The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-11-17

" ~sCsSySOubSs
cen.'Meades official report Of the battle II Get
ty'hav h published in the Northern papers. We
yesterday gave a summary Of the results as stated
BY Nm, and tn day publish, a. u xery interesting
matter Of history, his report. He says:
The Confederate army, which was commanded
BY Gen. X. 4. Lee. was estimated at over one hun
dred Thousand strong. Al that army had cross.d
land Valley Reliable intelligence placed his aa-
vance thus :-Ewelis corps on the Susquehannah
Harrisburg, and Columbia. Longstrcet's corps ai
Chambersbnrs, and Hills corps between that place
The 2sih Of June was spent In ascertainlng the
POSITIONS and strength Of the different corps Of the
army, but principally In bringing up the cavalry
which had been covering the rear OF the army In
its pas sage over the Potomac and 10 which large
increase had just been made from the force pfevi
ously attached TO the defences OF Washington
Orders were given on this day to Maj0r-tsenera
French, commanding at IIarper's Ferry, to move
with seven thousand men to occupy Frederick ard
the line Of the Baltimore and Ohie railroad with
the balance of his forces, cstmatsd at four thou
thousand, to remove and escort public property to
Washington.
On the 29ih the army was put in motion, and on
the evening Of that ddy II was In position, the lett
nt Emmcftsbufg, and the right at New Windsor.
Buford's division Of cavalry was ON the left flank
with his advance at Gettysburg. kilpatrick's di
vision was In the front at Hanover, where nc en-
coantered Gen. Stuar's Confederate cavalry, which
passing our right flank, was making its way to-
wards Carlisle, having escaped Gregg's division,
which delayed In taking position on the rig u
flank. by the Occurafion Of the rsads BY column
Of infantry.
On the Both the right flank OF the army was
ed up To Manchester, the lett still; being at En-
melisbutg, or in that vicinity, at which place three
corps Fret, Eleventh, and Third, were collected
under the orders of Major General Reynolds. G-n
otal Butnrd having reported from Gettysburg ihe
importance of the enemy on the Cashtown road In
some force, General Reynolds was directed 10 oc-
cupy Gettysburg. On reaching that place, on the
LIST day of July, General Reynolds found BuiOrd's
cavalry warmly engaged with the enemy, who had
debouchcd his infantry through the mountains on
tashtOwn but was being held In check In the most
gallant manner by Bu!Ord's cavalry. Major Gen.
reynolds Immediately moved around the town o!
Gettysburg, and advanced on the CashtOWn road:
aud without a momcnt's hesitation dePioyed MS
advanced division, and attacked the enemy, at the
same time sending orders 10 the Eleventh corps,
General Howard, ~ advance as promptly As posi-
b,e soon after making his dispositions for attack,
Major General Reynolds fell mortaliy wounded,
The command of the FIRST corps devoving on Ma
inr- General Doubleday, snd the command OF the
field on Major General Howard, who arrived about
this time (ll:io A. M with the Eleventh corps,
then commanded by Major General Shurz. Major
Gen, raj Howard pushed forward two divisions Of
the Eleventh ccrps to support the First corps now
warmly engaged with the enemy on Il ridge to the
north of the tU,yr, and posted his Third division,
with three batteries Of artillery, on the cemetery
ridge on the south side of the town.
I'm To this time the battle had been with the for
ces of the enemy debouching from the mountains
on The Cash,uwn road, known to DE HIPS corps.
In the early part of the action the success was on
the enemy's side. Wadsworth's division OF the
First corps havny driven the enemy back some
distance, captured numerous prisoners, among
th, m General Archer, of tire Confederate army
The arrival Of feinfOrcrnents to the enemy on the
Cashtnwn road, and the junction Of Ewel.'S corps
coming in on the Yorkand Harrisburg roads, which
occurred between one and two O'Clock p. NJ, en-
ablcd the enemy 10 bring vastly superior forces
against both the First and Eleventh corps, out
hanking our line of battle and pressing it so sever
Iy that about four O'Clock r. NJ. Major General
Howard deemed 1t prudent To withdraw these TWO
corps 10 the cemetery ridge, on the south side OF
the town. which operation was successfully ac-
compiished: not, however, without conslderaae
loss In prisoners, arising from the confusion incl
dent 10 portions of both corps passing through the
town, and the men getting confused ~ she streets.
About the time of the withdrawal, Major GeneIAi
Hancock arrived, whom i had dispatched 10 re-
prescn, me on the field. on hearing of the death of
General Reynolds. In conjunction with Major
General Howard, GeRcrai Hancock proceeded 10
post the troops on Cemetery Ridge and TO repel AN
ATTACK that the enemy made on our Tlght Dahk--
This attack was NOT, however, very vigorous, the
enemy seeing the strength OF the position occupied,
see-,i to be satisfied with the success he had ac-
eompiis;;sd, desistng from any further attack this
day.
and Sickles, with the Twelfth Corps and part oi'
the Third, reached the gE"uad aud to"k post on
Being satisfied, from reports received from the
field, that il was the intention Of The enemy 10
support with his whole army, the attack already
m.de, and reports from MAJOR HeneIa! uantock
f.vnyatIe d tefInined To give battle at this point,
aud early In the evening hrst issued orders U all
rurus 10 concentrate AT Gettysburg, directing all
trains 10 be to the rear at westminster, al II
p NJ. first Broke up my headquarters, which Till
,hen had becp at J1neytOwn, and proceeded to thc
field. arriving there a, A. Of the seconds- SO
soon as 1t was iighi proceeded 70 ihsEect tue po
si,ion and 10 make arrangements for posting seYe-
raj cOrps as they should reach the ground By
4. NJ the Second and Fifth corps, with the rest Of
the Third, had reached the ground, ana were
posted as folio4s The Eleventh Corps retained us
position Oh Cemetery Ridge, Just oppaHte To the
Town the First corps was posted on me risht; the
Eleventh on an elevated Knoll connecting with
the ridge and extending 10 Ill" s0uih ana east, ON
which the Twelfth corps was placed the right ofthe
Twelfth corps resting On small stream at point
where II crossed the Baltimore pike, and which
formed on the right flank OF the Twelfth something
of obstacle.
sout,,.ytsteriy direction, gradually diminishing in
elevation iii t. Game to very prominent ridg"
called " Round Top" r1nning east and west The
0d and 81 corps were directed 10 occupy the con
fnuaiioko of Cemetery Ridge on the left ct the lth
corps ma 5th corps. Pending their arrival the 1tii
CORPS was held Id reserve. While these disposi
tioas were being made t4s cgrRy was massins SIN @ MS
occnpied by W from mile TO a miie and i'f.
AtsP. n. the CHI corps arrived, after march
of thirty two miles, which was accomplished IRON
9P NJ. OF the day preyions. e!n lls aIrivas being
renortcd Immediately directed the 5th corps ~
move over to our extreme leit and the btn 70 oc,
cupy its place as reserve for the iight. About
r III rode out to the extreme ieit I'd a~ All gis
arrival OF ti,s 5ih corps and post IT, WHEN ioaaa
that Major General Jickies, commanding tiie 81
CORPS not fully apprehehllng my Instructions In
regard 10 the position 70 be occupied, nae aa-
yancea, or rather was In the act Of a4vancine MS
corps some half mile or three 4uaiters g h.a ah
the front Of the line of the ID corps 0n IEWqngs
ton which IL was designed his corps should resi-.
Hayicv found Major-(seR. sickles, l was ex
claiming 10 i.ss that he TOO far In the advance,
and discussing Yih h as .Gp'1e h,m 81 win, Win
several batteries IN his front and i,is aahE, ana
smmaa,ateiy brought = prward columns Of infantry,
and made vigorous assault. Ihe "a corps c sus
tained the shock sH0sf hefolcaty. !'vops M"n'
the ID CORPS were iMn.e9latciy sent by MAJOR.
Cen. Hancock to cover the rig~S ftank OF !he 1a
co,ns. and soon after the assault commenSeis. me
5,h corps nosa fortunately arrived. and took p"-
siiion On the leff oi the Major Gen. Sykes com
maadlne, Immediately sending inrfe 70 occupy
g .sR"mnd Ton,, ridge, where most furious contest
was mainlainea, the enemv making desperate pu'
ussl,cc esstul efforts - secure II. nsWIths.a,"
imr i,e stuhbofn resistance .! the "a corps unaer
Major Gen. Biraey, lAYorIi ,ian S sxneror;,s nn Is
numbers Of corps Of the cnessy e9s9.iAe nig ~
amtt]ank It's advanced position. Gen. Difnsy W.
comaselel tO fall back and reform Dehihd thc inc
Originally desired ~ be held. ..,,o,s
ofthe enemy, the 9Th corps, Mal,I Eep. sed&M.enI,
and Fart of tho ist corps, 70 which nad a.skgssa
Major Gen YeWtOn, particularly LockWo0S's wv
Maryland BRIGADE lssi. w,'n ss rsns
Rods. sAS saceseded, together With ss!!agf r
sisaance of the 18th corps, In checking, ana lnany
rcplsins the assault s the enemy, who sstssed ~
confusion and disorder sb9Yt sunset, ana ceased
Ar.~fo fu0ae orfy a m