Chapter 11 – This poem “General Longstreet” focuses on General Longstreet and General Lee
by Christopher Rudolph © 2015
General James Longstreet
Chapter 12 – General Longstreet – Day 2
Old Pete stared at a map
The day was humid and warm
Gazed up at Cemetery Hill
Where a Union Army swarmed
Beyond the Hill Cemetery
Was another called Culp’s Hill
Union dug in along the crests
A crescent they did fill
From the two hills
A long ridge ran
Like the shaft of a fishhook
Now heavily manned
It was Cemetery Ridge
Gradually slopping south crooked
To two more hills
One rocky, one wooded
Lee spoke to Longstreet
Bright heat in the Old Man’s eyes
Like a raging burning fever
An internal battle cry
“We must attack on the right,” Lee said
For the left was too strong
“Don’t like this ground here
But with time grows the Union throng”
He wanted Longstreet to agree
But Old Pete’s displeasure very clear
“Let’s sweep around their left flank
And attack them in the rear?”
Lee would not have it
First Corp would attack frontal right
Attack in echelon
That’s how to win this fight
Hill would support Longstreet
With Anderson and Pender
Heth’s men resting in reserve
More forces to later render
Longstreet reluctantly accepted orders
But he only had McLaws and Hood
Pickett wouldn’t arrive in time
Fighting with “one boot off” aint any good
Lee looked at the map
“Attack up Emmitsburg road
Up Cemetery Ridge
To the hill with rocky lodes”
Hood then pointed out
Risk of raining enfilade
He could attack around the rocky heights
Just give him one brigade
Lee shook his head quickly
Raised a warding hand
“Let’s concentrate,” he pointed
“On attacking this here land”
Hood’s men were tired
They had marched all night
Only a two-hour break
And now they had to fight
McLaws’ men also
Arrived marching many miles
Thrust exhausted into battle
So demanding are war’s trials
Lee then departed
Time for him to pull back
Let the officers lead
In the hour of attack
Longstreet placed Hood to the extreme right
McLaws next a little to the left behind
Anderson and Pender directly facing across
The Cemetery Ridgeline
Then McLaws reported to Longstreet
Saw enemy while moving forward
Across the Emmitsburg Road
Spread out in a peach orchard
Longstreet pondered and wondered why
They would move off the ridge crest
A stupid move on their part
Perhaps this day for them was blessed
So, Hood’s men were ordered to attack
White smoke hung in the air
Followed by McLaws
With William Barksdale
Brigadier General Barksdale
From Mississippi
Rode across Emmitsburg Road
Charging fiercely
Into the Peach Orchard
White hair flowing in the breeze
Sword waving in the air
Shells zipping through the trees
Barksdale was riding
Straight for the guns
In a mad race
To get the battle won
Longstreet rode behind
He heard the bugles blow
The battle now raging
“Go! Go! Go!”