Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 2.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

“ [107] increase in volume of sound, till it attained a continuous roar. Of course I sent at once to the right and to headquarters to ascertain what the firing meant. The reply came shortly: ‘The Twelfth Corps is regaining its lines.’ By seven o'clock the battle was fully joined. The Confederates were determined to hold on, and disputed the ground with great obstinacy; but after a lively contest of five hours, Ewell was driven beyond Rock creek, and the breast-works were occupied and held.”

July 3d Steuart's brigade (composed of the First and Third North Carolina, Second Maryland, Tenth, Twenty-third and Thirty-seventh Virginia regiments), separated from our line of battle on our right, with rear and flank exposed, with no artillery support, fought for five hours a largely superior force--(General O. O. Howard says the Twelfth Corps.) The enemy's artillery played on us from front, rear and flank--(vide Whitelaw Reid in Bates' Battle of Gettysburg.) Only one other brigade came to our assistance, but took no part in the assault. Our brigade was then moved to the left, and our line was reformed. A writer, speaking of the men at this moment, says: “The compressed lip, the stern brow, the glittering eye, told that those before me would fight to the last.” When the final order to charge was received, the General remarked, “it is a slaughter pen.” A gallant captain replied, “it can't be helped, it is ordered,” placed himself at the head of his company, and was killed instantly, less than fifty yards from the foe. The task was impossible for the little brigade, but it obeyed orders. The loss was fearful, our company losing sixty-two (62) out of ninety-odd in the two days fighting. The men were rallied behind some large boulders of rock (the position they had just charged from), and were forced to retire, from the losses incurred in their charge against, and not before any charge of the enemy, to Rock creek, several hundred yards to the rear, where, posted as a heavy skirmish line, they continued the contest till night.

On Cemetery Hill art has erected a beautiful monument in memory of the victors, but nature, in the “Everlasting hills,” more grandly attests the valor of the vanquished.