File:110. Louisianans at Gettysburg - Historian GNMP Harrison Banquet Speech Page 07.jpg (194f112a-212d-46c5-949e-4d652326f89f).jpg

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Before the fateful “charge” began against those lines of Union blue on Cemetery Ridge, the men of Nicholl’s and other brigades had reopened the battle at Culp’s Hill. From 4:30 A.M. till 11 it raged, but to no avail for the Confederates. They finally retired to Rock Creek, then at midnight they moved to Seminary Ridge. These three days caused them 388 casualties (43-309-36). Nearly one in every three that had come to Gettysburg was either killed, wounded, or had become prisoner. Hays’ Brigade after their repulse from East Cemetery Hill occupied a line down High Street in town. Their loss of 332 (36-201-95) was nearly one in every four. When Lee chose to attack the Union center, he provided for an extraordinarily heavy cannonade of 150 guns to hold down Union fire against his attacking force. The signal that began this cannonade was fired by Miller’s Washington Artillery Battery. For two hours the 14 guns of the Battalion and the Madison Artillery joined with over 140 other Confederate pieces in the “heaviest” artillery fire ever seen in that war. Their fire coupled with the answering roar of over 110 Federal guns made the ground vibrate and hung a pall of smoke from ridge to ridge. Then the men of Louisiana manning the

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