captains of the civil war-第40节
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k was quickly done and the Federal line was reestablished so well that the Confederates paused in their attack and waited for the morrow。
The Confederates had got as good as they gave； much to their disgust。 Archer； one of their best brigadiers； felt particularly sore when most of his men were rounded up by Meredith's 〃Iron Brigade。〃 When Doubleday saw his old West Point friend a prisoner he shook hands cordially； saying； 〃Well； Archer； I AM glad to see you！〃 But Archer answered； 〃Well； I'm not so glad to see YOUnot by a damned sight！〃 The fact was that the excellent Federal defense had come as a very unpleasing surprise upon the rather too cocksure Confederates。 Buford's cavalry and Reynolds's infantry had staunchly withstood superior numbers； while Lieutenant Bayard Wilkeson actually held back a Confederate division for some time with the guns of Battery G； Fourth U。 S。 Artillery。 This heroic youth； only nineteen years of age； kept his men in action； though they were suffering terrible losses； till two converging batteries brought him down。
He was well matched by a veteran of over seventy； John Burns； an old soldier； whom the sound of battle drew from his little home like the trumpet…call to arms。 In his swallow…tailed； brass…buttoned； old…fashioned coatee； Burns seemed a very comic sight to the nearest boys in blue until they found he really meant to join them and that he knew a thing or two of war。 〃Which way are the rebels？〃 he asked； 〃and where are our troops？ I know how to fightI've fit before。〃 So he did； and he fought to good purpose till wounded three times。
Late in the evening Meade arrived and inspected the lines by moonlight。 Having ordered every remaining man to hasten forward he faced the second day with wellfounded anxiety lest Lee's full strength should break through before his own last men were up。 His right was not safe against surprise by the Confederates who slept at the foot of Culp's Hill； and his left was in imminent danger from Longstreet's corps。 But on the second day Longstreet marked his disagreement with Lee's plans by delaying his attack till Warren； with admirable judgment； had ordered the Round Tops to be seized at the double quick and held to the last extremity。 Then； after wasting enough time for this to be done； Longstreet attacked and was repulsed； though his men fought very well。 Meanwhile Ewell； whose attack against the right was to synchronize with Longstreet's against the left； was delayed by Longstreet till the afternoon； when he carried Culp's Hill。
This was the only Confederate success； for Early failed to carry Cemetery Hill； the adjoining high ground； which formed the right center； and the rest of the Federal line remained intact； though not without desperate struggles。
The third was the decisive day； and on it Meade rose to the height of his unappreciated skill。 This was the first great battle in which all the chief Federals worked so well together and the first in which the commander…in…chief used reserves with such excellent effect； throwing them in at exactly the right moment and at the proper place。 But these indispensable qualities were not of the kind that the public wanted to acclaim； or； indeed； of the kind that they could understand。
Meade was determined to clear his flanks。 So he began at dawn to attack Ewell on Culp's Hill and kept on doggedly till； after four hours of strenuous fighting； he had driven him off。 By this time Meade saw that Lee was not going to press home any serious attack against the Round Tops and Devil's Den on the left。 So the main interest of the whole battle shifted to the center of the field； where Lee was massing for a final charge。 The idea had been to synchronize three cooperating movements against Meade's whole position。 His left was to have been held by a demonstration in force by Longstreet against the Devil's Den and Round Tops； while Ewell held Culp's Hill； which seemed to be at his mercy； and which would flank any Federal retreat。 At the same time Meade's center was to have been rushed by Pickett's fresh division supported by three attached brigades。 But though the central force was ready before nine o'clock it never stepped off till three； so great was Longstreet's delay in ordering Pickett's advance。 Meanwhile the Federals had made Culp's Hill quite safe against Ewell。 So all depended now on the one last desperate assault against the Federal center。
This immortal assault is known as Pickett's Charge because it was made by Pickett's division of Longstreet's corps supported by three brigades from Hill'sWilcox's； Perry's； and Pettigrew's。 The whole formed a mass of about ten thousand men。 If they broke the Federal line in two； then every supporting Confederate was to follow； while the rest turned the flanks。 If they failed； then the battle must be lost。
Hour after hour passed by。 But it was not till well past one that Longstreet opened fire with a hundred and forty guns。 Hunt had seventy…seven ready to reply。 But after firing for half an hour he ceased； wishing to reserve his ammunition for use against the charging infantry。 This encouraged the Confederate gunners； who thought they had silenced him。 They then continued for some time； preparing the way for the charge； but firing too high and doing little execution against the Federal infantry； who were lying down； mostly under cover。 Hunt's guns were more exposed and formed better targets； so some of them suffered severely： none more than those of Battery A； Fourth U。S。 Artillery。 This gallant battery had three of its limbers blown up and replaced。 Wheels were also smashed to pieces and guns put out of action； till only a single gun； with men enough to handle it； was left with only a single officer。 This heroic young lieutenant； Alonzo H。 Cushing （brother to the naval Cushing who destroyed the Albemarle）； then ran his gun up to the fence and fired his last round through it into Pickett's men as he himself fell dead。
Pickett advanced at three o'clock； to the breathless admiration of both friend and foe。 He had a mile of open ground to cover。 But his three lines marched forward as steadily and blithely as if the occasion was a gala one and they were on parade。 The Confederate bombardment ceased。 The Federal guns and rifles held their fire。 Fate hung in silence on those gallant lines of gray。 Then the Federal skirmishers down in the valley began fitfully firing； and the waiting masses on the Federal slopes began to watch more intently still。 〃Here they come！ Here comes the infantry！〃 The blue ranks stirred a little as the men felt their cartridge boxes and the sockets of their bayonets。 The calm warnings of the officers could be heard all down the line of Gibbon's magnificent division； which stood straight in Pickett's path。 〃Steady； men； steady！ Don't fire yet！〃
For a very few； tense minutes Pickett's division disappeared in an undulation of the ground。 Then； at less than point…blank range； it seemed to spring out of the very earth； no longer in three lines but one solid mass of rushing gray； cresting； like a tidal wave； to break in fury on the shore。 Instantly； as if in answer to a single word； Hunt's guns and Gibbon's rifles crashed out together； and shot； shell； canister； and bullet cut gaping wounds deep into the dense gray ranks。 Still； the wave broke； and； from its storm…blown top； one furious tongue surged over the breastwork and through the hedge of bayonets。 It came from Armistead's brigade of stark Virginians。 He led it on； and； with a few score men； reached the highwater mark of that last spring tide。
When he fell the tide of battle turned； turned everywhere upon that stricken field； turned throughout the whole campaign； turned even in the war itself。
As Pickett's men fell back they were swept by scythe…like fire from every gun and rifle that could mow them down。 Not a single mounted officer remained； and of all the brave array that Pickett led three…fourths fell killed or wounded。 The other fourth returned undaunted still； but only as the wreckage of a storm。
Lee's loss exceeded forty per cent of his command。 Meade's loss fell short of thirty。 But Meade was quite unable to pursue at once when Lee retired on the evening of the fourth。 The opposing cavalry； under Pleasonton and Stuart respectively； had fought a flanking battle of their own； but without decisive result。 So Lee could screen his retreat to the Potomac； where； however； his whole supply train might have been cut off if its escort under the steadfast Imboden had not been reinforced by every teamster who could pull a trigger。
Gettysburg and Vicksburg； coming together； of course raised the wildest expectations among the general public； expectations which found an unworthy welcome at Government headquarters； where Halleck wrote to Meade on the fourteenth： 〃The escape of Lee's army has created great dissatisfaction in the mind of the President。〃 Meade at once replied： 〃The censure is； in my judgment； so undeserved that I most respectfully ask to be immediately relieved from the command of this army。〃 Wiser counsels thereupon prevailed。
Lee and Meade maneuvered over the old Virginian scenes of action； each trying to outflank the other； and each being hampered by having to send reinforcements t
