's troops; but this is as unjustifiable as it is untrue. General Lee's official report was forwarded to the War Department January 20, 1864, more than six months after the battle, and there is not a word in that report which reflects on these troops.

THE LINE OF BATTLE.

General Lee gives the order of line of battle as follows:

' ' General Longstreet ordered forward the column of attack, con- sisting of Pickett's and Heth's Divisions, in two lines, Pickett's on the right, Wilcox's Brigade marched in rear of Pickett's right, to guard that flank, and Heth's was supported by Lane's and Scales' s Brigades, under General Trimble."

General Longstreet in his report says: " Pickett's Division was arranged, two brigades in the front line, supported by his third brigade, and Wilcox's Brigade was ordered to move in rear of his right flank, to protect it from any force that the enemy might at- tempt to move against it. Heth's Division, under the command of Brigadier-General Pettigrew, was arranged in two lines, and these supported by part of Major-General Pender's Division, under Major- General Trimble. * * * About 2 P. M. General Pickett, who had been charged with the duty of arranging the lines behind our batteries, reported that the troops were in order. ' '

It will thus be seen that Heth's Division was a part of the column of attack, and must not be regarded as a mere support to Pickett.

General Lee further says : ' ' The batteries were directed to be pushed forward as the infantry progressed, protect their flanks, and support their attacks closely."

These excerpts enable us to give a diagram of the column of at- tack, as it should have appeared in accordance with the foregoing orders, when it advanced, to which is added Anderson's three Bri- gades, which, as will appear further on, was to be a part of the sup- porting column.