374

THE THIRD DAY AT GETTYSBURG .

the whole field. He was amused at thecriticism and said: “ I remembered mylessons at the time, and when the firebecame so scattered, wondered whatyou would think about it! ”

I now rode along the ridge to inspectthe batteries. The infantry were lyingdown on its reverse slope, near thecrest, in open ranks, waiting events.As I passed along, a bolt from a rifle-gun struck the ground just in front ofa man of the front rank, penetrated thesurface and passed under him, throw-ing him “over and over.” He fell behind the rear rank, apparently dead,and a ridge of earth where he had been lying reminded me of the backwoodspractice of “barking” squirrels. Our fire was deliberate, but on inspectingthe chests I found that the ammunition was running low, and hastened toGeneral Meade to advise its immediate cessation and preparation for theassault which would certainly follow. The headquarters building, immedi-ately behind the ridge, had been abandoned, and many of the horses of thestaff lay dead. Being told that the general had gone to the cemetery, I pro-ceeded thither. He was not there, and on telling General Howard my object,he concurred in its propriety, and I rode back along the ridge, ordering thefire to cease. This was followed by a cessation of that of the enemy, underthe mistaken impression that he had silenced our guns, and almost immedi-ately his infantry came out of the woods and formed for the assault. On myway to the Taneytown road to meet the fresh batteries which I had orderedup, I met Major Bingham, of Hancock’s staff, who informed me that GeneralMeade ’s aides were seeking me withorders to “cease firing”; so I had onlyanticipated his wishes. The batterieswere brought up, and Fitzliugh’s,

Weir’s, Wheeler’s, and Parsons’s wereput in near the clump of trees. Brown’sand Arnold’s batteries had been so crip-pled that they were now withdrawn,aiql Brown’s was replaced by Cowan’s.

Meantime the enemy advanced, andMcGilvery opened a destructive ob-lique fire, reenforced by that of Rit-tenhouse’s six rifle-guns from RoundTop, which were served with remarka-ble accuracy, enfilading Pickett’s lines.

The Confederate approach was mag-nificent, and excited our admiration;but the story of that charge is so well

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SLOCUM’S HEADQUARTERS, l’OWER’S UILfr

* MONUMENT OF THE 2D MASSACHUSETTS INFAN-TRY, FACING THE EAST BASE OF CULP’S IIILL.