Pettigrew's Brigade was commanded by Colonel Marshall, and the Fifty-second Regiment was under command of Lieutenant Colonel Parks. The column of attack was lying under the crest of the ridge in rear of our guns. Pettigrew's Brigade occupied the position in line immediately to the left of Archer, who joined the left of Kemper's Brigade of Pickett's Division, which occupied the right of the column of attack. Between 1 and 2 o'clock in the afternoon our guns opened upon the enemy's batteries and elicited a prompt and spirited reply. This artillery duel was continued for the space of about two hours without intermission, and the roar of the guns and bursting of shell were frightful to hear and dreadful to contemplate. A slackening of the enemy's fire was taken advantage of to advance the column of attack. In obedience to orders the line moved gallantly and steadily forward under fire of our guns until it reached a point beyond which it was unsafe to fire over our heads. Steadily the advance was made, and as steadily and coolly met with a murderous fire from the enemy's cannon, charged with grape, shrapnel and canister. Still the line advanced, and at every step our comrades fell on every side, killed or wounded. Still we advanced under the incessant discharge of the cannon, assisted by the infantry's rifles, and had almost attained success, when by the overpowering force and almost impregnable position of the enemy, our lines were forced back, and then the slaughter was terrific. We fell back to the point from which the attack was made, rallying all whom it was possible to reach, and reforming our shattered lines. |
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In this fatal charge our losses were very heavy. The gallant
Marshall, pierced through the body while leading his brigade to the attack, fell from his horse, dead, within a very short distance of the enemy's lines. In his death our cause sustained a very great loss. Of his rank the Confederate Army had few equals and no superiors. His regiment was greatly attached to him; his uniform courtesy, coupled with great firmness and rigid discipline in camp, as well as on the march, had won the entire confidence of his men, and all mourned him as a brother lost. Lieutenant-Colonel Parks was shot through both thighs, and fell
into the hands of the enemy, and our brave and dashing Major
Richardson sealed, with his life, his devotion to the cause he loved so well, and for the advancement of whose success he had striven so zealously. He was instantly killed by a rifle ball while leading the left wing of his regiment. Of the line officers, but few escaped wounds or capture. |
|
1863 |
The regiment was commanded on the 4th by Captain Nathaniel A.
Foster, of Company F, the Junior Captain engaged in the fight. The Adjutant of the regiment reported the losses in the engagement of the first and third days as 33 killed on the field, 114 wounded and 169 missing. Of this latter, nearly all of whom fell into the enemy's hands, it is fair to presume many were wounded. |
1863 to 13 JUL |
We held our lines during the night of the 3d and the day of the
4th, strengthening them with temporary works, and expecting an
attack by the Federal army. As no advance was made by the enemy,
General Lee began to retire in the direction of the Potomac on the night of the 4th. In consequence of the death of our field officers on the 3d, Captain B.F. Little, of Company F, was commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel, and Captain Eric Erson, of Company H, was commissioned Major, the officers of Companies E and H were each promoted one grade, as were also the officers of Companies I and K, in consequence of the death of Captains McCain and Blackburn. On account of the bad roads and caution observed on retiring, we did not reach Hagerstown, Md., until the 10th. Finding the waters of the Potomac so much swollen from recent heavy rains as to make fording impracticable, and General Lee's pontoon bridge partially destroyed, we halted at this place. On the morning of the 11th our regiment went into line of battle about three miles from the town, expecting General Meade would attack us as soon as he had come up. We held this line until the night of the 13th, wit occasional skirmishing between the picket lines. During this halt the pontoon bridge had been repaired so as to be available, and was thrown across the Potomac at Falling Waters. The rain had been falling nearly every day since we
began to fall back from Gettysburg, and consequently the roads
were in a horrible condition. During the 13th wagon trains were
put in motion to cross the river, and at night the troops from
our portion of the line were withdrawn and marched for the
pontoon bridge, but the roads were so cut up by the heavy wagon
trains and the artillery as to make them almost impassable, and
our march was necessarily slow. |
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