hero tales from american history-第20部分

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of　Northern　Virginia　into　Pennsylvania。　The　South　was　now　the　invader；　not　the　invaded；　and　its　heart　beat　proudly　with　hopes　of　success；　but　these　hopes　went　down　in　bloody　wreck　on　July　4；　when　word　was　sent　to　the　world　that　the　high　valor　of　Virginia　had　failed　at　last　on　the　field　of　Gettysburg；　and　that　in　the　far　West　Vicksburg　had　been　taken　by　the　army　of　the　〃silent　soldier。〃

At　Gettysburg　Lee　had　under　him　some　seventy　thousand　men；　and　his　opponent；　Meade；　about　ninety　thousand。　Both　armies　were　composed　mainly　of　seasoned　veterans；　trained　to　the　highest　point　by　campaign　after　campaign　and　battle　after　battle；　and　there　was　nothing　to　choose　between　them　as　to　the　fighting　power　of　the　rank　and　file。　The　Union　army　was　the　larger；　yet　most　of　the　time　it　stood　on　the　defensive；　for　the　difference　between　the　generals；　Lee　and　Meade；　was　greater　than　could　be　bridged　by　twenty　thousand　men。　For　three　days　the　battle　raged。　No　other　battle　of　recent　time　has　been　so　obstinate　and　so　bloody。　The　victorious　Union　army　lost　a　greater　percentage　in　killed　and　wounded　than　the　allied　armies　of　England；　Germany；　and　the　Netherlands　lost　at　Waterloo。　Four　of　its　seven　corps　suffered　each　a　greater　relative　loss　than　befell　the　world…renowned　British　infantry　on　the　day　that　saw　the　doom　of　the　French　emperor。　The　defeated　Confederates　at　Gettysburg　lost；　relatively；　as　many　men　as　the　defeated　French　at　Waterloo；　but　whereas　the　French　army　became　a　mere　rabble；　Lee　withdrew　his　formidable　soldiery　with　their　courage　unbroken；　and　their　fighting　power　only　diminished　by　their　actual　losses　in　the　field。

The　decisive　moment　of　the　battle；　and　perhaps　of　the　whole　war；　was　in　the　afternoon　of　the　third　day；　when　Lee　sent　forward　his　choicest　troops　in　a　last　effort　to　break　the　middle　of　the　Union　line。　The　center　of　the　attacking　force　was　Pickett's　division；　the　flower　of　the　Virginia　infantry；　but　many　other　brigades　took　part　in　the　assault；　and　the　column；　all　told；　numbered　over　fifteen　thousand　men。　At　the　same　time；　the　Confederates　attacked　the　Union　left　to　create　a　diversion。　The　attack　was　preceded　by　a　terrific　cannonade；　Lee　gathering　one　hundred　and　fifteen　guns；　and　opening　a　fire　on　the　center　of　the　Union　line。　In　response；　Hunt；　the　Union　chief　of　artillery；　and　Tyler；　of　the　artillery　reserves；　gathered　eighty　guns　on　the　crest　of　the　gently　sloping　hill；　where　attack　was　threatened。　For　two　hours；　from　one　till　three；　the　cannonade　lasted；　and　the　batteries　on　both　sides　suffered　severely。　In　both　the　Union　and　Confederate　lines　caissons　were　blown　up　by　the　fire；　riderless　horses　dashed　hither　and　thither；　the　dead　lay　in　heaps；　and　throngs　of　wounded　streamed　to　the　rear。　Every　man　lay　down　and　sought　what　cover　he　could。　It　was　evident　that　the　Confederate　cannonade　was　but　a　prelude　to　a　great　infantry　attack；　and　at　three　o'clock　Hunt　ordered　the　fire　to　stop；　that　the　guns　might　cool；　to　be　ready　for　the　coming　assault。　The　Confederates　thought　that　they　had　silenced　the　hostile　artillery；　and　for　a　few　minutes　their　firing　continued；　then；　suddenly；　it　ceased；　and　there　was　a　lull。

The　men　on　the　Union　side　who　were　not　at　the　point　directly　menaced　peered　anxiously　across　the　space　between　the　lines　to　watch　the　next　move；　while　the　men　in　the　divisions　which　it　was　certain　were　about　to　be　assaulted；　lay　hugging　the　ground　and　gripping　their　muskets；　excited；　but　confident　and　resolute。　They　saw　the　smoke　clouds　rise　slowly　from　the　opposite　crest；　where　the　Confederate　army　lay；　and　the　sunlight　glinted　again　on　the　long　line　of　brass　and　iron　guns　which　had　been　hidden　from　view　during　the　cannonade。　In　another　moment；　out　of　the　lifting　smoke　there　appeared；　beautiful　and　terrible；　the　picked　thousands　of　the　Southern　army　coming　on　to　the　assault。　They　advanced　in　three　lines；　each　over　a　mile　long；　and　in　perfect　order。　Pickett's　Virginians　held　the　center；　with　on　their　left　the　North　Carolinians　of　Pender　and　Pettigrew；　and　on　their　right　the　Alabama　regiments　of　Wilcox；　and　there　were　also　Georgian　and　Tennessee　regiments　in　the　attacking　force。　Pickett's　division；　however；　was　the　only　one　able　to　press　its　charge　home。　After　leaving　the　woods　where　they　started；　the　Confederates　had　nearly　a　mile　and　a　half　to　go　in　their　charge。　As　the　Virginians　moved；　they　bent　slightly　to　the　left；　so　as　to　leave　a　gap　between　them　and　the　Alabamians　on　the　right。

The　Confederate　lines　came　on　magnificently。　As　they　crossed　the　Emmetsburg　Pike　the　eighty　guns　on　the　Union　crest；　now　cool　and　in　good　shape；　opened　upon　them；　first　with　shot　and　then　with　shell。　Great　gaps　were　made　every　second　in　the　ranks；　but　the　gray…clad　soldiers　closed　up　to　the　center；　and　the　color…bearers　leaped　to　the　front；　shaking　and　waving　the　flags。　The　Union　infantry　reserved　their　fire　until　the　Confederates　were　within　easy　range；　when　the　musketry　crashed　out　with　a　roar；　and　the　big　guns　began　to　fire　grape　and　canister。　On　came　the　Confederates；　the　men　falling　by　hundreds；　the　colors　fluttering　in　front　like　a　little　forest；　for　as　fast　as　a　color…bearer　was　shot　some　one　else　seized　the　flag　from　his　hand　before　it　fell。　The　North　Carolinians　were　more　exposed　to　the　fire　than　any　other　portion　of　the　attacking　force；　and　they　were　broken　before　they　reached　the　line。　There　was　a　gap　between　the　Virginians　and　the　Alabama　troops；　and　this　was　taken　advantage　of　by　Stannard's　Vermont　brigade　and　a　demi…brigade　under　Gates；　of　the　20th　New　York；　who　were　thrust　forward　into　it。　Stannard　changed　front　with　his　regiments　and　fell　on　Pickett's　forces　in　flank；　and　Gates　continued　the　attack。　When　thus　struck　in　the　flank；　the　Virginians　could　not　defend　themselves；　and　they　crowded　off　toward　the　center　to　avoid　the　pressure。　Many　of　them　were　killed　or　captured；　many　were　driven　back；　but　two　of　the　brigades；　headed　by　General　Armistead；　forced　their　way　forward　to　the　stone　wall　on　the　crest；　where　the　Pennsylvania　regiments　were　posted　under　Gibbon　and　Webb。

The　Union　guns　fired　to　the　last　moment；　until　of　the　two　batteries　immediately　in　front　of　the　charging　Virginians　every　officer　but　one　had　been　struck。　One　of　the　mortally　wounded　officers　was　young　Cushing；　a　brother　of　the　hero　of　the　Albemarle　fight。　He　was　almost　cut　in　two；　but　holding　his　body　together　with　one　hand；　with　the　other　he　fired　his　last　gun；　and　fell　dead；　just　as　Armistead；　pressing　forward　at　the　head　of　his　men；　leaped　the　wall；　waving　his　hat　on　his　sword。　Immediately　afterward　the　battle…flags　of　the　foremost　Confederate　regiments　crowned　the　crest；　but　their　strength　was　spent。　The　Union　troops　moved　forward　with　the　bayonet；　and　the　remnant　of　Pickett's　division；　attacked　on　all　sides；　either　surrendered　or　retreated　down　the　hill　again。　Armistead　fell；　dying；　by　the　body　of　the　dead　Cushing。　Both　Gibbon　and　Webb　were　wounded。　Of　Pickett's　command　two　thirds　were　killed；　wounded　or　captured；　and　every　brigade　commander　and　every　field　officer；　save　one；　fell。　The　Virginians　tried　to　rally；　but　were　broken　and　driven　again　by　Gates；　while　Stannard　repeated；　at　the　expense　of　the　Alabamians；　the　movement　he　had　made　against　the　Virginians；　and；　reversing　his　front；　attacked　them　in　flank。　Their　lines　were　torn　by　the　batteries　in　front；　and　they　fell　back　before　the　Vermonter's　attack；　and　Stannard　reaped　a　rich　harvest　of　prisoners　and　of　battle…flags。

The　charge　was　over。　It　was　the　greatest　charge　in　any　battle　of　modern　times；　and　it　had　failed。　It　would　be　impossible　to　surpass　the　gallantry　of　those　that　made　it；　or　the　gallantry　of　those　that　withstood　it。　Had　there　been　in　command　of　the　Union　army　a　general　like　Grant；　it　would　have　been　followed　by　a　counter…charge；　and　in　all　probability　the　war　would　have　been　shortened　by　nearly　two　years；　but　no　countercharge　was　made。

As　the　afternoon　waned；　a　fierce　cavalry　fight　took　place　on　the　Union　right。　Stuart；　the　famous　Confederate　cavalry　commander；　had　moved　forward　to　turn　the　Union　right；　but　he　was　met　by　Gregg's　cavalry；　and　there　followed　a　contest；　at　close　quarters；　with　〃the　white　arm。〃　It　closed　with　a　desperate　melee；　in　which　the　Confederates；　charged　under　Generals　Wade　Hampton　and　Fitz　Lee；　were　met　in　mid　career　by　the　Union　generals　Custer　and　McIntosh。　All　four　fought；　saber　in　hand；　at　the　head　of　their　troopers；　and　every　man　on　each　side　was　put　into　the　struggle。　Custer；　his　yellow　hair　flowing；　his　face　aflame　with　the　eager　joy　of　battle；　was　in　the　thick　of　the　fight；　rising　in　his　stirrups　as　he　called　to　his　famous　Michigan　swordsmen：　〃Come　on；　you　Wolverines；　come　on！〃　All　that　the　Union　infantry；　watching　eagerly　from　their　lines；　could　see；　was　a　vast　dust…cloud　where　flakes　of　light　shimmered　as　the　sun　shone　upon　the　swinging　sabers。　At　last　the　Confederate　horsemen　were　beaten　back；　and　they　did　not　come　forward　again　or　seek　to　renew　the　combat；　for　Pickett's　charge　had　failed；　and　there　was　no　longer　hope　of　Confederate　victory。

When　night　fell；　the　Union　flags　waved　in　triumph　on　the　field　of　Gettysburg；　but　over　thirty　thousand　men　lay　dead　or　wounded；　strewn　through　wood　and　meadow；　on　field　and　hill；　where　the　three　days'　fight　had　surged。



GENERAL　GRANT　AND　THE　VICKSBURG　CAMPAIGN

What　flag　is　this　you　carry　　Along　the　sea　and　shore？　The　same　our　grandsires　lifted　up　　The　same　our　fathers　bore。　In　many　a　battle's　tempest　　It　shed　the　crimson　rain　What　God　has　woven　in　his　loom　　Let　no　man　rend　in　twain。　To　Canaan；　to　Canaan；　　The　Lord　has　led　us　forth；　To　plant　upon　the　rebel　towers　　The　banners　of　the　North。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Holmes。


GENERAL　GRANT　AND　THE　VICKSBURG　CAMPAIGN

On　January　29；　1863；　General　Grant　took　command　of　the　army　intended　to　operate　against　Vicksburg；　the　last　place　held　by　the　rebels　on　the　Mississippi；　and　the　only　point　at　which　they　could　cross　the　river　and　keep　up　communication　with　their　armies　and　territory　in　the　southwest。　It　was　the　first　high　ground　below　Memphis；　was　very　strongly　fortified；　and　was　held　by　a　large　army　under　General　Pemberton。　The　complete　possession　of　the　Mississippi　was　absolutely　essential　to　the　National　Government；　because　the　control　of　that　grea