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made their desperate charge, driving the enemy before them, and this Hill of Salvation was saved to the Union cause. And when the Federals by main force succeeded in planting their cannon upon its rock-crowned brow, it became a second Gibraltar, and victory was assured to the cause of Freedom. Does it not seem that God planted that rock-covered and rock-crowned hill just at that place, with its bold, precipitous, and almost inaccessible side to the enemy, and its comparatively gentle elevation to the Federals, for the express purpose of saving the American Union?

But let us sit down now, and by the aid of this beautiful illustration, take a more extended view of the field. This view, as its title indicates, gives us a north-eastern outlook. But in order that you may have a correct understanding of the situation you will bear in mind that the Federal line was in the shape of a fish-hook. The heel of that hook rested upon the place where you now are, its curve upon Cemetery Hill, — the high ground which is seen three miles off to the right, and its point upon Culp's and Wolff Hills, which lie further to the right, or about a half to three quarters of a mile south-east of Cemetery Hill. These hills are not seen in this picture. Gettysburg lies behind Cemetery Hill. The Federal line, then, on the second and third days of the battle, extended from Round Top, and in front of it, up across the ground between you and that elevation in the extreme right, and then curving in an easterly and then in a south-easterly direction, ended upon Wolff Hill,-the whole about three and a half miles in length. Seminary Ridge, upon which the Confederate line lay, up as far as where the Chambersburg road crosses

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it, is faintly seen in the distance. This view embraces the whole field, from the Federal left to the center, and all the ground within view was fought over.

But we introduce another view from this same hill, looking west and north-west.

This view presents the theatre of the greatest events in human history. Within an area scarcely more than a mile square, and directly in front of you (the corps badge on the monument marks its eastern side, or the side next to you), amidst those fields and woods and rocks and stones, fifty thousand armed men, like two mighty wrestlers, struggled and fought for four hours for the mastery, strewing the ground with their slain. But let me particularize. The ridge, or high ground you see in the distance, and which extends from one end of the picture to the other, is Seminary Ridge, along which the Confederate line lay during the battles of the second and third days. On pages 260 and 298 you have a view of this ridge from where the Chambersburg pike crosses it down beyond the Theological Seminary. On that part of the ridge the Federal left rested during the battle of the first day (facing west), and Hill's Corps was stationed there during the second and third days. This view shows that ridge from where it ends in those pictures down to the Confederate right a little below Big Round Top. The house and barn which are seen just beyond the right of that grove are Codori's. The Emmittsburg road which leaves the town close by the western base of East Cemetery Hill,—or near the curve of the fish hook,-passes by that house. The group of buildings this side of the grove are Trostle's; and the lane, or narrow road, which is seen running westward

VIEW FROM LITTLE ROUND TOP.

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close by those buildings, intersects the Emmittsburg road a short distance beyond that grove a little to the left. In the left hand angle where these roads meet is the Peach Orchard. General Sickles' line, in the battle of the afternoon of the second day, extended along the Emmittsburg road, some distance to the left of Codori's to the Peach Orchard, where it formed an angle and passed down in a south-easterly direction through and across the woods and fields in your front to the Devil's Den, which is about six hundred yards in a south-westerly direction from where you sit. Against this line General Longstreet threw his disciplined and brave fighters, and upon the angle at the Peach Orchard the fire of sixty cannon was concentrated, until after some of the most desperate fighting that ever occurred upon this continent, the brave boys in blue were compelled to fall back step by step, covering the ground with the slain of the two armies. At the same time Hood's Texans outflanked Sickles' left by the Devil's Den, and made desperate efforts to capture this hill. Division after division from the Second and Fifth Corps were sent to assist in driving back the enemy, and at length the hill was held. In that enclosed field a little to your right, immediately south of Trostle's and across the lane from that house is the Wheat Field. There occurred what is called the Whirlpool of the Battle. Regiments from three corps, and from eight or ten brigades, here fought promiscuously. The Confederate lines also seemed to be in confusion. The scene as the men advanced and then fell back, and fought in a circle and through and about each other, resembled a huge whirlpool and suggested the title given the battle at this place. Hundreds on each side

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