Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 32.djvu/203

 The Battle of Gettysburg. 191

was thus in command of the regiment when we passed over the crest of the ridge, through our guns there planted, and had advanced some distance down the slope in our front. I was surprised before that our skirmishers had been brought to a stand by those of the enemy; and the latter only gave ground when our line of battle had closed up well inside of a hundred yards of our own skirmishers. The enemy's skirmishers then retreated in perfect order, firing as they fell back.

The enemy's artillery, front and flank, fired upon us, and many of the regiment were struck.

UP THE HILL.

Having descended the slope and commenced to ascend the oppo- site slope that rises toward the enemy's works, the Federal skir- mishers kept up their fire until we were some four hundred yards from the works. They thus being between two fires for infantry fire broke out from the works threw down their arms, rushed into our lines, and then sought refuge in the depression, waterway or gully between the slopes.

There was no distinct change of front; but " close and dress to the left " was the command, and this gave us an oblique movement to the left as we pressed ranks in that direction.

Our colors were knocked down several times as we descended the slope on our side. Twice I saw the color-bearer stagger and the next man seize the staff and go ahead; the third time the colors struck the ground as we were still on the down slope. The artillery had opened upon us with canister. H. V. Harris, adjutant of the regiment, rushed to them and seized them, and, I think, car- ied them to the enemy's works.

AT THE WORKS. .

When the enemy's infantry opened fire on us and we were sev- eral hundred yards distant from them as yet we rushed towards the works, running, I may say, almost at top speed, and as we neared the works I could see a good line of battle, thick and sub- stantial, firing upon us. When inside of a hundred yards of them I could see, first, a few, and then more and more, and presently, to my surprise and disgust, the whole line break away in flight. When we got to the works, which were a hasty trench and embank- ment, and not a stone wall at the point we struck, our regiment was a mass or ball, all mixed together, without company organiza-