The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-07-21

morning of the I'd, the remainder of our army
moved up to position confronting the enemy S
entire line aud stretching around his two tanks,
General Longstreet occupying the right wing, Gen.
Ewell the left, and Gen Hill the centre, our
Division (Gen. Anderson's) being on the right of
the centre. During the early portion OF the day
the fighting was confined to slight artillery duel
ing and an occasional skirmishing between the ad.
vance pickets but about o'clock in the evening
the heavy roaring of artillery On the right and In
the CENTRE denoted that both Lorgstrcet and Hill
were engaged, and during the evening Gen. Long
street drove i'll their left wing after hard fight,
| Gen Hill holding the centre, which Immediately
confronted the enemy strong positions atthe base
/ of the mountains, and Gen. Ewell pressed into a
semi circle around the enemy's positions. The
fighting lasted until late ia the night, occasional
shots being heard until as late as II o'clock. The
loss was again heavy several of Generals being
| wounded and Gen. Barksdale killed. The
brigades of Wright and Perry Of Anderson's Di-
vision suffered very heavy, they charging aud
capturing % guns, which for want of support they
had to fall back and leave. The enemy at night
still held possession of their position at the base
of the mountains, which position proved to- be one
of most formidable nature, and one which it
would be almost impossible to carry, as ON their
right and between them and Ewell, was rugged
mountain gorge; in front they had most adlura-
BILE position for artillery which had thorough and
sweeping command Of the fields In front, while
their infantry in front of their batteries was pro.
tected by rock wall some four feet in height; on
the right Gen. Longstreet would have to carry
the mountains themselves 10 move them from their
ground.
Early on the morning of the Sd, the artillery
opened in rig hit good earnest, but subsidized,
and everything remained quiet until about twelve
o'clock, when Of the most furious cannonadln.s
that have ever heard commenced, and lasted un-
til night. General Lee attempted to carry the
enemy position this day, and some of the most
desperate charges of the took place during the
evening" some of the enemy's advanced posts be-
ing taken, portion of the rock wall being at one
time in our possession, but the heavy and concen-
trated fire Of the enemy proved 50 disastrous that
the undertaking was relinqushed In the centre
three lines Of battle advanced upon the enemyS
works, Gen. Hcath's Division forming the first
line, Gen Penders tho second, and Gen. Ander-
sons the third. Our loss heavy in this
charge, Heaths and Pender's Division suffering
quite heavy, Andersons Division not suffering
50 much, as the charge was given up be-
fore they had gotten we'll into it. Night found
the two armies in precisely the same positions they
had in the morning, no material advantage having
been gained by either side, it having been clearly
proved that tile cnemy's position could not be re-
duced Our loss this day doubtless heav-
Ter than on the previous days, a large proportion
Of officers being killed and wounded in some in
stances the commands of brigades devolving upon
Majors and that Of regiments upon Lcutenants.
General Garnett was killed, Gen. ArrIisead
MORALLY wounded, and several other Generals
wounded
The entire loss Of our army is roughly estimated
at from ten to twelve thousand, in killed, wounded
and missing, and do not think that it will exceed
that.
On Saturday. the 4th, there was no fighting,
preparations being made upon both sides for a
change of positions, and on Saturday n ght almost
the entire forces Of both armies had changed their
base Of operations. our army coming ia due
Southerly direction, while the enemy was moving
in some direction, at present unknown to me, but
[ suppose with the intent to counteract Cen Lees
future movements.
AS to the success Of the Pennsylvania campaign,
not knowing what Gen Lees intentions were do
not know what to say, though We made the enemy
ut home feel for the first time the horrors of war;
yet have been told from source that [ could
not doubt that Gen. Lee says that bis success was
complete, and that he deems this the most bril-
liaht transaction of the war
Wherever we went while in Pennsylvania the
people were terrified, and wondered greatly that
the poor, starving and weak Confederate army
could be Of such gigantic proportions-they all
saying that they thought an insignificant
race of beings, and had become almost wholly ex-
terminated. Many of the citizens had left their
homes, and wherever this was the case everything
they left behind them demolished by our ar
my; and the amount of apple butter and such
things was destroyed is beyond reckoning In
fact army has lived better within the last three
weeks than they have before for many Gay.