r~ 
 
 Longstreet's Charge 
 at Gettysburg, Pa. 
 
 Pickett f s, Pettigrew's and Trimbles' 
 Divisions. 
 
 Historical Mssay 
 
 By 
 
 James L Metts, 
 
 Ca.pt. Co. "G" 3dN. C. Infantry, 
 and Asst. Insp. Gen'l. Bryan Grimes' Staff. 
 
 MORNING STAR PRINT, 
 WILMINGTON, N. C. 
 
Longstreet's Charge 
 at Gettysburg, Pa. 
 
 Pickett's, Pettigrew's and Trimbles' 
 Divisions. 
 
 Historical Essay 
 
 By 
 
 James I. Metts, 
 
 Capt. Co. "G" ?dU. C. Infantry, 
 and Asst. Insp. Gen'l. Bryan Grimes' Staff. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2013 
 
 http://archive.org/details/fongstreetschargOOmett 
 
 
Longstreet's Charge 
 .... at Gettysburg .... 
 
 Pickett's, 
 Pettigrew's 
 
 and 
 Trimbles' 
 Divisions. 
 
 A certain set of historians, writers 
 and lecturers, who gathered their in- 
 formation from newspapers in Rich- 
 mend who had their correspondents 
 with the Virginia troops in the army 
 of Northern Virginia during the war — 
 and they so biased as to claim all the 
 glory for the Virginians to the detri- 
 ment of other troops engaged have 
 so persistently flirted with the truth 
 that those unacquainted with the facts 
 having read their fine descriptions and 
 heard their grand eloquence, accept 
 their statements of Longstreet's, 
 falsely called Fickett's charge, at Get- 
 tysburg en the third day, as the truth 
 of history. 
 
 Those who love truth rather than 
 fiction, I respectfully refer to the offi- 
 cial government diagram of the charge, 
 showing that the Confederate and 
 Federal lines of battle, the stone wall 
 or works of the Federals on Cemetery 
 Ridge, the Emmettsburg road, and the 
 different fences ever which Pettigrew 
 and Trimble's troops had to pass be- 
 fore reaching the works. 
 
 To the list of the different troops 
 
 l engaged, taken from war records. Pick- 
 ett's division, composed of Kemper's, 
 Garnet's and Armistead's brigades, 
 Gen. Kemper's brigade on the right, 
 composed of the following: The First, 
 
 . Third, Seventh, 11th and 24th Virginia 
 regiments. On their left was Garnett's 
 brigade, composed of the following: 
 The Eighth, 18th, 19th. 28th and 56th 
 Virginia regiments. Supporting Kem- 
 per and Garnett was Armistead's bri- 
 gade, viz: The 9th, 14th, 38th, 53rd 
 and 57th Virginia regiments. Gen. 
 Heth's division (Gen. Johnston Petti- 
 
 ^ grew, commanding) formed the left 
 
 "^ of the line, composed of Archer's, Pet- 
 
 tigrew's, Davis' and Brockenborough's 
 brigades. Archer's brigade, (Col. B. D. 
 Fry, after wound Col. J. G. Shepard, 
 commanding) joined the left of Gar- 
 nett's brigade, as follows: The 5th 
 and 13th Alabama regiments, and the 
 1st, 7th and 14th Tennessee regi- 
 ments. 
 
 On their left was Pettigrew's bri- 
 gade (Col. Marshall, commanding, af- 
 terward killed, then by Col. J. Jones), 
 viz: The 11th, 26th, 47th and 52nd 
 North Carolina regiments. On their 
 left came Gen. J. R. Davis' brigade 
 viz: The 2nd, 11th and 42nd regiments 
 of Mississippi, and the 55th North Car 
 olina regiment. On its left was Gen 
 Brockenbcrough's brigade (Col. Rob 
 ert Mayo, commanding), viz: The 40th 
 47th and 55th Virginia regiments and 
 the 22nd battalion. Supporting Gen 
 Pettigrew's line were Gen. Scales' and 
 Gen. Lane's brigades, (Maj. Gen. L 
 R. Trimble commanding), from Pen 
 der's division with Scales' brigade 
 (Col. L. S. J. Lowrance, commanding) 
 on the right, composed of the 13th 
 16th, 22nd, 38th and 34th North Caro 
 lina regiments. On its left was Gen 
 Lane's brigade, viz: The 7th, 18th 
 2Sth, and 33rd and 37th North Caro 
 lina regiments. 
 
 (See the War Records, series 1, vol 
 87, containing the reports of Maj. J 
 A. Englehard, Ass.-Adj. Gen. Heth's 
 division, (Gen. L. R. Trimble com- 
 manding), 556, 552, Col. S. G. Shepard 
 commanding Archer's brigade No. 550. 
 Maj. J. Jones, commanding Pettigrew's 
 brigade No. 553 Brig. Gen. Joseph R. 
 Davis, 558, Brig. Gen. James H. Lane, 
 No. 561 Col. W. L. J. Lowrance com- 
 manding, Scales' brigade.) 
 
 (Also Moore's History of North Car- 
 
olina, beginning at Page 200, with 
 Gen. Robert E. Lee's report, Brig. 
 Gen. Jas. H. Lane's letter, page 2u2. 
 Gen. L. R. Trimble's letter, page 203. 
 Jos. H. Sanders' letter, major 33rd 
 North Carolina infantry W. C. Mor- 
 ris, lieutenant colonel 37th North Car- 
 olina infantry. S. D. Lowe, colonel 
 commanding 28th North Carolina in- 
 fantry. E. F. Lovell's, captain 28th 
 North Carolina infantry. Thomas L. 
 Norwood's captain Company A, 37th 
 infantry. J. McLeod Turner, lieuten- 
 ant coloned Seventh North Carolina 
 infantry. Maj. J. G. Harriss and many 
 others.) 
 
 From all accounts it appears to have 
 been a very curious line of battle, as 
 Gen. Pickett's divisions started about 
 100 yards to the west of the Emmetts- 
 burg road sheltered by a ridge which 
 Southern troops had occupied the day 
 previous and about 1,000 yards from 
 the enemy's stone wall and works, 
 while Gen. Pettigrew's division, Trim- 
 bel's division supporting, started from 
 Seminary Ridge (near the artillery), 
 1,360 yards from the enemy's works. 
 The Emmettsburg road in front of 
 Fettigrew was occupied by Federal 
 troops, and about 100 yards from the 
 works or stone wall also occupied by 
 the .Federals. Thus compelling Petti- 
 grew's and Trimbel's men to advance 
 in the open field a much greater dis- 
 tance to drive the enemy from the Em- 
 mettsburg road and a fence on a line 
 with the low wall in Pickett's front 
 before reaching the stone wall on a 
 small steep slope, which was the 
 height of a man's chin, and 80 yards 
 farther than the wall, about three feet 
 high in Pickett's front, subjecting them 
 to the fearful artillery and infantry 
 fire of the enemy for at least 360 yards 
 further in open field than Pickett's. 
 
 They, however, accomplished this, 
 and some men of Archer's, Pettigrew's 
 Scales' and the left of Garnett's and 
 Armisteads brigades went over the 
 works in the angle where Armistead 
 was killed, while Davis, Lane's and 
 Pettigrew's, with Archer's and Petti- 
 grew's charged to the wall in their 
 front, driving the enemy from behind 
 it, and the cannonneers from their 
 guns, only falling back when flanked 
 by the enemy on both flanks. Brack- 
 enboroughs brigade having failed to 
 come up on the left, and Pickett's di- 
 vision to held their position on the 
 right. 
 
 Maj. J. A. Englehard, adjutant gen- 
 
 eral of Gen. Pender's division, says: 
 
 "The point at which the troops with 
 me struck the enemy's works project- 
 ed farthest to the front. I recollect 
 well, my horse having been shot, I 
 leaned my elbow upon one of the guns 
 of the enemy to rest, and watched with 
 painful anxiety the fight on Pickett's 
 right, for on their success meant the 
 tenableness of our position. Surround- 
 ing me were soldiers of Trimble's, of 
 Pettigrew's and of Pickett's division, 
 and it required all the resources at 
 my command to prevent their follow- 
 ing en masse the retreating enemy, 
 and seme did go so far that when we 
 were compelled to withdraw they were c 
 unable to reach our lines, the enemy 
 closing in from the right and left. We 
 remained in quiet and undisputed pos- 
 session of the enemy's work, the men, 
 flushed with victory, eager to press '"■ 
 forward." 
 
 Col. S. G. Shepard, of Seventh Ten- 
 nessee regiment, commanding Archer's 
 Brigade, says: 
 
 "First Tennessee on the right, on 
 its left the 13th Alabama, the 14th 
 r.nd 7th Tennessee and the Fifth Ala- 
 bama battalion. The space oi few 
 hundred yards between Archer's bri- 
 gade and Picket's division was filled 
 as we advanced and by the time we 
 had gone a little over half way, by 
 Pickett's bearing to the left. The 
 command was then passed down the 
 line by the officers, 'guide right'! The 
 enemy held their fire until we were 
 in fine range, and opened upon us a 
 terrible and well directed fire. With- 
 in ISO to 200 yards of his works, we 
 came to a lane enclosed by two stout 
 post and plank fences. This was a 
 very great obstruction, but the men 
 rushed over as fast as they could and 
 advanced directly upon the. enemy's 
 works, the first line of which was corn- 
 Dosed of rough stones. The enemy 
 abandoned this, but just in the rear -j* 
 was massed a heavy force. By the \ 
 time we had reached this work, our 
 lines all along, as far as I could see, 
 had become very much weakened; in- . 
 deed, the line, right and left as far as <J 
 I could observe, seemed to melt away 
 until there was but little left. Those 
 who remained at the works saw it was 
 a hopeless case and fell back. 
 
 "Archer's brigade remained at the 
 works fighting, as long as any other 
 troops either on the right or left, so 
 far as I could observe. 
 
 "Every flag of the brigade, excepting 
 
one, was captured at or within the 
 works of the enemy. The First Ten- 
 nessee had three color bearers shot 
 down, the last of whom was at the 
 works, and the flag captured. The 13th 
 Alabama lost three in the same way, 
 the last of whom was shot down at 
 the works. The 14th Tennessee had 
 four shot down, the last of whom 
 was at the works. The Seventh Ten- 
 nessee had three of her color bearers 
 killed, the last of whom was at the 
 enemy's works and the flag was only 
 saved by Capt. (A. D.) Norris tearing 
 it away from the staff and bringing it 
 away under his coat. The Fifth Alaba- 
 ma battalion also lost their flag at the 
 enemy's works. There were seven 
 field officers who went into the charge 
 of whoim only two came out. The rest 
 were all wounded and captured. The 
 loss in company officers and men was 
 also heavy. 
 
 Joseph H. Saunders, the major com- 
 manding 33rd North Carolina infantry, 
 says: 
 
 "I went, by subsequent measure, to 
 within about 60 yards of the stone wall 
 where I was wounded and remained 
 till the next day, when I was taken 
 from the field by the enemy. Just be- 
 fore I was shot, I distinctly remember 
 seeing a Yankee color bearer just in 
 front of the left of the regiment get 
 up and run away trailing his flag and 
 followed by his regiment; so that 
 there was nothing to keep our regi- 
 ment from going into the enemy s 
 ranks. I was shot by the troops on 
 the left, mentioned by Gen. Lane in 
 his report. At the time I was, by di- 
 rection of Col. Avery, acting as left 
 guide to the line of battle, directing 
 the line of march more to the right, 
 so as to strike the enemy's works in 
 a straight line. I see from the Vir- 
 ginian that Capt. Young states Lane 
 and Scales' brigades did not reach the 
 
 * point attained by Pettigrew's. As to 
 this point I can be perfectly positive 
 as we overtook the first line, and the 
 two lines then became one, and the 
 
 \ advance was continued. There can 
 be no mistake about this." 
 Gen. Joseph R. Davis says: 
 "For two hours the artillery fire was 
 heavy and incessant. It (the division) 
 was immediately in the rear of our 
 batteries and with no protection; we 
 suffered some losses. In Davis' bri- 
 gade two men were killed and 20 
 wounded. After the artillery ceased 
 
 the division moved forward, pressing 
 to the right on Pickett's division. Not 
 a shot was fired at us until we reach- 
 ed a strong post and rail fence about 
 three-fourths of a mile from the ene- 
 my's position, when we were met by a 
 heavy fire of grape, cannister and 
 shell, which told badly upon our ranks. 
 
 "Under this destructive fire, which 
 commanded our front and left with 
 fatal effect, the troops displayed great 
 coolness, were well in hand and moved 
 steadily forward, regularly closing up 
 the gaps made in their ranks. Our 
 advance across the field was inter- 
 rupted by other fences of a similar 
 character in crossing which the align- 
 ment became more or less deranged. 
 This was in each case promptly recti- 
 fied and though its ranks were grow- 
 ing thinner at every step, this division 
 'moved steadily on in line with other 
 troops on the right. 
 
 "When within musket range, we en- 
 countered a heavy fire of small arms, 
 from, which we suffered severely; but 
 this did not for a moment check the 
 advance. The right of the division, 
 owing to the conformation of the ridge 
 on which the enemy was posted, hav- 
 ing a shorter distance to pass over to 
 reach his first line of denfense, en- 
 countered him first in close conflict; 
 but the .whole division dashed up to 
 his first line of defense, a stone wall 
 behind which the opposing infantry 
 were strongly posted. Here we were 
 subjected to a most galling fire of 
 musketry and artillery, that so reduc- 
 ed the already thin ranks that further 
 effort to carry the position was hope- 
 less, and there was nothing left to do 
 but retire to the position originally 
 held, which was done in more or less 
 confusion. The coolness of officers 
 and men was worthy of high commen- 
 dation." 
 
 Major J. Jones, commanding Petti- 
 grew's brigade, says: 
 
 "About 2 o'clock on the third we 
 were ordered to advance. There was 
 an open field in front about three- 
 fourths of a mile wide. In starting off, 
 there was some confusion in the line, 
 owing to the fact that we had been 
 ordered to close in on the right on 
 Pickett's division and that command 
 gave way to the left. This was soon 
 corrected and the distance was made 
 in perfect order. When about half 
 across the intervening space, the ene- 
 my opened on us a most destructive 
 
fire of grape and cannister and when 
 within about 250 or 300 yards of the 
 stone wall behind which the enemy 
 was posted, we were met with a per- 
 fect shower of lead from their small 
 arms. The brigade dashed on and 
 many had reached the wall when we 
 were met by a volley from the left. 
 The whole line on the left had given 
 away, and we were being rapidly flank- 
 ed. With our thinned ranks and in 
 such a position it would have been 
 folly to stand against such odds. We, 
 Therefore, fell back to our original po- 
 sition. But one field officer was left 
 in the brigade. Regiments that went 
 in with colonels came out commanded 
 by lieutenants." 
 
 Gen. L. R. Trimble says: 
 
 ''When the charge commenced, about 
 3 P. M., I followed Pettigrew's 
 (Heth's) division, about 150 yards in 
 the rear, a sufficient distance to pre- 
 vent adverse fire raking both ranks as 
 we marched down the slope. Notwith- 
 standing the loses as we advanced, the 
 men marched with deliberation and ac- 
 curacy of men on drill. I observed the 
 same in Pettigrew's lines. When the 
 latter was within 150 yards of the Em- j 
 mettsburg road they seemed to sink I 
 into* the earth under the tempest of I 
 fire poured into them. We passed ; 
 over the remnant of their line, and j 
 immediately some one close by my left ! 
 sung out, 'Three cheers for the Old 
 North State,' when both brigades set j 
 up a hearty shout, en which I said to 
 any aid. 'Charley, I believe those fine | 
 fellows are going into the enemy's i 
 line'." 
 
 Lieut. Col. W. C. Morris says: 
 "Soon after we emerged from the 
 woods Davis' brigade, in front of us, j 
 became engaged with the enemy, but j 
 being exposed to a heavy flanking fire, 
 both of infantry and artillery, was 
 forced to fall back. We were then or- 
 dered to double quick. Soon Petti- 
 grew's and Archer's brigades became 
 engaged in front and on our right. 
 About the time Pettigrew's and Arch- 
 er's brigades became engaged 1 could 
 see our men on the extreme right fal- 
 ling back. Pettigrew's and Archer's 
 men reached the works a little in ad- 
 vance of us, and succeeded in driv- 
 ing the enemv from his works imme- 
 diatelv in their front, but were exposed 
 to a flanking fire both right and left. 
 Thev laid down, some in the road and 
 some on the crest of the hill near the 
 
 stone fence, and beckoned to us to 
 come on. Gen. Trimble then ordered 
 us to charge the enemy's works in our 
 front. The order was promptly obey- 
 ed and here Gen. Trimble was wound- 
 ed. About the time the right of our 
 brigade made this charge, Gen. Lane 
 changed direction to the left, which 
 caused the separation of the Seventh 
 regiment and all on the right of the 
 colors of the 37th in the brigade. We 
 drove the enemy in front of us from 
 his position in the road, then from be- 
 hind the stone fence and held his po- 
 sition for at least half an hour. Right 
 here, between the road "and the stone 
 fence (the enemy having disappeared 
 in our front) we became engaged with 
 a flanking party on our left and were 
 soon surrounded and captured. Six 
 soldiers on the right of my line were l 
 wounded in the enemy's works and 
 captured. Among the number was the 
 lamented Lieut. Battle, whose wound 
 proved fatal. Lieut. Horton was shot 
 through the left lung. I was lieuten- 
 ant colonel of the 37th regiment. Pet- 
 tigrew's and Archer's brigades remain- 
 ed longest on our right. Pickett's di- 
 vision did not go further than our 
 command." 
 
 Capt. E. F. Lovell says: 
 "I was captain of Company A, 28th 
 North Carolina infantry. Our regi- 
 ment captured a part of the enemy's 
 works ard held them a short time. 
 Some of my men were wounded and 
 captured inside the enemy's works." 
 Cant. W. R. Bond says: 
 "The Tennessee brigade suffered se- 
 verely, but the courage of its survivors 
 was unimpaired. There were three 
 Mississippi regiments in Davis' bri- 
 gade, which between them had 141 
 men killed on the field. Pickett's dead 
 numbered not quite 15 to the regiment. 
 The five North Carolina regiments of. 
 Pettigrew's division bore with forti- 
 tude a loss of 229 killed. Pickett's 
 15th Virginia regiments were fearful- 
 ly demoralized by. a loss of 224 killed. 
 Virginia and North Carolina had each , 
 about the same number of infantry in * 
 this batle. Virginia had 375 killed. 
 North Carolina 696. Less than 50 of 
 Pickett's men followed Armistead to 
 the abandoned eun. On July 5. as 
 Lieut. Col. Charles H. Morgan, chief 
 of Gen. Hancock's staff, and Capt. 
 Hazard rode over the field in front of 
 Smythe's brigade, Col. Morgan said to 
 | Hazard: 'They mav talk as thev please 
 ' about the hard fighting in front of 
 
Gibbon, but there are more dead men 
 here than anywhere in our front.' To 
 this conclusion Hazard assented. 
 
 "The stone wall ran from the left 
 and in front of Lane's, Davis' and Pet- 
 tigrew's North Carolina brigades and 
 ended where the right of the last nam- 
 ed rested at the close of the assault." 
 
 Col. L. J. Lowrance, 34th North Car- 
 olina infantry, commanding Scales' 
 brigade, says: 
 
 "I joined on the right of Gen. Lane's 
 brigade on the second line, under 
 Gen. Trimble's command, in the rear 
 , of Pogue's artillery. Here we remain- 
 ed at least an hour, under a most gal- 
 ling fire of artillery, which, I am proud 
 to say, the men endured with the cool- 
 cess and determined spirit of veterans, 
 I for such they are. Then we were or- 
 dered forward over a wide, hot and 
 already crimson field of slain. We ad- 
 vanced upon the enemy's line, which 
 was in full view, at a distance of one 
 mile. Now their whole line of artil- 
 lery was playing on us, which was on 
 an eminance in our front, strongly 
 fortified and supported by infantry. 
 While we were thus advancing many 
 fell, but I saw but few in that hazard- 
 ous hour who tried to shrink duty. All 
 went forward with a cool and steady 
 step, but ere we had advanced over 
 two-thirds of the way troops from the 
 front came tearing through our ranks, 
 which caused many of our men to 
 break; with the remaining we went 
 forward until the right of the brigade 
 touched the enemy's line of breast- 
 works, as we marched in rather an ob- 
 lique line. Now the pieces in our front 
 were all silenced. Here many were 
 shot down, being thus exposed to a 
 heavy fire of grape and musketry up- 
 on our right flank. 
 
 "Now all had apparently forsaken 
 us. The two brigades (now reduced 
 • f to mere squads not numbering in all 
 800 men) were the only lines to be 
 seen upon that vast field and no sup- 
 port in view. The brigade retreated." 
 V Col. S. D. Lowe, 28th North Carolina 
 infantry, says: 
 
 "We advanced about a mile, start- 
 ing just in rear of Pettigrew's left, 
 which brigade closing and dressing to 
 the. right, we to the left, in less than 
 half the distance uncovered us and 
 left our front line over 300 yards from 
 the enemy's works. I received a wound 
 •from a minnie ball and was carried 
 to the rear. They were old veterans — 
 
 true men, and of their own accord 
 would not walk up merely to throw 
 down their guns 'for the war.' I think 
 about one-third of our casualties were 
 killed, the remainder wounded. My 
 men never fought better than on that 
 field." 
 
 Lieut. Thomas L. Norwood, Compa- 
 ny A, 37th North Carolina regiment, 
 says: 
 
 "I was first lieutenant, Company A, 
 37th North Carolina troops, Lane's 
 brigade (Gen. Lane in command), 
 Pender's division (Gen. Trimble com- 
 manding). My command, i.e., my own 
 company, and, as far as I observed, 
 the whole regiment and brigade, ad- 
 vanced firmly and cheerfully to within 
 30 yards of the enemy's works, where 
 :he encountered a plank fence. Sever- 
 al officers, myself among the number, 
 sprang over the fence, followed by the 
 whole command, so far as I know. 
 The cannoneers then left their guns. 
 I rushed forward, thinking the day 
 o:rs, and when within 20 yards of the 
 enemy's works, was called by Lieut. 
 Mickle, who told me that our line had 
 aHen back. Just then he and I, and 
 Lieut. Rcyster (the only other man 
 that I remember seeing so near the 
 works) were shot down. I know not 
 by whose orders the retreat took place. 
 "Mickle and Royster were killed. I 
 was dragged over the breastworks by 
 a Federal sergeant, where I found sev- 
 eral prisoners from different com- 
 mands, but do not kno-w when or how 
 they got there, as I soon fainted." 
 
 Capt. D. M. Mclntyre, acting adju- 
 tant general of Scales' brigade, says: 
 
 "My brigade went into the enemy's 
 works." 
 
 H. L. Guerrant says: 
 
 "Scales' brigade entered the breast- 
 works and remained there until driven 
 out by the enemy's advancing their 
 flanks." thus fully sustaining Gen. 
 Trimble and Maj. Englehard. 
 
 Gen. James H. Lane says: 
 
 "My command never moved forward 
 more handsomely. The men reserved 
 their fire in accordance with orders, 
 until within godd range of the enemy, 
 and then opening with telling effect, 
 driving the cannoneers from their 
 pieces, completely silencing the guns 
 in our immediate front and breaking 
 the line of infantry on the crest of the 
 hill." 
 
Capt. B. F. Little, Company E, 52nd 
 North Carolina regimem, says: 
 
 "I was shot when about 50 feet from 
 the enemy's works, and the ground be- 
 tween the enemy's works and where I 
 lay was thickly strewn with killed and 
 wounded, some of them having fallen 
 immediately at the works. I do not 
 think a single one ever got back to the 
 rear, except tbose who were slightly 
 wounded before they got to the place 
 where I was wounded. And such was 
 the case with the companies on either 
 side of my company. When I was tak- 
 en prisoner and borne to the rear I 
 passed over their works and found 
 Some of my men killed and wounded 
 immediately in the works." 
 
 Col. Swallow says: 
 
 "Pettigrew's brigade, now united 
 with Archer's brigade, which had not 
 entered the fortifications, attacked the 
 enemy with a most desperate determi- 
 nation. While the writer lay wounded 
 with Gen. S my the of Hays' division, 
 at Gettysburg, that officer told him 
 that Pettigrew's brigade was within 
 30 feet of his line and fought with a 
 determination that he had never seen 
 equaled." (Gen. Hays' division occu- 
 pied the left half of the rock wall as- 
 saulted on Cemetery Heights). 
 
 "When Gen. Trimble fell he sent a 
 staff officer to tell Gen Lare he was 
 wounded., and added: 'Tell Lane that if 
 these North Carolinians that I had the 
 honor to lead can't take these works, 
 all hell could rot do it.' 
 
 "Just before Trimble took command 
 of these troops he was a stranger to 
 them and they to him. Their beloved 
 Pender had been carried off the field 
 the day before. 
 
 "Gen. Lane remained fighting for 
 some time after Pickett left the field. 
 It has been wondered why Pettigrew 
 lost so many more men than Pickett. 
 The answer is this: Every cannon had 
 been dismounted but one piece by the 
 concentrated fire of Alexander's guns 
 in Pickett's front, while in Pettigrew's 
 front were massed three batteries, six 
 guns each, 18 cannon in all. These 
 batteries played sad havoc in Petti- 
 grew's brigade. The grape, cannister 
 and shrapnel cut great gaps in their 
 line, but undismayed the men pressed 
 on, climbing two high post fences in 
 the charge to the stone wall. Gen 
 Pettigrew received a grape shot 
 through bis left hand, but did not leave 
 
 the field until the charge had failed. 
 He rode up to Gen. Lee and saluted. 
 Gen. Lee then went to him and asked, 
 him if he was hurt. 
 
 When Gen. Pettigrew's division was 
 selected, Gens. Longstreet and Lee 
 thought it had recuperated from the 
 first day's fight, but "tney were terri- 
 bly mistaken," says Col. Venable, of 
 Lee's staff. These troops were very 
 much cut up. 
 
 Just before the assault, Gen. Lee 
 rode past Scales' brigade and asked, 
 "What brigade is this^" 
 
 Gen. Trimble replied, "It is Scales' < 
 North Carolina." 
 
 Gen. Lee looked mournfully at the 
 column and said: "I miss many faces 
 here today.' / 
 
 Gen. Scales had been taken off the 
 field in the first day s fight, and every 
 regimental officer. 4s Lee started off 
 jhe added, "Tbese poor fellows ought 
 to go to the rear." 
 
 Many of them had their heads tied 
 up and their hands tied up as they 
 stood in line. Yet these brave fellows 
 went to the stone wall in the fight and 
 entered the works. 
 
 In the charge, Lieut. Col. Gordon, of 
 the 34th North Carolina, and the Brit- 
 ish army, but who had united his for- 
 tunes with those of the Confederacy 
 was severely wounded nefore reaching 
 the stone wail and borne from the 
 field. When the litter bearers reached 
 the brigade hospital, Gen. Scales anx- 
 iously inquired of Gordon, "How goes 
 the battle. What is the character of 
 the fighting." Gordon exclaimed. "The 
 charge at Balaklava is a damned hum- 
 bug, a damned humbug, sir." 
 
 "It is said there is a plank in posses- 
 sion of the Pennsylvania Historical So- 
 ciety, taken from the high post fene& 
 over which Scales' men charged. This 
 plank is 16 feet long, 14 inches wide 
 and contains 800 bullet holes. 
 
 Gen. Longs'.reet says: 
 
 "The signal guns were fired, and all 
 the batteries opened vu-y handsomely 
 and apparently with effective fire. The 
 guns on the bill at the enemy's left 
 (in Pickett's front) were silenced. 
 These at the Cemetery Hill combat- 
 ted us, however, very obstinately. 
 Many of them were driven* off, but 
 fresh ones were brougbi up to replace 
 them," these guns were in Pettigrew's 
 and Trimble's front. "Pickett's men 
 
were sheltered for son e distance, af- 
 ter the advance commenced, with the 
 batteries in their front silenced, while 
 Pettigrews and Trimble's division 
 caught -i fearxul fire almost from the 
 start." 
 
 Col. Frye, who led Archer's brigade 
 says: 
 
 "I heard Garnett give a command. 
 Seeing his gesture oil inquiry, I called 
 out, 'I am dressing on you.' A few sec- 
 onds later he fell dead. A moment lat- 
 er a shot through my ihigh prostrat- 
 ed me. The smoke soon became so 
 dense that I could see but little of 
 what was going on on the left (refer- 
 ring to a brigade which had just given 
 away.) All the regimental colors of 
 my command reached the line of the 
 j enemy's works, and many of my offi- 
 cers and men were killed while pas- 
 sing over it." 
 
 Casualties in Hetb's division. 
 
 Archer's brigade, Fifth and 13th 
 Alabama, also First. Seventh and 14th 
 Tennessee provisional army, killed 16, 
 wounded 144; total 36t 
 
 Pettigrew's brigade, nth, 26th, 47th, 
 and 52nd North Carolina, killed 190, 
 wounded 915; total 1,105. 
 
 Davis' brigade, 55th North Carolina, 
 Second, 11th a nd 4<nd Mississippi, 
 killed 190, wounded 717; total 907. 
 
 Brockenboroi gh's brigade, 22nd, 
 40th 47th, and 55th Virginia, killed 25, 
 wounded 123; total 148. 
 
 Aggregate in Heath's division, killed 
 411, wounded, 1,899; total 2,310. 
 
 Pender's division. Scales' brigade, 
 15th, 16th, 32nd, 34tb and 58th North 
 Carolina, Idled 102; wounded 323; to- 
 tal 425. 
 
 Lane's brigade. Seventh, 18th, 2Sth, 
 33rd and 57th Nort*i Carolina, killed 
 41; wounded 348; total 389. 
 
 McGowan's brigade, First South Car- 
 olina (Provisional ermy) First, 12th, 
 13th and 14th South Carolina Rifles, 
 killed 100; wounded 477; total 577. 
 % Thomas' brigade, 13th, 30th, 45th 
 and 49th Georgia, killed 16; wounded 
 136; total 152. 
 
 Aggregate of Pender's division, kill- 
 ed 259; wounded 1,383; total 1,542. 
 
 Pickett's division, Kemper's brigade, 
 First, Third, nth and 24th Virginia, 
 killed 58;, wounded 356; total 414. 
 
 Armistead's brigade, Ninth, 14th. 
 38th, 53rd and 57th Virginia, killed 88; 
 wounded 469; total 5«i. 
 
 Garnett's brigade, Eighth, 18th, 
 19th, 28th and 56th Virginia, killed 78; 
 wounded 324; total 402. 
 
 Aggregate Pickett's division, killed 
 224; wounded 1,140; total 1,364. 
 
 Hood's division, J aw's brigade, 
 Fourth, 15th, 44th, 471 h and 48th Ala- 
 bama, killed 74; wounded 276; total 
 350. 
 
 Anderson's brigade Seventh, Ninth, 
 11th, Eighth and 59tb Georgia, killed 
 105, wounded 512; total 617. 
 
 Robertson's brigade, Third Arkan- 
 sas, First Fourth and Fifth Texas, 
 killed 84; wounded 393; total 477. 
 
 Aggregate in Hoou's division, killed 
 263; wounded 1.191; total 1,444. 
 
 Losses by brigades, Pettigrew's, 
 Health's division, 1,'.0E; Davis', 897; 
 Armistead's, Pickett's division, 548; 
 Anderson's, Huods division, 617; Mc- 
 Gowan's, Pender's division, 577. 
 
 Casualties Longstreets charge at 
 Gettysburg. Recapitulation: 
 
 Hood's division, three brigades, total 
 killed and wounded 1,444. 
 
 Heth's division, four brigades, Pet- 
 tigrew's 1,105; Archer's 160; Davis' 
 907; Brockenbrough's 148; total 2,320. 
 
 Penders division, four brigades, Mc- 
 Gowan's 577; Thomas' 152; Scales' 
 425; Lane's 389; total 1,543. 
 
 Pickett's division, three brigades, 
 Garnett's 402; Armistead's 546; Kem- 
 per's 414; total 1,364. 
 
 Hood's division, three brigades, 
 Law's 350; Anderson's 617; Robert- 
 son's 477; total 1,444. 
 
 Pickett's loso in killed and wounded 
 was less than any other division en- 
 gaged, and only 369 more than Petti- 
 grew's brigade, while Heth's division, 
 Gen. Pettigrew commanding, was 946 
 greater than Pickett'--. 
 
 Louis C. Young, aide-de-camp to 
 Gen. Johnston Pettigie-v, says: 
 
 "When we emerged from the woods 
 into the plains the absence of the two 
 left brigades wore discovered, and Gen. 
 Pettigrew instructed me to go for 
 them with all speed, but I had scarce- 
 ly turned to do so wh".n out came Da- 
 vis with a rush, out not Brocken- 
 brough's Virginia brigade, and I asked 
 Gen. Pettigrew if I should go for it. 
 He replied 'No.' that it might follow, 
 and if it failed to do so it would not 
 matter. This was a small brigade that 
 had suffered from frequent change or 
 commanders, and had been so badly 
 handled that it was in a chaotic state 
 of demoralization, and was not to be 
 
10 
 
 relied upon; it was virtually of no val- 
 ue in a fight. Afterward it advanced to 
 the protection of some rifle pits in 
 front of Seminary Ridge, but it took 
 no part in the charge." 
 
 From the evidence produced here of 
 soldiers — aye, heroes — from Tennes- 
 see, Mississippi, Alabama and North 
 Carolina, who net only participated in, 
 but advanced co the front as far, some 
 farther, than any nf Pickett's, Gen. 
 Longstreet must either have been ex- 
 tremely biased or in total ignorance 
 of the part taken and the heroic fight- 
 ing by the troops from these States, 
 as his report to Gen. Lee in the war 
 records is very misleading. He extols 
 Pickett and condemns Pettigrew and 
 Trimble's division. Years afterward 
 in his memoirs something came over 
 the spirit of his dream, for his official 
 report must have been a dream of his 
 or his favorite, Gen. Pickett, which 
 caused him to come nearer the facts, 
 though he still evince! very great par- 
 tiality for Pickett. He says after Gen. 
 Pickett received his affirmative bow 
 as an order for him to advance his di- 
 vision, Gen. Pickett accepted the duty 
 with seeming confidence of success, 
 leaped en his horse and rode gayly to 
 his command. Gen. Pickett, a grace- 
 ful horseman, rat lightly in the saddle, 
 his brown locks flowing over his shoul- 
 ders. A'.so, that Gen. Pickett, finding 
 the battle broken, vhile the enemy 
 was still re-enforcing, called the troops 
 off. 
 
 New as to the facts: Capt. Lewis G. 
 Young, of Charleston S. C, at the time 
 aide-de-camp on Gen. J. J. Pettigrew's 
 staff, says that Gen. Pickett did not 
 lead his men. Capt. Wm. H. Bond, of 
 Scotland Neck, N. C, in his histori- 
 cal essay, "Pickett or Pettigrew," says 
 repeating Gen. Humphreys' invitation 
 to his staff, itc: "Gentlemen, I shall 
 lead this charge. I presume, of course, 
 you will want to ride with me." Now 
 compare that to Pickett, who' was not 
 within a mile of his column when they 
 charged at Gettysburg; Pettigrew and 
 Armistead led Pickett's division there. 
 
 Neither Pickett nov any member of 
 his staff, nor even one of his horses, 
 was touched. Why Because, dis- 
 counted, and on the farther side of a 
 hill that protected them from the ene- 
 my's fire. 
 
 Pettigrew led his division. Petti- 
 grew was wounded by a grape shot 
 shattering his hand, and no member 
 of his staff came out cf the fight with- 
 
 out being wounded or having his horse 
 shot under him. G-m. Trimble, com- 
 manding his division, was severely 
 wounded. Here is further corrobora- 
 tive evidence from one of Gen. Lee's 
 staff, a Virginian, Co.. Charles S. Ven- 
 able, Charlottesville, Va. : 
 
 Wilmington, N. C, March 21. 1899. 
 
 Dear Sir — A few days ago Dr. Isaac 
 Manning suggested that you would 
 probably give me your account of 
 Longstreet's commonly but erroneous- 
 ly called Pickett's charge at Gettys- 
 burg. I am collecting data to counter- 
 act the falsehoods in regard to that £ 
 charge, and Dr. Manning thinks your 
 description will be of material assist- 
 ance. I think he said that Pickett did 
 not lead his men. Respectfully, . 
 
 JAMES I. METTS. C/ 
 
 To Col. Charles S. Venable, Charlottes- 
 ville, Va. 
 Charlottesville, Va., March 22, 1899. 
 
 Dear Sir- — Your letter received. My 
 health is not equal L o the recapitulat- 
 ing and recalling of the events of the 
 war; I will say all honor can be given 
 to Pickett's brigade, although the gen- 
 eral was not with it. Pickett's and 
 Pettigrew's brigade met simultaneous- 
 ly at the brow of the hill at Gettys- 
 burg. Pettigrew was well to the front, 
 leading his men. Respectfully, 
 
 CHAS. S. VENABLE, 
 
 per M. 
 
 Pickett remained behind. 
 
 "The Civil War," by Frank Moore, 
 contains a description of the battlefield 
 of Gettysburg, etc., by G. J. Cross, who, 
 after describing Longstreet's assault, 
 says: 
 
 "In the bloody ruck hundreds of 
 their best officers went down. It was 
 the turning point of the grand drama, 
 and with the sun, on the 3rd day of ^ 
 July, went down the sun of the 'Con- 
 federacy' forever. Although known as 
 Pickett's charge, Gen. Graham, whom 
 I met yesterday, informs me that , 
 Pickett himself was not in it. He *• 
 describes him as a coarse, brutal fel- 
 low, and says he treated him with 
 the greatest inhumanity after the bat- 
 tle, whilst wounded and a prisoner in 
 his hands. 
 
 John M. Vanderslice says: 
 
 "As Pickett's division neared the 
 wall it was joined on its left by Frye's 
 Tennessee brigade of Pettigrew's line, 
 and at the same time Lowrance's 
 
11 
 
 North Carolina brigade rushed from 
 the rear and joined Frye's and Gar- 
 nett's at the angle of the wall. The 
 two guns of Cushing's battery at the 
 wall were silenced, and the left of the 
 71st Pennsylvania was withdrawn to x 
 line with the right, at the all to the 
 lear. Through this gap the Confsd- 
 erates crossed the wall. Garnett had 
 teen killed and Kemper wounded. The 
 ether guns cf Cushing's Battery A, 4th 
 United States, were posted near ciie 
 clump of trees near by. Arm: stead, 
 putting his hat on his sword dashed 
 iorward towards the battery, followed 
 % 1 y a portion of his command, and fell 
 (~ead by the side of Cushing, near the 
 'copse" of woods, which was the ex- 
 treme po'nt reached by the Confed- 
 erates in this charge. 
 
 f "Farther to the right, Marshall's 
 brigade, 11th, 2Gth, 47th and 52nd 
 Ncrth Carolina. Davis' 2nd, 11th and 
 -12nd Mississippi, and 55th North Caro- 
 lina, and Lane's 7th, ISth, 28th, 33rd 
 and 37th North Carolina, were fight- 
 ing with Smyth's brigade of Hays' di- 
 vision of the Second Corps, 12th New 
 Jersey, 1st Delaware. 14th Connecti- 
 cut, and lOSth New York Infantry and 
 Sherrill's (formerly Willard's) 39th, 
 111th, 125th and 126th New York In- 
 fantry. The two little brigades of 
 Kays' division poured fearful volleys 
 into the brave foe, which compelled 
 some of them to crowd to their right 
 upon Pickett, while others fled or sur- 
 rendered. Woodruff's battery in the 
 grove to the right, moved forward and 
 swept the enemy with canister. The 
 8th Ohio, on the skirmish line to the 
 right, changed front forward on lef: 
 company, and opened fire upon the 
 flank. 
 
 "The left of the charging column, 
 under Pettigrew and Trimble, suffer- 
 ed as severely as the right, under 
 
 j> Pickett. 
 
 "Great injustice has been done these 
 troops by the prevailing erroneous 
 impression that they failed to ad j 
 
 4. vance with those of Pickett. Such is 
 not the fact. As they were formed 
 behind Seminary Ridge, they had 
 over 1,000 yards to march under the 
 terrible fire to which they were ex- 
 posed, while Pickett's division, being 
 formed under cover of the interme- 
 diate ridge had but 900 yards to march 
 under fire. At the first the assaulting 
 columns advanced en echelon, but 
 when they reached the Emittsburg 
 
 road they were on a line. The left 
 of Pettigrew's command becoming 
 first exposed to the fearful enfilading 
 fire upon their left flank from the 8v.h 
 Ohio and other regiments of Kays' di- 
 vision, and of Woodruff's battery and 
 ether troops, the men on that portion 
 cf the line (Brockenbrough's brigade) 
 either broke to the rear or threw 
 themselves on the ground for protec- 
 tion. But Pettigrew's other brigades, 
 Frye's, Davis' and Marshall's, with 
 the brigades of Lowrance and Lane, 
 under Trimble, advanced with Pickett 
 up to the stone wall, and there fought 
 desperately. This is substantiated by 
 the fact that the colors of the 1st and 
 14th Tennessee and 13th and 5th Ala- 
 bama were captured at the angle of 
 the wall, and eleven others were 
 picked up between the Enimittsburg 
 road and the stone wall, in front of 
 Hays' division. Pettigrew and Trimble, 
 with three of their brigade comman- 
 ders, Frye, Marshall and Lowrance, 
 were wounded. Davis' brigade lost all 
 its field officers, Marshall's all but 
 one, and Frye's five out of seven. 
 
 "But why call this Pickett's charge? 
 In this assault there were engaged 
 12 Confederate regiments. In Pick- 
 ett's division there were 15 Virginia 
 regiments. In Pettigrew's and Trim- 
 ble's there were 15 North Carolina; 3 
 Mississippi; 3 Tennessee; 2 Alabama, 
 and 4 Virginia, the latter being Brock- 
 enbrough's brigade. In addition to 
 the artillery fire, they encountered y 
 regiments of New York; 5 of Pennsyl- 
 vania; 3 of Massachusetts; 3 of Ver- 
 mont; 1 of Michigan; 1 of Maine; 1 
 of Minnesota; 1 of New Jersey; 1 of 
 Connecticut; 1 of Ohio; 1 of Delaware, 
 27 in all. 
 
 'The troops of Trimble's and Pet- 
 tigrew's divisions behaved as ganantly 
 as those of Picfcett. Some prominent 
 writers, even historians like Swinton 
 and Lossing, have said that the left 
 of the line did not advance as was 
 expected, and that it was because tbe 
 troops were not of the same 'fine qual- 
 ity' as those upon the right; that they 
 were 'raw, undisciplined,' etc. Yec 
 but two days before these same sol- 
 diers of Pettigrew and Trimble had 
 fought around Reynold's Grove for s'x 
 [hours, in a single struggle with the 
 First Corps that is unsurpassed for 
 I bravery and endurance, and where so 
 jmany of their number had fallen 
 There were, in fact, no better troops 
 
12 
 
 in the Confederate army than they. 
 Is history repeating itself? If the 
 event is correctly recorded, there were 
 at Thermopylae 300 Spartans, 700 
 Thespians, and 300 Thebans. It is 
 sa'd the latter went over to the enemy, 
 but the Thespians died, to a man, "at 
 the pass' with the Spartans. Yet for 
 twenty-three centuries epic song and 
 story have well preserved the memory 
 of the Spartans, while the devoted 
 Thespians are forgotten. 
 
 All honor to the Spartan Virginians 
 who, with well-dressed ranks and in 
 splendid array, moved so gallantly, so 
 steadily, so dauntlessly across that 
 death-wept field, but honor, too, ihe 
 Thespian North Carolinians and other 
 troops who, too, marched and fought 
 there that day. The valor of the one 
 will not be dimmed by according jus- 
 tice to the other. 
 
 "The rebel corps commanders either 
 did not expose themselves as freely 
 as our own, or they had better luoK', 
 for they had none hit, while we lost 
 one, Gen. Reynolds, killed; and two, 
 Hancock and Sickles, wounded. The 
 story told in 'Blackwood ' by Col. 
 Freemantle, of the British army, who 
 was present, may help to explain it. 
 He says: 'That carried away by the 
 excitement, he rushed up to Long- 
 street, who was sitting on a fence, 
 quietly whittling a stick, whilst watch- 
 ing the charge, and said: 'Gen. Long- 
 street, isn't th's splendid; I wouldn't 
 have missed it for the world.' 'The 
 devil you wouldn't,' replied Long- 
 street; 'why, don't you see we are 
 getting licked like hell!' " 
 
 Samuel G. Wilkinson, of the North, 
 says: 
 
 "So terrible was our musketry and 
 artillery fire, that when Armistead's 
 brigade was checked in its charge, 
 and stood reeling, all of its men drop- 
 ped their muskets and crawled on their 
 
 hands and knees underneath the 
 stream of shot, till close to our troops, 
 where they made signs of surrender- 
 ing. They passed through our ranks 
 scarcely noticed, and slowly went 
 down the slope to the road in rear. Be- 
 fore they got there the grand charge 
 of Ewell, solemnly sworn to and care- 
 fully prepared, had failed." 
 
 Equally or more terrible was that 
 sheet of shot and shell which passed 
 over these magnificent soldiers of Pet- 
 tigrew's and Trimble's division (for 
 the artillery on their flank had not 
 been silenced) and yet they did not 
 "drop their muskets and crawl to the 
 enemy to surrender" — but like true 
 men, took their chances, and returned 
 to their friends that they might fight 
 another day — for their homes and 
 country." 
 
 All honor to the true soldiers cf 
 Pickett's, Pettigrew's and Trimble's 
 divisions, who faced that avalanche of 
 shot and shell from the enemy's guns 
 on Cemetery Hill and succeeded — or 
 fell wounded or dead in the charge — 
 in reaching and driving the enemy 
 from his wor'/s and guns, and retreat- 
 ed when flanked, taking the chance cf 
 being shot, rather than spend the re- 
 mainder of the war in Northern pris- 
 ons. All honor to Hoke's North Caro- 
 lina, and Hay's Louisiana brigades, 
 who captured and held for some time 
 the works in their front at Gettys- 
 burg. And the same to Stewart's 
 (George H.) of Johnston's division, 
 who captured the first line of works 
 on Gulp's Hill and held it all night and 
 next day, till ordered out. These 
 troops advanced in the open as far 
 and under as heavy fire as any of 
 Longstreet's. All we wish is the truth 
 of history. JAMES I. METTS, 
 
 Captain Company G, Third North Car- 
 olina Infantry- 
 Wilmington, N. C. 
 
Thirtieth North Carolina. 
 
 True Account of its Gallant Action at Chancellors- 
 
 ville Testimony of Colonel Parker and 
 
 General Rhodes. 
 
 (Reprinted From Wilmington, N. C. Messenger.) 
 
 Referring to the statement in the 
 1 Richmond (Va.) papers of December 
 7th that the Thirtith North Carolina 
 regiment, Colonel F. M. Parker, fought 
 side by side with the Stonewall 
 brigade at Chancellorsville, is doubt- 
 less a mistake. The Thirtieth North 
 Carolina regiment alone, and through 
 Colonel Parker's good generalship, 
 dash, and fighting qualities of himself 
 and his brave men, flanked the Yanke- 
 es and saved the day. General Rodes 
 was evidently misinformed about the 
 Stonewall brigade's charging with the 
 Thirtieth North Carolina regiment. As 
 evidence, in his report he says that 
 the troops in the front line refused to 
 charge, and later that none of the 
 troops in Ramseur's rear would move 
 up. I enclose extracts from the war 
 record reports and a letter from Colo- 
 nel F. M. Parker, now brigadier gen- 
 eral, Third Brigade, U. C. V., North 
 Carolina division, which corrects the 
 error. Respectfully, 
 
 JAMES I. METTS, 
 Enfield, N. C, January 15 1899. 
 My dear Captain Metts: 
 
 Referring to your kind leter of Jan- 
 uary 12th, I will say that I have al- 
 ways thought that Rhodes' was min- 
 informed as to the movements of his 
 % division in the Chancellorsville fight. 
 As you know, Ramseur detached me 
 early in the morning of the 3rd of 
 May (Sunday) to support Major Pe- 
 gram's battery, with discretionary 
 orders to remain with the battery as 
 long as I thought it necessary, then 
 to rejoin him or fight upon my own 
 responsibility. After leaving the bat- 
 tery I attempted to rejoin Ramseur, 
 directed by what I took to be his fir- 
 
 ing, on my route, I came upon a con- 
 siderable body of troops, lying in an 
 irregular way, observing no align- 
 ment, I asked what troops they were 
 was told that they were Jones' Vir- 
 ginia brigade. I asked for General 
 Jones, and was told that he was not 
 on the field. I then asked why they 
 did not go farward, and told them that 
 every man wai needed at the front. 
 The answer was, they had no orders 
 to advance. I then invited them to 
 join me; that I intended to charge a 
 line of breastworks, which I discover- 
 ed on my right, and occupied by the 
 enemy. Net a man joined me. There 
 was more tnan one brigade of these 
 troops. My men moved over them. 
 We attacked the works, drove the 
 enemy from them. After resting long 
 enough to get my men in good trim, 
 I charged a column of yankees, which 
 was moving to> attack our troops on 
 their flank. I drove them back, cap- 
 turing a good many prisoners. I then 
 moved in the dirceion of the Chancel- 
 lors house. Being so far in advance 
 of any of our troops, Stewart, tak- 
 ing me for a yankeet regiment, opened 
 two. pieces of artillery on me, and I 
 was saved only by the act of one of 
 his aids, Captain Randolph, who ran 
 his horse down the plank road near 
 enough to me to satisfy himself, and 
 so reported to his chief. If the Stone- 
 wall brigade joined me any time dur- 
 ing that dioy, I never knew it. I so 
 wrote General Cox, as soon as his 
 piece on Ramseur was published. Cox 
 wrote me that he forwarded my letter 
 to the publishers of the Southern 
 Historical papers. Referring to re- 
 collections of Ramseur's order to kick 
 the fellows as they passed over them, 
 
14 
 
 General Grimes told me thrit he him-; 
 self stamped them en the back with 
 all his might as he walked over them. 
 Thanking you for your kind interest, 
 1 am, Captain, 
 
 " Very truly and fraternally yours, 
 
 F. M. PARKER. 
 
 War Record Reports. 
 
 Major General R. E. Rodes, in his 
 report of the battle of Chancellors- 
 ville, says: Ramseur, after vainly : 
 urging the troops in possession cf the 
 iirst line of intrenchments to move 
 forward, obtained premission to pass 
 ihem, and, dashing over the works, 
 charged the second intrenched line in 
 the most brilliant style. The strug- 
 gle at this point was long and ob- 
 stinate, but the charge on the left 
 of the plank road at this time caused 
 the enemy to give way on his left, and 
 this, combined wiih the unflinching 
 determination of his men, carried the 
 day and gave him possession of the 
 works. Not being supported, he was 
 exposed still to a galling fire from 
 the right, with great danger of being 
 flanked. Notwithstanding repeated 
 efforts made by him, and by myself 
 in person, none of the troops in his 
 rear would move up until the old 
 Stonewall brigade arrived on the 
 ground and gallantly advanced in con- 
 junction with the Thirtieth North 
 Carolina regiment. Colonel F. M. Par- 
 ker, of Ramseur's brigade, which had 
 been detached to support a battery 
 and was new on its return. In men- 
 tioning those who distinguished them- 
 selves for gallant and meritorious 
 conduct in this battle, he names 
 among the officers Colonel F. M. Par- 
 ker. 
 
 Brigadier General S. D. Ramseur, in 
 his report of the Chancellorsville cam- 
 paign May 23, 1863, says: Saturday 
 night our division occupied the fast 
 lina of batle within the intrenchments 
 from which the routed corps of Siegel 
 had fled in terror. My brigade was 
 placed perpendicular to the plank road 
 the left resting on the road, General 
 Doles on my left. I placed Colonel F. 
 M. Parker. Thirtieth North Carolina, 
 on the right of my brigade; Colonel 
 R. T. Bennett, Fourteenth North Caro- 
 oiina, on the right cenre; Colonel W. 
 R. Cox, Senccnd North Carolina, left 
 cenre. and Colonel 75ryan Grimes, 
 Fourth North Carolina, on the left. 
 Sunday, May 3rd, the division, being in 
 
 the third line of battle, advanced 
 about 9 o'clock to che support of the 
 second line. After proceeding about 
 one-fourth of a mile, I was applied to 
 by Major W. J. Peg r am for a sup- 
 port to his battery, when I detached 
 Colonel Parker, Thirtieth North Caro- 
 lina, for this purpose with orders to 
 advance obliquely to his front and 
 felt, and rejon me after his support 
 should he be no longer needed, or to 
 fight his regiment as circumstances 
 might require. I continued to advance 
 to the first line of breastworks, from 
 which the enemj had been driven the 
 day before, and behind which I found ^ 
 a portion of Paxon's (Stonewall) 
 brigade and (J. R.) Jones brigade, of 
 Trumbie's division. Knowing that a 
 general advance had been forward. 
 Not a man moved. I then reported $ 
 this state of things to Major General 
 Stuart, who directed me to assume 
 command of these troops and compel 
 tbem to advance. This I essayed to 
 do, after fruitless efforts, ascertained 
 that General Jones was not on the 
 field, and that Colonel (Y. A.) Gar- 
 rett had oeen killed. I reported again 
 to General Stuart, who was near, and 
 requested permssion to run over the 
 troops in my front, which was cheer- 
 fully granted. At the command, 
 "Forward." my brigade, with a shout, 
 cleared the breastworks and charged 
 the en em: . The Fourth North Caro- 
 lina (Colonel Grimes) and seven com- 
 panies of the Second North Carolina 
 (Colonel Cox' drove the enemy be- 
 fore them until they had taken the 
 last line of his works, which they 
 held under a severe, direct and en- 
 filading fire repulsing several assaults 
 on this portion of our front. The 
 Fourteenth North Carolina (Colonel 
 Bennett) and the three companies of 
 the Second were compelled to halt 
 some one hundred and fiftv or two 
 hundred yards in rear of the troops < 
 iu st mentioned, for the reason that 
 the troops on my right had failed to 
 come up and the enemy was in heavy 
 force on mv right flank. Had Cornel ^ 
 Bennett advanced the enemy could 
 have turned my right to a horrible 
 enfilading Are, by which I lost severe- 
 ly. I saw the danger threatening my 
 rieht, and sent several times to Jones' 
 brigade to come to my assistance, and 
 I also went back twice mvself, and 
 exhorted and ordered it (officers and 
 men) to fill up the gap (some five or 
 six hundred yards) on my right, hut 
 
15 
 
 all in vain. I then reported to Gen- 
 eral Rhodes that unless support was 
 sent to drive the enemy from my right 
 1 would have to fall back. 
 
 In the meantime, Colonel Parker, of 
 the Thirtieth North Carolina, ap- 
 proaching my position from the bat- 
 tery on the right, suddenly fell upon 
 the flank and handsomely repulsed a 
 heavy column of the enemy who were 
 moving to get in my rear flank, some 
 ?00 or 400 of them surrendering to 
 him as prisoners of war. The enemy 
 still held strong position in the ravine 
 on my right, so that the Fourteenth 
 
 * North Carolina and the three compa- 
 nies of the Second North Carolina 
 could not advance. The enemy discov- 
 ered this situation of affairs and push- 
 
 ^ ed a brigade to the right and rear of 
 Colonel Grimes, and seven companies 
 of Colonel Cox's (Second North Caro- 
 lina) with the intention of capturng 
 their commands. This advance was 
 made under a terrific fire of musketry 
 and artillery. The move necessitated 
 a retrograde movement on the part of 
 
 Colonels Grimes and Cox, which was 
 executed in order, but with the loss of 
 some prisoners, who did not hear the 
 command to retire. Colonel Bennett 
 held his position until ordered to fall 
 back, and in common with the others, 
 to replenish his empty cartridge 
 boxes. The enemy did not halt at this 
 position, but retired to his battery, 
 from which he was quickly driven, 
 Colonel Parker, of the Thirtieth North 
 Carolina sweeping up over it with the 
 troops on my right. 
 
 I cannot close without mentioning 
 the conspicuous and gallantry and 
 efficiency of my regimental command- 
 ers, Colonel Parker, of the Thirtieth 
 North Carolina, who was detached 
 during the fight of Sunday, to support 
 a battery, and having accomplished 
 that object moved forward on his own 
 responsibility, and grealty contributed 
 to wrest the enemy's stronghold at 
 Chancellorsville from their grasp, as 
 well as prevent their threatened de- 
 monstrations upon the right of my 
 brigade. 
 
Last Shot at Appomattox 
 
 Georgia Troops Laying Claim to the Glory that Be- 
 long to North Carolina Troops Testimony that 
 
 Settles the Question as to Who Fired the Last Gun 
 in the Army of Northern Virginia. 
 
 (Reprinted From Wilmington, N. C, Messenger.) 
 
 Wilmington, N. C, Feb. 2 1899. 
 Messrs. Editor: — The November 
 1898 number of the Confederate Vet- 
 eran, page 524, contains an article by 
 Capt. Wm. Kaigler of Dawson, Ga., 
 and a letter by General C. A. Evans, 
 claiming that General Evans' brigade 
 gained the last victory, and that Capt. 
 Kaigler's picked corps of sharpshoot- 
 ers fired the last shot, burned the last 
 grain of powder, and directed the last 
 confederate bullet from the great old 
 army of General Lee. Being at the 
 time on Major General Bryan Grimes' 
 staff, though not in that charge my- 
 self, I heard many perfectly reliable 
 soldiers then and s'nce, state that 
 General W. R. Cox's biigade of Grimes 
 division, fired the last volley of the 
 army of Northern Virginia at Ap- 
 pomattox C. H., and have never heard 
 it contradicted until this article in 
 the Veteran. If I mistake not, Gen- 
 eral Jno. B. Gorden, in his famous 
 lecture of the war made the same 
 statement and, further that General 
 Sheridan, on hearing this firing of 
 Cox's brigade, asked him what it 
 meant, and threatened to renew hos- 
 tilities. I herewith hand you an ex- 
 tract from Col. W. A. Brown's "His- 
 tory of the First North Carolina In- 
 fantry," a statement from W. R. Ke- 
 nan, adjutant of Forty-third N. C. in- 
 fantry, and General W. R. Cox's nar- 
 rative of the battle on the 9th, of 
 April, 1865. Much more corroborative 
 evidence of the above can be furn- 
 ished. 
 
 Respect: fully, 
 
 JAMES I. METTS. 
 Late Capt, and A. I. G. Grimes Div. 
 
 2nd Corps A. N. V. 
 
 Col. Hamilton A. Brown, in his his- # 
 tory of the First North Carolina In- 
 fantry, says: "The march from Pe- 
 tersburg to Appomattox was but a 
 series of engagements until the 9th. 
 This brigade was commanded by Gen. 
 W. R. Cox, who, as his men were re- 
 tiring, ordered a halt and the com- 
 mand "right about face" was given. 
 It was promptly obeyed, and once 
 more and for the last time these few 
 ragged, foot sore and half starved 
 North Carolinians stood in the 
 strength of their manhood, with the 
 men they had met and had driven 
 back on many a bloody field. Once 
 more the command rang out, in the 
 clear voice of the intrepid Cox, "ready 
 aim, fire." And the last volley fired 
 by the army of Northern Virginia 
 was by North Carolina's troops. This 
 regiment, among the number, defeat- 
 ed, but not dishonored and so should 
 we, as true sons of Carolina, in the 
 education of our children, teach them 
 to ever refuse that savage lesson — 
 "that might makes right." 
 
 « 
 
 Wilmington, N. C, Feb. 3, 1899. 
 Capt. James I. Mets, City. 
 
 Dear Sir: — Referring to the "last*- 
 volley fired at Appomattox," C. H. 
 Va., on the morning of April 9th, 1865 
 my recollection is on retiring in col- 
 umn of fours from the field, our bri- 
 gade (Grimes) passed about sixty 
 feet in rear of Cox's brigade which 
 was in line cf battle. Gen. Cox, mount- 
 ed on his horse, gave the comand in 
 clear, distinct tones, "ready, aim, 
 fire," and the order was so well excut- 
 
17 
 
 ed that it sounded like the report of 
 one gun. This was the last. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 WM. R. KENAN, 
 Late Adjt. 43rd N. C. Infy. 
 
 Grimes Brigade, 
 Grimes Division, 
 2nd Corps A. N. V. 
 
 Last Charge at Appomattox. 
 
 Gen. W. R. Cox.) 
 
 Soon after the civil war I prepared 
 
 a careful and accurate account of the 
 
 last charge of the army of Northern 
 
 Virginia at Appomattox. This was 
 
 * published in the public press of the 
 state, while the participants in this 
 charge of Grimes' division were 
 living and could testify to the facts if 
 
 jft questioned. So far as I am informed 
 they passed unchallenged. 
 
 The present statement is prepared 
 from my recollection of facts, pub- 
 lished as before stated. Owing to the 
 disaster to our army at Sailor's Creek 
 and the hasty abondonment of our 
 wagon train and supplies, the army 
 was 'organized into two corps, com- 
 mand, respectively, by Longstreet and 
 Gordon. On April eighth our poorly 
 clad and starving soldiers marched 
 on toward Appomattox with but little 
 interference. It was the purpose of 
 Lee to move on to Danvihe and join 
 forces with Johnston, who was then 
 retiring before Sherman in North 
 Carolina. Grant anticipated his pur- 
 pose and by means of railroad facili- 
 ties and interior lines was enabled to 
 mass a large part of his troops in our 
 front. On the seventh Grant had 
 written and proposed Lee's surrender, 
 which was declined, and again on the 
 eighth he renewed the offer to which 
 Lee replied on the ninth, and agreed 
 to meet him at ten o'clock to ascer- 
 tain the terms he would propose, for 
 1*upon their character depended the 
 nature of his decision. On the even- 
 • ing of the eighth, to rest his weary 
 and worn troops Lee ordered a halt 
 
 ^near Appomattox Court House. Be- 
 fore day Gordon moved his corps with 
 Grimes division in front through, and 
 halted it on an elevation beyond the 
 village. While resting on our arms 
 some of my men, notably privates J. 
 C. Scarborough and W. H. Pace, were 
 parching corn in little improvised 
 fires, when skirmishing in our front 
 began. Here I received orders from 
 Gordon to throw forward the divi- 
 sion, which was done in echelon by 
 
 brigade at intervals of one hundred 
 paces. With a spirit which knew no 
 abatement, the troops sprang forward 
 with glorious ealon. Soon we were en- 
 gaged with cavalry, mounted and dis- 
 mounted, supported by artillery, 
 which after a hot encounter we swept 
 from before us, after the loss of some 
 of my men, chiefly from artillery. 
 The only support on my left was 
 Wise's brigade, then reduced to a 
 mere skeleton line. Very soon we 
 engaged infantry troops, and after 
 some captures a Federal officer was 
 brought to me, from whom I learned 
 that Ord's whole corps was in my 
 front. In the meantime Gordon had 
 sought Gen. Lee and acquainted him 
 with the overwhelming force in his 
 front, whereupon I halted the divison, 
 when Capt. London, of Grimes' staff, 
 rode up and said: "General Grimes 
 directs you to retire." As I sought to 
 retire I discovered there was great 
 danger of my command being sur- 
 rounded and captured. I therefore 
 directed my aide, Lieutenant James 
 S. Battle, to summon the regimental 
 commanders of my brigade and meet 
 me, while still withdrawing, at their 
 centre. I unfolded to them my pur- 
 pose, which was, while still retiring 
 to face the brigade about, charge with 
 the "rebel yell" to the top of an eleva- 
 tion beyond which the enemy were ad- 
 vancing, there halt, fire by brigade, 
 face about and double quick to the 
 rear. This precaution was given be- 
 cause amidst the confusion of battle, 
 troops do not always catch the orders, 
 and to make this movement a success, 
 it had to be executed with celerity 
 and intelligence. The order was 
 given, and as the enemy saw us ap- 
 proach, apprehending a hand to hand 
 conflict, they commenced to deploy 
 with great alacrity and precision, 
 when the brigade promptly halted and 
 as promptly fired into the deploying- 
 line which fell to the ground as we 
 fired. Without losing seconds my 
 brigade faced about, double quickly, 
 rallied on the division before the 
 enemy recovered from the shock. 
 But other troops too numerous to 
 encounter were rapidly enveloping 
 this gallant brigade. Thereupon I de- 
 ployed the second and parts of the 
 first and third regiments as skirmis- 
 ers to cover our retreat, and these 
 troops fired the last round in that 
 grand old army whose fortunes we 
 had for four long and weary years 
 
18 
 
 shared. Before this action, without 
 our knowledge the flag of truce was 
 already accepted. As we march- 
 ed toward the main body of the corps, 
 Gordon met us and exclaimed, "Grand- 
 ly and gloriously done." In his 
 autobiography Sherman says he was 
 so enraged by this fire, kept up after 
 the flag of truce was accepted, he 
 was tempted to renew the battle. 
 While my losses were severe, under 
 the cirumstances our escape was 
 
 most fortunate. This account is in- 
 tended to briefly outline one part of 
 the last days at Appomattox. In com- 
 mon with the survivors of those days 
 of hallowed memory, we aviod when 
 practicable, controversy as to past 
 events, and hail with pleasure the 
 present glory of our common country, 
 and trust that by wisdom, intelligence 
 and patriotism, each tomorrow may 
 find her greater and greater. 
 

 
 u.-^.