The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1863-07-15

ger, flung away knapsacks, and many of
them barefooted and scarcely able to limp
over the ground, went straight into the
fight and won It, With such heroes for
soldiers, and such commanders, who shall
say that defeat is ever possible again!
Night came, at last, and closed the
scene. The result Of the days work may
be summed up briefly as follows:
Lee had been attacked on his own
chosen ground, and our center had driven
the Rebel lines more than one mile. The
Army of the Potomac fought with res,
olution never before equalled during the
war,
Our left was pushed back but very
slightly. The great strategic movement
had been completely foiled. Not more
than two-thirds of our forces had been
engaged during the day.
FRIDAYS BATTLE.
The battle of Friday was yet more des-
perate than that of Thursday. 1t was
commenced at early daybreak on our ex,
treme left by a determined attack by the
enemy with musketry and artillery. The
attack was met by the Sixth corps and by
portions of the First and Fifth, the Third
lying close at hand 10 reserve. The bat
tie ragged fercely at this point for nearly
three hours, when the enemy fell back
Welding to US the whole of the battle
field of that morning, as we'll as of the
previous day.
Nearly simultaneously y with the opening
of the attack on the left, movements were
discovered on the right, indicating that
an effort was making to flank our position
iu that direction. Our artillery on Gem
etery Hill, a commanding position, at
once opened, throwing heavy yollieS Of
shell over and to the north and east of
the town. AT this point We had eight or
ten batteries in position, covered by earth
works. The enemy responded brlskly to
our cannonading, but with little effect.
They, however, pressed Their columns on
to the right, aud very soon our infantry
poured on that flank and were earnestly
engaged The contest here was even
more earnest and continuous than on the
left. The Twelfth and portions of the
Eleventh Corps withstood the shock, Civ
ing not an inch of ground to their as
sailants.
The fight ragged here on the face Of a
mountain densely wooded, from the sum
nit Of which batteries could command
our position on Cemetery Hill. 1t was
evidently with view of gaining this pO-
sition that the enemy made the assault.
For this purpose Hills corps, that had
fought on the right to re-enforce Early,
and as the scheme was developed it ap-
peared that the attack on the left was In
tended merely as diversion to cover
this movement.
In this struggle our reserved artillery
was brought into play, and did most eX-
cellent service from impromptu positions
on the elevated points back of Cemetery
Hill, shelliDg the face of the mountain
where the enemy were supposed to be.
This reserve FIRE Of shell, added to the
steady and unfinching ardor Of the
Twelfth corps, ultimately checked the
vastly superior force Of the enemy who
for an hour or two had been gradually
advancing. At this critical juucture,
about eleven o'clock in the forenoon one
or two brigades Of New York troops, sup
posed to be militia from Pennsylvania,
arrived and were immediately thrown into
position to re-enforce the right wing,
which was so badly pressed. This assis,
tauce determined the fate OF the day. The
enemy quailed before it, and soon the
curling smoke that marked the line Of the
contest began to recede, surely indicating
that the enemy were falling back; but
they gave way slowly, fighting at every
step and thus the battle ragged for hours
and until afternoon, when the enemy
abandoned the field in that direction.
But they did not yield the day. For a
period hostihties seemed to be suspended ;
but the suspension was very brief.
The rebel columns seemed to be moved
as if by magic, and within an hour the
whole force was massed directly in our
front, and once more the fierce and deadly
contest opened. This time it was an as
sault along the entire line-a last resort,
the forlern hope Of the enemy. The
Union troops fought like heroes, and, in
spired by success, they had no thought
of defeat. They could have withstood
three times the force the enemy hurled
against them. 1t was mere play for them
to drive back the columns of the rebels,
and at five o'clock, after more than twelve
hours constant fighting, the contest ter
minated, the national troops victorious at
every point, and ha0i"J meariy the entire
battle feld IN their possession
At the close of the action General Lee
sent in flag of truce asking a suspension