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428]
The Ordnance report of the 2d corps identifies the guns and gives the rounds fired as 48.
Mention has been made of the five guns advanced by
Maj. Haskell from the
Peach Orchard, and the four from the Washington artillery a little to their left.
These guns moved so far outside of
Pickett's charge that they were able to fire obliquely upon the
Federals opposing it. Haskell on the extreme right was even able to enfilade portions of the
Federal reenforcements The fighting here was almost hand to hand.
The following account is given by
Col. Rice of the 19th Mass. :
1—
The men in gray were doing all that was possible to keep off the mixed bodies of men, who were moving upon them swiftly and without hesitation, keeping up so close and continuous a fire that at last its effects became terrible. . . . The grove was fairly jammed with Pickett's men, in all positions, lying and kneeling.
Back from the edge were many standing and firing over those in front.
By the side of several who were firing, lying down or kneeling, were others with their hands up in token of surrender.
In particular I noticed two men, not a musket length away, one aiming so that I could look into his musket barrel; the other, lying on his back, coolly ramming home a cartridge.
A little farther on was one on his knees waving something white in both hands.
Every foot of ground was occupied by men engaged in mortal combat who were in every possible position which can be taken while under arms or lying wounded or dead.
‘A Confederate battery near the Peach Orchard commenced firing.
A cannon-shot tore a horrible passage through the dense crowd of men in blue, who were gathering outside the trees.
Instantly another shot followed and fairly cut a road through the mass. . . .’
The official report of
Col. Abbott of the 20th Mass. thus describes the same scene:—
‘The enemy poured in a severe musketry fire, and at the clump of trees they burst also several shells, so that our loss was very heavy, more than half the enlisted men of the regiment being killed or disabled, while there remained but three out of 13 officers. . . .’
The enfilading shots described by
Col. Rice doubtless came from the batteries under command of
Maj. Haskell.
No official report was made, but I quote from a personal letter of
Maj. Haskell some years later:—
