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| The Devil's den1 |
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Texans, who were at that moment scaling its rough slopes from the glen and among the huge masses of rocks on the bold western face of the hill.
Never was there a wilder place for combat, and never was there a combat more fierce than was seen there, on that hot July evening, with blazing musketry, the clangor of steel as bayonets crossed in close and deadly strife, and hand-to-hand struggles with clubbed fire-arms and jagged stones.
For half an hour this terrible conflict went on, when a charge from the Twentieth Maine, under Colonel Chamberlain, hurled the Texans from the hill.
General Weed's brigade of Ayres's division of the Fifth Corps (to which Hazlett's battery be-longed) had come up and taken position on Vincent's right, and the rocky
citadel of the National left was secured, but at the cost of the lives of Generals Vincent and Weed, Lieutenant Hazlett, and scores of less prominent soldiers.2
during the struggle on the extreme left, there was also a fierce contest more toward the center, which assisted in securing little Round Top to the Nationals.
The brigades of Tilton and Sweitser, of Barnes's division, had been sent to the aid of Birney, and shared in the disaster that befell that line.
When it fell back, the remainder of Sickles's Corps (Humphrey's division and Graham's brigade) swung Round back by the left, its right still clinging to the Emmettsburg road, the battery of Major McGilvray at the same time firing and falling back.
Then Caldwell's division was advanced from Hancock's front to check the incoming Confederates, and a patch of open woods and wheat-fields, skirting a cross lane from the Taneytown to the Emmettsburg road, between the peach-orchard and little Round Top, became a sanguinary battle-field.
Caldwell advanced gallantly, with the brigades of cross and Kelly in the front.
Presently his second line, composed of the brigades of Brooke and Zook, were pushed forward.
The strife was fierce, and in it cross3 and Zook were mortally wounded, and
1 this little sketch shows a mass of rocks forming a sort of dark inclosure, which is called the Devil's den. It gives a good idea of the masses of huge rocks among which the Confederates struggled up the steep slopes of little Round Top. This heap was in front of Hazlett's battery, a little way down the Hill.
2 General Vincent was killed while urging on his men in the struggle, and General Weed was slain at Hazlett's battery, on the summit of little Round Top. Seeing his commander fall, Lieutenant Hazlett hastened to his side. The expiring General seemed desirous of telling something, and, while Hazlett was bending over him with his ear near his lips, the bullet of a sharpshooter killed the Lieutenant, and he fell upon the then dead body of his commander.
3 this was the gallant Colonel Edward E. Cross, of the famous “fighting Fifth” New Hampshire (see note 1, page 411, volume II.), who was now in command of a brigade. He was one of the most fearless and efficient officers in the army, and was greatly beloved by his troops. A few months before the battle of Gettysburg his regiment presented him an elegant sword, “as a token of their affection and admiration of his character as an officer, after eighteen months service under his command.” in a letter to the author, a month before the battle of Chancellorsville, speaking of an illustrated journal having an unpublished biographical sketch of him, he playfully said: “they are doubtless waiting, with commendable patience, for me to be killed. However, having received nine wounds in the present war, and three in other wars, I am not afraid of rebel bullets.” he lived a few hours after receiving his fatal wound. His last words were: “I did hope I would live to see peace, and our country restored. I have done my duty. I think the boys will miss me. All my effects I give to my mother. Oh, welcome, death! say farewell to all.” then his mind wandered. He commenced giving commands, when he expired.
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