Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-07-23

to fall back short distance, aban-
doning several riae-pits and an ad.
vantageous position to the enemy,
who, naughty over his advantage, and
made desperate by defeat in other
quarters, then made a last strug-
Cling charge against that division Of
our right wing. commanded by Gen.
Geary. Gen. Geary's troops immor-
talized themselves by their resistance
to this attempt. They stood like ada
mant, a moveless, death-dealing ma
chine, before whose volleys the rebel
column withered and went down by
hundreds. After slaughter incon-
ceivable, the repulse of Ewell was
complete, and he retired at 10 o'clock,
p. NJ, to the position before referred
to. The firing from all quarters of
he field ceased soon after that hour,
and no other attack was made until
morning.
THE BATTLE OF FRIDAY.
This last engagement has been the
fiercest and most sanguinary of the
war. 1t was begun at daylight by
Gen. Slocum, whose troops, maddened
by the loss of many.comrades, and ca
ger to retrieve the position lost by
them on the preceding evening, ad-
vanced and delivered destructive
fire against the rebels under Ewell
That Generals entire force responded
with charge that is memorable even
beyond those made by them yester-
day. TWAS desperation against cour-
age |! The fire Of the enemy was
mingled with yells, pitched even
above its clangor. They came on,
and on, while the national troops,
splendidly handled and well posted,
stood mistaken to receive them. The
fire with which they did receive them
was SO thick as to envelope the ranks
of its deliverers with pail that shut
them from sight during the battle which
ragged thenceforward 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 rcb-
el infantry threw themselves into it
again and again in vain. Back, as a
ball hurled against rock, these mass
es recoiled and were reformed to be
hurled anew againgt it, with fierce
ness unfruitful Of success-fruitful Of
carnage, as before.
The strong position occupied by
Gen. Geary, and that held by Gen.
Birney, met the first and hardest as
sanlts, but only fell back short dis
tance, before fearful odds, to read
vance, to re-assume and to hold their
places in company with Sykes divis-
ion of the 5th corps and Humphreys
Berry's old division, of the Sd, when,
judiciously reinforced with artillery,
they renewed and continued the con-
test until its close. 1t seemed as if
the gray.uniformed troops, advanc-
ed aud re-advanced by their Off
GERS up to the very edge of smoke in
front Of our infantry, were impelled
by some terror in their rear, which
they were as unable to withstand as
they were to make headway against
the fire in their front. 1t was hard to
believe such desperation voluntary
1t was hard to believe that the cour-
age which withstood and defeated it
was mortal.
The enemy gradually drew forward
his whole line until in many places
hand-to-hand conflict ragged for some
minutes. His artillery, answered by
ours, played upon our columns with
frightful result, yet they did not wa
yer. The battle was in this way
evenly contested for o time, but, at
moment when it seemed problemati-
cal which side would gain the victory,
a reinforcement arrived and were
formed in line in such a position as to
enfilade the enemy and teach him at
last the futility of his efforts. Disor-
dered, routed and confused, his whole
force retreated, and at III o'clok the
battle ceased, and the Stiffness Of death
ensued. The silence continued until
9 o'clock p NJ. At this moment the
rebel artillery from all points, in a
circle radiating around our own, be-
gan terrific and concentrated fire
on Cemetry Hill, which was held, as
previously stated, by the llth and Cd
corps. The atmosphere was thick
with shot and shell. The hill, which
seemed alone devoted to this rain of
death, was clear in nearly all it's un-
sheltered places within five minutes
after the fire began.
Our batteries responded immedi-
ately. Three hours Of cannonading
ensued. exceeding in ferceness any
ever known. Probably three hun
dred cannon were fired Simultaneous
ly until o'clock, when the rebel in-
fantry were again seen massing in the
woods fronting our center, formed by
the lst and Cd corps. Gen. Double
days troops met this charge with the
same heroic courage that had SO Of
ten repelled the enemy in his despe-
rate attempts. The charge was made
spiritedly. but less venomously than
before. Gen. Webb. commanding the
I'd brigade, I'd division of the Cd corps,
met the stern fury of the attack with
a steady fire that served to retard the
enemy's advance for moment. That
moment was occupied by the rebel
General Armistage, in steadying his
troops behind the fence. Gen. Webb
Immediately ordered charge, which
was made with such eagerness and
swiftness, and supported by such num-
bers Of our troops as enabled us par
TALLY to surround the enemy, and cap
ture Gen. Armistage and 5000 of his
men. The carnage which accompa-
MED this charge and the terror inspir-
ed by it were so great, as to reduce
numbers of the foe to actual coward
ice. They fell upon their knees and
faces, holding forward their guns and
begging for mercy, while their escap-
cd comrades, panic-stricken, and ut
terly routed. rushed down across the
bitches and fences, through the fields
and through Gettysburg. Not col
Il II. Al