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Smith's Battery has not received in history full credit for the heroic and valuable work done by its members at Gettysburg. I was at that time First Sergeant of Co H, 124th N. Y. I saw the battery come down Rock Run Glen. The guns were unlimbered at the foot of Rock Ridge and hauled up the steep acclivity into position among the rocks on its crest, and the battery was soon engaged in a hot duel with the rebel batteries on the heights beyond the Peach Orchard. Under cover of the Confederate fire Longstreet's Corps, massed in battle-lines eight or ten deep, moved in confident, rapid attack to our position. The battery changed from shell to canister and, working as I never saw gunners work before or since, tore gap after gap through the ranks of the advancing foe.
All this time the gallant Captain and his men were exposed to the direct fire of Longstreet's sharpshooters and his front line. Every round of ammunition had to be carried from the foot of the ridge. Man after man went down, but still the exhausting work went steadily on, the officers tirelessly falling in to fill out a working detail for the guns, and keeping up a well-directed fire until the enemy was at the base of the heights and the guns could no longer be depressed to reach him. Then, knowing that the greatly superior force would overwhelm us and capture the guns unless checked, Col. Ellis of the 124th, after a few rapid words with Maj. Cromwell, ordered a charge.
Source:The National Tribune., February 04, 1886, page 1.
@infomanpa @Wallyfish @rpkennedy @Tom Elmore this map might have some information that will add to your discussion in the Devil's Den Defense thread? Or it may muck it up even more? https://civilwartalk.com/threads/devils-dens-defense.166457/#post-2169711 There are several more accounts. This seems to be just one in an ongoing exchange between A W Tucker, 124th NY, Adjutant Peter B Ayars, 99th PA, and Thomas Bradley, 124th NY and includes some private letters between Tucker and Smith. I'll post the various accounts as time allows.
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