Mohun; Or, the Last Days of Lee and His Paladins Part 18

I confess I shared the general sentiment. That strange intoxication was contagious, and I was drunk like the rest with the thought of triumph.

That triumph would open to us the gates of Was.h.i.+ngton and bring peace.

The North scarcely denied that then--though they may deny it to-day.

The whole country was completely weary of the war. There seemed to be no hope of compelling the South to return to the Union. A victory over Meade, opening the whole North to Lee, promised a treaty of peace. The day had arrived, apparently when the army of Northern Virginia, musket in hand, was about to dictate the terms of that doc.u.ment.

"Lee has only to slip the leash," I thought, as I gazed at the army, "and these war-dogs will tear down their prey!"

Alas! they tore it, but were torn too! they did all at Gettysburg that any troops could do.

What was impossible, was beyond even their strength.

CHAPTER XXV.

THE WRESTLE FOR ROUND TOP HILL.

From the morning of the second of July to the evening of the third, the fields south of Gettysburg were one great scene of smoke, dust, uproar, blood; of columns advancing and returning; cannon thundering; men shouting, yelling, cheering, and dying; blue mingled with gray in savage and unrelenting battle.

In that smoke-cloud, with the ears deafened, you saw or heard little distinctly. But above the confused struggle rose two great incidents, which on successive days decided every thing.

The first of them was Longstreet's a.s.sault on the enemy's left wing, in front of Round Top Hill.

Lee had displayed excellent soldiers.h.i.+p in determining upon this movement, and it will be seen that it came within an inch of success.

Standing upon Seminary Range, near his centre, he had reconnoitered General Meade's position through his field-gla.s.s, with great attention; and this examination revealed the fact that the Federal line was projected forward in a salient in front of Round Top Hill, a jagged and almost inaccessible peak, near which rested General Meade's extreme left.

If this weak point could be carried, "it appeared" said Lee, "that its possession would give facilities for a.s.sailing and carrying the more elevated ground and crest beyond."

As to the importance of that crest--namely Round Top Hill--hear General Meade:--

"If they had succeeded in occupying that, it would have prevented me from holding any of the ground which I subsequently held to the last."

Lee determined to attack the salient, making at the same time a heavy demonstration--or a real a.s.sault--upon the Federal right, opposite Ewell.

All his preparations were not made until the afternoon. Then suddenly, Longstreet's artillery opened its thunders.

At that moment the spectacle was grand. The heights, the slopes, the fields, and the rugged crest opposite, were enveloped in smoke and fire from the bursting sh.e.l.l. The sombre roar ascended like the bellowing of a thousand bulls, leaped back from the rocks, and rolled away, in wild echoes through the hills. All the furies seemed let loose, and yet this was only the preface.

At four in the evening the thunder dropped to silence, and along the lines of Hood and McLaws, which formed the charging column, ran a wild cheer, which must have reached the ears of the enemy opposite.

That cheer told both sides that the moment had come. The word was given, and Longstreet hurled his column at the blue line occupying a peach-orchard in his front.

The blow was aimed straight at the salient in the Federal line, and in spite of a brave resistance it was swept away; McLaws advancing rapidly toward the high ground in its rear. At one blow the whole left wing of General Meade's army seemed thrown into irretrievable confusion, and Hood pressing forward on McLaws's right, hastened to seize upon the famous Round Top, from which he would be able to hurl his thunder upon the flank and rear of the Federal line of battle.

The scene, like the conflict which now took place, was wild and singular. The crest of Round Top Hill was a ma.s.s of rock, which rose abruptly from the rough and jagged slope. It was unoccupied--for the sudden overthrow of the force in front of it had not been antic.i.p.ated--and one headlong rush on the part of Hood alone seemed necessary to give him possession of the real key of the whole position.

Hood saw that at a glance, and dashed up the slope at the head of his men. It was scarcely an order of battle which his troops presented at this moment. But one thought burned in every heart. The men swarmed up the hill-side; the woods gave back the rolling thunder of their cheers; already the Southern battle-flags carried by the foremost were fluttering on the crest.

The ma.s.s rushed toward the red flags; for an instant the gray figures were seen erect upon the summit--then a sudden crash of musketry resounded--and a mad struggle began with a Federal brigade which had hastened to the spot.

This force, it is said, was hurried up by General Warren, who finding the Federal signal-officers about to retire, ordered them, to remain and continue waving their flags to the last; and then, seizing on the first brigade he could find, rushed them up the slope to the crest.

They arrived just in time. Hood's men were swarming on the crest. A loud cheer arose, but all at once they found themselves face to face with a line of bayonets, while beyond were seen confused and struggling ma.s.ses, dragging up cannon.

What followed was a savage grapple rather than an ordinary conflict.

Only a small part of Hood's force had reached the summit, and this was a.s.sailed by a whole brigade. The fight was indescribable. All that the eye could make out for some moments in the dust and smoke, was a confused ma.s.s of men clutching each other, dealing blows with the b.u.t.t-ends of muskets, or fencing with bayonets--men in blue and gray, wrestling, cursing, falling, and dying, in the midst of the crash of small-arms, and the thunder of cannon, which clothed the crest in flame.

When the smoke drifted, it was seen that the Confederates had been repulsed, and driven from the hill. Hood was falling back slowly, like a wounded tiger, who glares at the huntsman and defies him to the last.

The slope was strewed with some of his bravest. The Federal cannon roaring on Round Top Hill, seemed to be laughing hoa.r.s.ely.

McLaws, too, had fallen back after nearly seizing upon the crest in his front. The enemy had quickly re-enforced their left, with brigades, divisions, and corps, and the Confederates had been hotly a.s.sailed in their turn. As night descended, the whole Southern line fell back. The pallid moonlight shone on the upturned faces of the innumerable dead.

Longstreet sat on a fence, cutting a stick with his penknife, when an English officer near him exclaimed:--

"I would not have missed this for any thing?"

Longstreet, laughed grimly.

"I would like to have missed it very much!"[1] he said.

[Footnote 1: His words.]

XXVI.

THE CHARGE OF THE VIRGINIANS.

Lee's great blow at the enemy's left had failed. He had thrown his entire right wing, under Longstreet, against it. The enemy had been driven; victory seemed achieved;--but suddenly the blue lines had rallied, they had returned to the struggle, their huge ma.s.ses had rolled forward, thrown Longstreet back in turn, and now the pale moon looked down on the battlefield where some of the bravest souls of the South had poured out their blood in vain.

Lee had accomplished nothing, and one of his great corps was panting and bleeding. It was not shattered or even shaken. The iron fibre would stand any thing almost. But the sombre result remained--Longstreet had attacked and had been repulsed.

What course would Lee now pursue? Would he retire?

Retire? The army of Northern Virginia lose heart at a mere rebuff?

Lee's veteran army give up the great invasion, after a mere repulse?

Troops and commander alike shrunk from the very thought. One more trial of arms--something--an attack somewhere--not _a retreat_!

That was the spirit of the army on the night of the second of July.

A flanking movement to draw the enemy out of their works, or a second attack remained.

Lee determined to attack.