THE STRUGGLE FOR “ROUND TOP."

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these quickly away, we soon came upon their first line of battle, runningalong the lower slopes of the hills known as Devil’s Den, to our left of Round-Top, and separated from the latter by Plum Run valley. The fighting soonbecame close and severe. Exposed to the artillery fire from the heights mfront and on our left, as well as to the musketry of the infantry, it requiredall the courage and steadiness of the veterans who composed the Army °1Northern Virginia — whose spirit was never higher than then — to face thestorm. Not one moment was lost. With rapidly thinning ranks the gray lin eswept on, until the blue line in front wavered, broke, and seemed to dissolvein the woods and rocks on the mountain-side. The advance continued steadily*the center of the division moving directly upon the guns on the hill adjoiningDevil’s Den on the north, from which we had been suffering so severely. I’ 1order to secure my right flank, I extended it well up on the side of RoundTop, and my brigade, in closing to the right, left a considerable intervabetween its left and the right of the Texas brigade of Robertson. Into thisinterval I threw Benning’s Georgia brigade, which had up to that time occu-pied the second line. At the same time seeing a heavy Federal force onRobertson’s left, and no Confederate troops having come up to extend ouiline in that direction, Anderson’s Georgia brigade, till then also in the secouline, was thrown out on that flank.

Thus disposed, the division continued to move forward, encountering, as 1ascended the heights around the battery on the spur and to the right and l eiof it, a most determined resistance from the Federal troops, who seemed t°be continually reenforced. The ground was rough and difficult, broken hyrocks and bowlders, which rendered an orderly advance impossible. Som e 'times the Federals would hold one side of the huge bowlders on the sloP euntil the Confederates occupied the other. In some cases my men, witreckless daring, mounted to the top of the large rocks in order to g e ^ abetter view and to deliver their fire with greater effect. One of these, S© 1geant Barbee of the Texas brigade, having reached a rook a little in advanceof the line, stood erect on the top of it, loading and firing as coolly aS _ 1unconscious of danger, while the air around him was fairly swarming wibullets. He soon fell helpless from several wounds; but he held his i’°° ’lying upon the top of it until the litter-bearers carried him off.

In less than an hour from the time we advanced to the attack, the hill h/Devil’s Den opposite our center was taken, with three pieces of the artill 61 ^that had occupied it. The remaining piece was run down tire opposite slop eby the gunners, and escaped capture.

I11 the meantime my brigade, on the right, had swept over the northei®slope of Round Top, cleared it of the enemy, and then, making a partlychange of front to the left, advanced upon Little Round Top, which layrear of the spur on which the battery had been taken. This change oftion soon exposed it to a flank attack 011 the right by fresh troops (Vincenbrigade), rendering it necessary to retire it to the general line.

While our center and right wing were engaged as I have described,son’s brigade, on the left, was subjected to groat annoyance and l° sS "