Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-07-09
GLORIOUS NEWS
Lee Defeated and Retreating.
lis Retreat Probably Cut Off.
ENEMY'S LOSSES VERY HEAVY.
OURLOSs NOT OVER 1000.
Full Report up to Saturday.
,cial Dispatch to the Cincinnati Gazette.


PHILADELPHIA, July 5.
The rebels are said to be completely de.
moralized and retreating rapidly toward the
Northwest, with the view of crossing Blue
Ridge Mountains, by Doubling and Meal
listers Gaps, and make their escape by way
of Cumberland and Hancock. There are
is much swollen. Many of their numbers
Farmers who have lost their property
have turned bushwackers, and annoy the
enemy very much. General Meade is said
to be following the enemy closely.
Up to O'Clock this evening the reports
received have been very conflicting, but all
agree in making it victory for us, with
heavy losses on both sides. The news from
Harrisburg state that General Couch is
pressing his troops on the enemy's 'front.'
The chances of escape seem cut off.
Columns of the enemy's army could be
distinctly seen retreating, and their wagon
trains being hurried off as fast as possible.
The battle of Wednesday was a partial
repulse to Us, not because our troops did
not fight spendidly, but simply because the
enemy very largely Outnumbered us. On
that day we were the attacking party. Gen.
| Meade arrived on the ground near midnight,
and at once resolved on making it purely
defensive battle. Gen. Howard, who, af
ter his arrival on Wednesday evening, had
the command, had selected high bluff,
South of Gettysburg on which their GENE
terry is located, and stationed his troops
there, up along that line and had placed
batteries to sweep every approach. Gen
Meade adopted this as the proper position
for his center, and at once arranged the
other corps as they came up on either side
of the cemetery hill, the outlying height.
giving to our whole line nearly the shape Of
horse shoe. The ground was quite rolling
with two or three high eminenccs, and al
forded numerous splendid positions for for
tresses.
With such dispositions we awaited the
enemy's attack. Early on Thursday fore
noon all the corps had come up and beer
placed in position, except Sedgwick s, which
had been sent beyond Westminster, undel
the impression that our army would have
to march to York to find the enemy, anc
this gave it so long detour to make thai
| it did not get up till Thursday evening
when it was placed in the rear of the center
and held in reserve.
All Thursday forenoon we had nothing
but sharp firing between the enemy's skir
mishers and our own, with occasional dis
charges of artillery thrown in when the en-,
emy pressed our skirmishers too hard
The enemy did not risk their artillery at all
There was considerable pressure through
the forenoon by some Of our division ant
corps Generals for heavy attack on tht
enemy's center, but Gen. Meade wisel,
trusted that the enemy must fight him OF
the ground he had selected, and persisted
in retaining the defensive.
About halt past five the enemy made tn,
long awaited attack, concentrating the heav
lest force on the left wing, which was natu
rally the feeblest part Of our position, and
making desperate effort to break it. Th,
result Of this has already been forwarded t.
you. 1t was unsuccessful at all points. =
They were repulsed in every attack, anC
our troops lay on their arms on the battle
field. On Friday morning by ten minute
past four the attack opened furiously on ou
extreme right, held by Slocum's corps
During the night this corps had left tn,
rife pits we had constructed on Thursday, ,tc
go to re.enforce some weaker portions o
the line. Daybreak showed the rebels il
possession of these rifle pits, and eager t
press their advantage. The fight was al
first confined chiefly to musketry, our artil
l6Ty DtiIS uuubiC W eSo WhoiC W uitCCt thCi
FIRE. From hall. past four to six the frinl
was fierce, but we were unable to regain th'
riae-p pits.
About half. past eight our batteries open
ed on the rebels in our old rife-pits. Th
rebels made several charges on our line
striving, but unsuccessfully, to drive US still
further back. From this time till half pas
ten they made sharp attack on our cente
| and right, without accomplishing anythin
i except riddling a small house occupied 70
Gen. Meade's headquarters, with she'll an
round shot From eleven to one there wa
! comparative iall. M r Our =, troops held ol o.
{ awaited further attack.
A little after o'clock they opened thei
. last and most furious atrack along tn
. whole line, center and left, and continue
: it till half past four, when, repulsed at ever
a point, they slowly retired and took up
8 defensive line half amile North of Getty,