Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-07-07
some details OF the nght at Gettys-
burg on Thursday and Friday last.
Special dispatch to the pit..burg Gazette.

Special Dispatch to the Pittsburg Gazette.
BALTIMoRE, July 5-A messenger arrived
this morning from the field of the three
days battle at Gettysburg, Pa, having left
there on yesterday ct noon. The enemy
was then believed to be retreating on the
Chambersburg turnpike and the adjacent
roads, having left one strong corps posted
in an admirable defensive position, half Il
mile or more beyond Gettysburg, present.
ing a heavy battle line to oppose our pur-
suit and protect their rGtreating columns.
This position of theirs was so strong, and
gave such opportunities for an enfiladiug
| artillery FIRE on the attacking columns, that
an open attack in front was hardly deemed
advisable, and up to Saturday at noon
had, at any rate, not been attempted. 1t
was not impossible, however, that the flank
| of this line could be turned. The columns
OF the enemy's army could be distinctly
! seen retreating, and their wagon trains al
I so were being hurried off as fast as pos
sible.
The battle of Wednesday, concerning
the results and losses of which full dis
| patch has been forwarded from the field,
was partial repulse to US, not because
the troops did not fight spleudidly, but
simply because the enemy very largely
outnumbered US.
On that day we were the attacking par
ty. General Meade arrived on the ground
near midnight, and at once resolved on
making a purely defensive battle. Gen
eral Howard, who after his arrival We'd
nesday evening had had command, had
selected high bluff south of Gettysburg,
on which their cemetery is located, and
| had stationed troops there up along that
line, and had planted batteries to sweep
every approach. General Meade adopted
this as the proper position for his centre,
and at once arranged the other corps as
they came up on either flank of the GEM
etery hill, along the outlying heights,
Uf horse shoe. The ground was quite
rolling, with two or three high emiuences,
and afforded numerous splendid positions
for batteries.
With such dispositions we awaited the
enemy's attack.
EARLY on Thursday forenoon, all the
corps had come up, and had been placed
in position, except Sedgwick's. 1t had
been sent beyond Westminster, under the
impression that our army would have to
march to York to meet the enemy, and
this gave it SO long detour to make, that
it didn't get up till Thursday evening,
when it was placed in the rear OF the centre
and held in reserve.
All Thursday forenoon we had nothing
but sharp firing between the enemy's skir-
mishers, and our own, with occasional dis
charge of our artillery thrown in, when
the enemy pressed our skirmishers too
hard. The enemy did not mask his artille-
ry at all.
There was considerable pressure through
the forenoon by some of our division and
corps Generals for heavy attack on the
enemy's centre, hut Gen. Meade wisely in
sisted that the enemy must fight him on
the ground he had selected, and persisted
in retaining the defensive.
At about half past four the enemy made
the long waited attack, concentrating their
heaviest force OF our left wing, which was
naturally the weakest part of our position
and making desperate effort to break it.
: OF the results of this engagement, dis
patches have already been forwarded to
you. We were successful at all points, and
repulsed the enemy's attack, and out
troops lay on their arms on the battle
field.
On Friday morning, by ten minutes past
four o'clock, the attack opened turiously on
our extreme right, held by Slocum's corps
During the night, this corps had left the
rifle pits it had constructed, on Thursday,
to go to reinforce some of the weakest por-
tions of the line.
Dayb1eak showed the rebels in posses
sion of their rife pits and eager to press
their advantage. The fight at first was
confined chiefly to musketry, our artillery
being unable to see where to direct theiI
FIRE. From half past four to six O'Clock
the firing was very fierce but they were
unable yet to regain the rife pits.
About half past eight o'clock our bat
Ieries opened on the rebels in our rife pits
The rebels made several charges on oul
line, striving (but unsuccessfully,) to drive
us still further back. From this time till
half-past ten, the fighting, both with mus
kerry and artillery, was terrific indeed IL
our regaining our rife pits. In the mean
time the rebels had, about half-past ter
o'clock. made sharp attack on our centre
Z and right, without accomplishing anything
except riddling small house, occupied fol
Gen. Meade's Headquarters, with she'll anC
round shot, From eleven to one O'clock i
was comparatively lull. Our troops helC
their old positions along the whole line anC
quietly awaited further attack. t,
A little after one o'clock, the rebel:
opened their last and most furious attacl
along the whole line of the centre aud tn,
left, aud continued it till twenty minutei
past four, when, repulsed at every point
/ they slowly retired, and took up defen
: sive line half mile or more to the north o
: Gettysburg. During this attack occurred
much of the most desperate fighting of thr
war. 1t was sustained on our part by tn
: Ilth corps of the centre, and the I'd, 81
|, and part of the 9th corps or the left. Th
enemy made several desperate charges, bu
y in each was broken and forced in confusion
: by our terrific artillery ERE, which We wer
Il fortunate enough more than once to get I
enflade their advancing lines. I