Chapter 15

by Christopher Rudolph © 2015

As we saw in Chapter 14, Little Round Top was being attacked on July 2nd, 1863. Colonel Chamberlain leading his 20th Maine, stopped the Alabamians from taking the left side with their famous bayonet charge. But the right side of Little Round Top was still being attacked by two Texas regiments (4th and 5th) and one Alabama regiment (48th). Fierce fighting occurred there under constant sniper fire from Devil’s Den. At the end of the day, the Union still held Little Round Top right, but the Union had lost  4 very brave officers.

Dedicated to Colonel Vincent, Colonel O’Rourke, General Weed, and Lieutenant Hazlett

Strong_Vincent  Colonel Strong Vincent

 

Chapter 15 – Saviors of Little Round Top Right

 

On the western side of the hill

The Boys of Blue were in for a fight

For Texans and Alabamians were assaulting

Little Round Top right

 

Colonel Strong Vincent

Rallying his crumbling regiment

The 16th MICH in desperate need

Of reinforcements to be sent

 

Wave after wave charged

Fueled by Texas and Alabama adrenaline

Blown back bloody repulsed

Only to charge again

 

Mounting a large boulder

A riding crop his hand clinched

Waving it high 

Vincent shouted, “Don’t give an inch!”

 

A bullet then struck him

Bursting explosion of shells

Struck again in the groin

Mortally wounded Vincent fell

 

An intrepid leader

He paid the ultimate price

Now taking over command for him

Colonel James C. Rice

 

Then into the fray charged

Men from 140th New York

Sent by General Warren

Led by Colonel Patrick O’Rourke

 

Paddy himself led the charge

Down the western face of the hill

Driving the rebels back down

Many were captured or killed

 

He sprang upon a rock

Urging his men to forge ahead

He was then shot in the neck

To the ground he fell dead

 

Another brave leader lost

To save Little Round Top

But it wasn’t over yet

The Rebels not yet stopped

 

More reinforcements now coming

In their desperate time of need

Sent from General Sykes V Corp

3rd Brigade of General Stephen H. Weed

 

Weed’s men helped Lieutenant Hazlett

Move six Parrott rifles up top

Battery D 5th US Artillery

Now had a better firing spot

 

But Confederate fire

Kept coming from damn Devil’s Den

Continuous barrage steady

Killing many Union men

 

Then one ball screaming

From a sharp shooter’s nest

Struck General Weed

A mortal wound in the chest

 

Lieutenant Hazlett went

To hear his last words

From his dear old friend

That day at Gettysburg

 

Weed said, “I’d rather die here

On this Little Top Round

Then let the Rebels gain

Even an inch of this ground”

 

Hazlett knelt over him listening

Then shot in the head

A sniper’s bullet felling him

Now he too was dead

 

Throughout the day

They defended the hill

But them Rebels were brave

They kept charging still

 

Until finally it stopped

And the day passed to night

So many had died

In the fight of all fights

 

We’ll never forgot that day

And all they went through

They saved Little Round Top Right

Those Union Boys of Blue

 

Go to Chapter 16

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