The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-07-21


day evening" between Gen. Jones and the enemy>s
cavalry, artillery and infantry. The hsn6 iAS''u
two hours, and the Yankees we're driven OFT.
The line of battle at Gettysburg reached over
field fully six miles long. The enemy being COM
posed Of the flower of the Yankee army and the
New York and Pennsylvania militia; their battle
cry being, eight for your homes"
| A plumber Of contrabands have been captured
in Maryland and Pennsylvania, and each day sees
more arriving
The Baltimore American of Saturday, repre-,
scnts it is sad their loss al fully fifteen thousand
rsen in the first two days fights.
WINCHESTER, July 8.
Our army is certainly now at HaserstoWn'
Boonsboro and Frederic, Md, and seem to be on
the route to Baltimore. My own impression Is
that the great battle Of the war will be fought at
or near the Relay House, the prizes at stake being
nothing less than Baltimore and Washington
The positions which the enemy held at Gettys-
burg in the last two days battles were quite M
prcgnaL1e, and Gen Lee has done wisely in chang
ing his base and forcing the enemy to meet him On
faircr field. There is also another reason
assigned for change of position, but, tor pfu-
Dental reasons, will withhold it.
The great loss of general, field and staff officers
was unavoidable, on account of our position being
so we'll commanded and, indeed, raked by the
enemys batteries, and not because ofany necessity
to expose themselves in order to get the troops
forward; for all concur that the men nefer fought
better or charged harder or faster.
Our army, of course, quartered on the enemy;
and our men report that they found no difficulty
in getting whatever they wanted to eat. Grazing
was fine, and wheat and corn was to be found In
abundance Horses however, were rather scarce,
the most of them having been stampeded. The
able bodied men in the towns nearly ali left.
Butter was purchased for ten cents per pound In
Confederate money and molasses could be readily
bought for 81 per gallon, in Chambersburs.
The battle field occupied by US is represented to
have been plain, and our severe loss is attrlb-
uted to the fact that we had to charge over this
long plain, which was completely commanded by
the enemy's guns and up the steep mis-. ANA yet
this was accomplished, and but for our thinned
ranks it is said, we could have held the fortica-
cations into which we certainly at one time
tered.
Our artillery, which first so distinguished itself
at Charlottesville, is said to have laurels
here, and to have placed beyond cavil its great
efficiency a leading arm Of the service. This,
indeed is believed to have been of the severest
artillery fights of the war.
The proportion Of wounded is much greater than
in any previous .ht Of the war. Our loss in
killed is small compared with the wounded Our
loss in prisoners, it is thought, will reach at least
three thousand.
WISCHEsTER, July 10.
have learned bnt little additional from the
great battles since yesterday The wounded are
still coming in, and such are but slightly dis
ablcd and can walk sent forward to- Staunton.
A good many still behind and viii doubtless
continue to arrive here for several days yet. | am
told by several Of the wounded that the ladies of
Gettysburg were quite kind to our wounded, and
the ladies of Maltusburg, in this State, are also
said to be showing them some attention as they
pass through.
am told that our loss in the way of artillery |
horses is very heavy. Some say as many as three
The horses which VIC found in Pennsylvania are
said to have been of the most ordinary and I'M
serviceaLle description.
| think, from what [ have been able to see and
from what [ can gather that loss will reach vat
least ten and perhaps twelve thousand men.
The fighting Of all the troops, [ have before
said, is spoken of in the highest terms of praise,
and by none, it is said, with more commentator
than the Gencral-in- Chief Just here, it may not |
be out of place for me to say, that | have yet to
see the first soldier who does not believe that Gen.
Lee will not yet accomplish his object whatever
that may be.
The impression here now is that Gen. Lee is
moving on to Baltimore. If this be true, it is
most likely the enemy will deliver him battle at
some point which will be likely to cover both
Baltimore and Washingt probably at the
Monocacy.
There are said to be certainly FIVE thousand
prisoners the river, and more reported to
be moving under strong guard.
The SITUATION IN MARYLAND.-The Presi-
dent received letter from Gen. Lee, on Saturday,
(says the Richmond Enquirer of the 14th), which
puts to rest all anxietes in relation to the situa-
ton of our army in Maryland and confirms the
which have been made, that our army
has been uniformly victorious in its encounters
with the enemy In Pennsylvania. The letter
states, in effect, that the engagements at Gettys-
burg resulted in defeating the enemy completely,
in killing and wounding number far exceeding
our own, and in the capture Of large number of
prisoners; that the falling back of our army to
Hagerstown prudential move, not occasioned
by any success on the part of the enemy
aud not through any apprehension of con
ngehcies arising which might ensure his success
!: tina; point. The gist of the letter, in few
words, is that the enemy even more thoroughly
'ut up and whipped than he has ever been upon
Southern soil, and that the occupation of Hagers-
own was movement dictated by strategy aud
prudence, essential to the success of the cam
oaign The secret involved in this movement may
rs we'll be left to Gen. Lee to devclope in his own
good time. The prisoners in our hands and on the
way here, are, understand estimated at between
$4,000 and $4,000. The army is in fine spirits
md excellent condition
ANOTHER ACCOUNT