Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-07-17
The Ge+rvshure RattIe

The following general sketch of the Ge!tys-
burg battle. between the Union army and the
rebels under LEE, we take from the battle
field correspondence Of the New York Times:
As the details, the incidents and the gener-
al history of the great victory are brought to
light, it is clearly defined as the most hotly
contested and destructive engagement of the
great rebellion. The peculiar feature of the
battle is the ferocity and desperation with
which it was fought by both armies, and the
glorious issue places the lustre of the Nation
al arms, and the valor of the Army of the Po-
tomac in the imperishabe annals of the brilli-
ant in history.
The battle occupied three days. Six hours
fighting on Wednesday, four hours on Thurs
day, and including the artillery firing on Fri
day, thirteen hours on that day, making to-
tai of tweuty-three hours, during which the
battle ragged with extreme fury.
The momentous and decisive part of the
battle was on Friday. It began really at day,
light, and continued until ten o'clock, the prin'
cipal part of the musketry firing being on the
right, with Slocum's corps. A lull of three
hours followed, during which the enemy mass.
ed their artillery on our centre, held by Han
cock, with the Second, and Newton with the
First corps At one O'Clock one hundred and
twenty guns opened on that position. and rain
ed shot and shell in perfect deluge for one
hour and forty minutes.
The field, full of the greatest incidents and
the scene of the most desperate fighting was on
the centre, in front of Hancock and Newton,
against whom Longstreet's corps was precipi'
r1a - from fhaf nf
division in line of battle; there were two such
lines, and a very heavy line of skirmishers, al
most equal to another line of battle. Ont Of
their concealment in the woods they came a.
cross the open fields and up the gentle crest on
the top of which was our line-a weak line of
men behind a line of defenses hastily thrown
up and composed partially Of stone walls, par
TALLY of natural projections of soil and rock
The first charge was repulsed; the line broke
and fell back before it reached point two
thirds the way over. A second line was form
ed, the officers came to the front, and with the
outset of fierce and brutal hearts they rushed.
Our men looking with astonishment, while
fighting with great vigor; their line was dan
gerously weak; the defenees were not formida-
BILE. A few men temporarily gave way; our
dOFauC6, III SOIu0 luSlduCSo oIlSut laltCHCu'-
The artillery engaged was small in force, hav-
ing been seriously weakened during the early
part of the fight. The rebels came on so close
that their expressions of fierce rage were plain
Iy distinguished; some of them actually gained
the inside of the first walI-but they never
returned Our immortal men, uerved to de-
gree of desperation, never before equaled, pour
ed fourth such devastating fire, and the artil-
lery Joined with its terrible canister, that the
two lines of the foe literally sank into the
earth. OF the divisions of Pickett and Heth,
who made that charge, composed of eight
brigades, positively not two brigades returned
uninjured across the field. The color bearers
of thirty-ive rebel regiments, who were in the
charge, were shot down, the colors fell on the
field, and were gathered by the victorious vet
erans of the Second corps. Being repulsed
large numbers of the enemy started back on
the retreat, but our fire was so destructive that
they fell on their faces, or again rushed about
and impIored mercy at our hands as prisoners
of war. Seven Colonels of rebel regiments
were buried on the field, eight more were cap
tured, besides those who were wounded anC
| crawIed or were taken off,