Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-07-10
The RattIe or FrIdax.


As one who stands in tower and looks
down upon lengthy pageant marching
through a thOronghfare, fuds it impossible
at the close TO recall in order the appear
ances and the incidents of the scene. so l,
who sit this evening on a camp stool beside
the ruins of the monument against which /
leaned, listening to the robin of yester-
day, find it impossible to recall with dis
tinctness the details of the unparalleled
battle just closed. The conflict, Waged by
l60 00O men, which has occupied with
scarcely an interval of rest the entire day,
from A. n. until O'Clock this evening,
contains so much, so near, aud such vOlu :
minOus matter of interest as one mind eau
not grasp with' ut time for reflection.
This last engagement has been the
6ercest and most sanguinary of the war
1t was begun at daylight by General Slo
cum, whose troops, maddaned by the loss
of many comrades, and eager 70 retrieve
the position lost by them on the preceding
evening, advanced aud delivered destruc-
i've FIRE against the rebels under EweIl.
That generals entire force responded With
charge that is memorable even beyond
those made by them yesterday. II was
desperation against courage!
The fire OF the enemy was clangor.-
They came on, and on, and on, while the
national troops, splendidly handled and
we'll posted, stood Cnshaken to receive :
The fire with which they did receive them
was SO rapid and So thick as to envelope
the ranks of its deliverers with q pail that
shut them from sigbt during the battle
which ragged thencetorward for six dreary
hours. Out Of this pail no straggler came
to the rear The line scarcely flinched
from its position during the entire conflict
Huge masses of rebel infautry threw them
selves toto it again aud again in vain
Back, as ball hurled against Il rock. these
masses reeOiled. and were reformed TO be
hurled anew against it with fereeness
unfruiIfuI of success-fruitfuI of carnage.
as before. The strong position occupied
by General Geary, and that held by Gen
eral Biruey, met the frst and hardest rs
saults, but Ohly fell back short distance
before fearful odds, to re-adVance, TO re-
assume and to hold their places iD cOmpa-
ny with Sykes division Of the Fifth corps
aud Humphreys (Berry's old divisioul OF
the Third, when, judiciOusly reinforced
with artillery, they renewed and continued
the contest until It's close. II seemed as if
the gray uniformed troops. who were ad
Vanced aud re-adVaneed by their Officers
up to the very edge of the line of the smoke
in front of our infantry, were iwrelled By
some terror in their rear, which they were
as unable to withstand as they were 70
make headWsy against the ERE in their
trout. Il was hard to believe such desper-
alton voluntary. II was harder 70 believe
that the courage which wiIhstood and de
feated il was mortal.
q The enemy gradually drew forward his
whole line until in many places a hand 20
hsnd conflict ragged for minutes. His ar
tillery, answered by ours, played upon our
columns with frightfnl result, yet they did
not waver. The battle was in this way
evenly contested for atime, but at mo
ment when il seemed probfematicat which
side would gain the victory, reinforce
ment arrived aud were formed in line al
such position as 70 enGlade the enemy
aud teach him At last the f1tility of his
efforts. .DisOrdered, routed, aud confused,
his whole force retreated, aud at IL o'clock
the battle ceased and the stiffness Of death
ensued The silence continued until 2
P. n. At this moment the rebel ARTILLERY
from all points, in q circle rAdiating around
our own, began q terrific and concentrated
fire on Cemetery Hill. which was held, rs
| have previously stated, by the Eleventh
| and Second corps. The flock of pigeons,
| ybich not ten minutes previous bad dark
ened the sky above, were scarcely thicker
than the fock of horrible missiles that
now, instead of sailing harmlessIy above,
descended upon our position. 80 ~. - :.
The atmosphere was thick with shot and
shell. The siorm broke upon rs so sud
denly that soldiers and ofiesrs-Who Ieaps
ed, as it began, from their tents, or from
i lazy siestas on the grass-Were stricken 10
their rising with mortal wounds and died.
! some with cigars between their teeth, some
1 with pieces Of food in their fingers, and
one at Ieast-a paIc young German, from
4 PennsylVania-Witha a miniature Of bis sis-
ter in his hands, that seemed more meet 20
grasp an artist's Peoeil than musket.-
Horses fell, shrieking such awfnt cries as
Cooper told Of, and writhing themselves
Il about in hopeless agony. The bOards oi
fences, scattered by explosion, few 10
spiiuters through the air. The earth, t0rr
mn in clouda, blinded the ewes of hurrVino