Gettysburg - Pickett's charge and other war addresses

1–3 July 1863

Battle of Gettysburg

JAMES FRANCIS CROCKER

"James F. Crocker was only six months old when his father died. He received his early educa- tion in the classical schools of Smithfield, Virginia. He then entered Pennsylvania college, at Gettys- burg, Pennsylvania, and was graduated in 1850, being the valedictorian of his class. He taught school — was professor of mathematics in Madison college — studied law, and was admitted to the bar of Isle of Wight in 1854. In 1855 he was elected to the house of delegates from Isle of Wight county. In 1856, after his service in the legisla- ture, at the instance of mutual friends, he moved to Portsmouth, to enter upon a partnership in the practice of law, previously arranged with Colonel David J. Godwin. The firm of Godwin and Crocker was eminently successful, but the lawyer turned soldier in 1861, when Virginia seceded from the union. He was enthusiastically with his state in the resumption of her delegated rights, and gave the Confederacy patriotic service as a private and as adjutant of the 9th Virginia infantry. He was desperately wounded at Malvern Hill, and was wounded and taken prisoner in Pickett's charge at Gettysburg.

GETTYSBURG — PICKETT'S CHARGE

saying something of Pickett's charge at the battle of Gettysburg have I ever read the ofificial or other accounts of that great battle ; and when I lately read them my heart bled afresh, and my inward being was shaken to the deepest depths of sad, tearful emotions, and I wished that you had given to another the task you gave to me.

GETTYSBURG — PICKETT'S CHARGE

of the relative strength and positions of the two armies, and of the topography of the country. Before the battle of Gettysburg opened on the 1st of July, Meade's army consisted of seven army corps which, with artillery and cavalry, numbered 105,000. Lee's army consisted of three army corps which, with artillery and cavalry, numbered 62,000. On the 3rd of July the enemy had six army corps in line of battle, with the Sixth corps held in reserve. Their right rested on Gulp Hill and curved around westerly to Gemetery Hill, and thence extended southerly in a straight line along what is known as Gemetery Ridge to Round Top. This line was well protected along its whole length with either fortifications, stone walls or entrench- ments. It was crowned with batteries, while the infantry was, in places, several ranks deep, with a line in the rear with skirmish lines in front. The form of the line was like a shepherd's crook. Our line extended from the enemy's right to Seminary Ridge, which runs parallel to Gemetery Ridge, to a point opposite to Round Top. Between these two ridges lay an open, cultivated valley of about one mile wide, and through this valley ran the Emmittsburg road in a somewhat diagonal line, with a heavy fence on either side. The charge was to be made across this valley so as to strike the left centre of the enemy's line. The hope was that if we broke their line, we would swing around to the left, rout and cut off their right wing, where Stuart waited with his cavalry to charge upon them; and thus destroy or capture them, and put

GETTYSBURG — PICKETT'S CHARGE

And then, at once, before our dead are counted, there arose from that bloody immortalized field, Fame, the Mystic Goddess, and from her trumpet in clarion notes there rang out upon the ear of the world the story of Pickett's charge at Gettysburg. All over this country, equally North and South,