n. Through a misconception of orders, the Confederate
line had become disjointed, and the supports of Pickett were repelled
and a large number killed or taken prisoners, but Pickett's own division
came on unfalteringly, let fly with a volley at the breastworks in front
of them, and then, with their resounding yells, dashed up the crest of
Cemetery Ridge and drove out the defenders at the point of the bayonet.

[Illustration: CUSHING'S LAST SHOT.]

Immediately the hand-to-hand fighting became like that of so many
tigers. Guns were clubbed, men wrestled and fought and struck with their
bare fists, while a fire was converged upon the assailants of so
murderous a nature that even the daring Pickett saw that every one of
his men would be killed, if they remained. He gave the order to fall
back, and the survivors broke into a run down the slope for their own
lines.

[Illustration: Drawn by W.B. DAVIS.

PICKETT'S RETURN FROM HIS FAMOUS CHARGE.

"General, my noble division is swept away."]

Pickett's charge ranks among the famous in modern history, and was one
of the most striking incidents of the war. The double column which
marched across that fire-swept field numbered 5,000 of the flower of the
Confederate army. Thirty-five hundred were killed, wounded, or taken
prisoners. Of the three brigade commanders, one was killed, the second
mortally wounded, and the third badly hurt. One only of the fourteen
field officers returned, and out of the twenty-four regimental officers,
only two were unhurt. The ferocity of the charge resulted in many deaths
among the Unionists, and General Hancock was painfully wounded, but
refused to leave the field until the struggle was over.

And all this valor had gone for naught. The Southerners had attempted an
impossible thing, and the penalty was fearful. Unspeakably depressed,
General Lee saw the return of the staggering, bleeding survivors, and,
riding among them, he did all he could to cheer the mute sufferers by
his sympathetic words. He insisted that the failure was wholly his own
fault, and that not a word of censure should be visited upon anyone
else.

The expectation of the Confederates was that the Federals would follow
up this repulse with an immediate advance, and preparations were
hurriedly made to repel it; but the ammunition was low on Cemetery
Ridge, and the furious struggle had exhausted the defenders. Day was
closing and the great battle of Gettysburg was ended.

THE