The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1863-07-17

thrown at the cemetery EXPERIENCED soldiers
soon OWNED what was coming, and in every
portion Of the Federal line the cannon were d.
rected towards the valley in front of the ceme.
| terry. All were ready. Amid the furious fire
from the Confederate cannon, scarcely FEEDER
| al shot was heard. The artierists, Implements
in hand crouched in the little bitches dug behind
their cannon. With arms loaded, the infantry
awaited the charge
| 1t soon came. From the woods of Short scrub.
| by timber, and the rocks near the seminary
there rose a YELL 1t was long, loud unre-
mitting, hideous screech from thousands of vol
ces. Atthe yell, the Federal cannon opened.
Soon the cnemy's columns emerged from the
woods. They came on a rush down the hill,
waving their arms and still screeching. They
climbed fences and rushed along, each one bent
| npon getting first into the cemetery The can
| uon roared, grape, and canister and spherical
case fell thick among them. Still they rushed
onward, hundreds falling out of the line They
came within musket shot of the Federal troops
Then the small arms began to rattle. The Con-
! federates approached the outer line of works
They were laboring up the hill. AS they noun
ted the low bank in front of the rifle pits, the
| Federal soldiers retreated out of the ditch be
hind, turning and firing as they went along
1t was a hand-to-hand conflict. Every man
fought by himself and for himself. Myriads of
the enemy pushed forward down the hill, across
into the works and up to the cemetery. All
were shouting, and screaming, and swearing,
elashing their arms and firing their pieces. The
enemys shells flew over the field upon the Fed
eral artersts on the hills above These, al
most disregarding the storm which ragged around
them, directed all their fire upon the surging
columns of the enemy's charge. Every avail
able cannon on the Cemetery hill and to the
right and left, threw its shot and shell in the
valley. The fight was terrible; but despite every
effort the enemy pushed up the hill and across
the second line of works. The fire became hot
ter. The fight swayed back and forth. One
moment the enemy would be at tide railings of
the cemetery; then rush from the Federal side
would drive them down into the Valley. Then,
with one of their horrible screeches, ,Ithey would
fercely run up the hill again, into the cemetery,
and have fierce battle among the tombstones.
1t was the hardest fight Of the day, and hun
dreds were slain there. Reckless daring, how
ever, will not always succeed. Several attempts
were made to take the place, but they were not
successful; and late in the afternoon, leaving
dead and wounded behind them, the enemy's
forces slowly retreated up their own hill and
into their woods again.
They were not routed They can scarcely
be said to have been driven. They had made
| an attack and been repulsed, and after renewed,
attempts, feeling that it was useless to try any
more, they retreated. 1t was now General
AIeade's turn to make an attack. Though they
had lost heavily, his soldiers felt elated. They
saw hopes of "a victory; and were ready to do
almost anything to secureit it. Although there
had been so fierce a battle in the valley before
Gettysburg, yet the town was as quiet and as
much deserted as ever. Shells flew over it,
and now and then one of its houses would have,
a wall cracked or a roof broken, but neither
force possessed it. General Meade turned his
attention there. The day was waning and the
battle had lulled, and he determined, if possible,
to drive the enemy out of the seminary. His
troops were placed in order, and charged down
the hill and into the town. They ran along
every street chasing few of the enemy, still
hid there, before them. They came out from
tho west side, along the 'STape worm" and the
Emmittsburg and Chambersburg roads, and
ascended the enemys hills amid storm of
grape and shell. At the seminary the Confed-
crates were not very strong They had weak
ened that portion of the line to make their
attack further to the south, upon the cemetery.
They had but few cannon; and though they re-
sisted some time, they finally retreated from
the edge of the hill and abandoned the SEM
mary. The Federal troops did not chase them.
The land back of the seminary was rather flat,
and cut up into grain fields, with here and there
a patch of woods. The riae-pits on the brow
of the hill proved an effectual aid to the FEEDER
al soldiers in maintaining their ground and as
they lay behind the bank, with the ditch in
front. they could pick off the straggers from the
retreating enemy. There was but little serious
fighting after this, and night put an end to Fri
days struggle, the Confederates having retired
about mile on the north, near the seminary,
and half mile on the SOUTH at the little stream.
During the night the dead in the streets of Get
tysburg were buried, and the wounded on all
parts Of the field were collected and carried to
the rear. On the next morning General Meade
expected another attack, but instead of making
it the enemy retreated further, abandoning
their entire line of battle and the pickets repor-
ted that they were entrenching at the foot of
South mountain. The Federal army was ter
ribly crippled and sadly in want of rest, and no
advance was made, atho' pickets were thrown
out across the enemy's old line of battle, and
towards the place where they were building
entrenchments. All day was spent in feeding
and resting the men. Gettysburg was turned
into waste hospital impromptu ones were made
at dozen places on the field The rain came,
too, and with it cool air and refreshment both
from wind and rain. No one could tell what
the enemy was doing; every picket reported
that they were entrenching, and the night of
the 4th of July closed upon the field with it in
Federal possession.
TIE LOSSES.
1t is very difficult to make any estimate Of
the losses in any contest, but from all that can
ha Iaarnod tbo nn,,bar of tiI1od ,ynundoI opl