The free South. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1863-1864, 1863-07-18
The Battle Field at Gettysburg.
GETTYRBURG, Pa, July 6, 1868.

which Is hereafter to be one OF the proud
spots of our national history. To-day /
have passed from end to end of the whole
ground where the lines of battle were
drawn. The place bears evidence of hav-
ing been the scene of fierce struggle.
The shocks of those two masses of humani-
ty, surging and resurging, the one against
the other, could hardly pass without leav-
ing their traces in fearful characters. At
Waterloo, at Wagram, and at Jena the
wheat grows more luxuriantly and the
corn shoots its stalks further towards the
sky than before the great conflicts that
rendered those fields famous. The fields
of Gettysburg and Antietam hereafter
shall more bouEtifully reward the farmer
as he tills the soil, which has been made
richer by the outpoured blood of thou
sands of Americas sons.
FROM THE TOWN TO THE BATTLE FIELD.
Passing out of Gettsburg by the Balti-
more turnpike, we come in few steps to
the entrance of the cemetery. Little OF
the enclosure remains save the wicket
gateway. from which the gates have been
torn. The neat wooden fence first thrown
down to facilitate the movement of our
artillery became absorbed for fuel and In
various other uses, as the soldiers made
their camp on the spot.
TRACES OF THE STRUGGLE AT THE CEMETERY.
Monuments and headstones lie here
and there overturned. Graves, once care
fully tended by some loving hand, have
been trampled by horses feet until the
yestiges of verdure have disappeared. On
one grave lies dead artillery horse, fast
decomposing under the July sun. On
another lie the torn garments of some
wounded soldier, stained and saturated
with his blood.
POSITION OF CEMETERY HILL-TTS IMPoR-
TANCE.
The hill on which this cemetery is loca-
ted was the centre of our line of battle and
the key to the whole position. Had the
rebels been able to carry this point they
would have forced us into retreat, and the
whole battle would have been lost To
pierce our line here was Lees great en-
deavor, and he threw his best brigades
against it. Wave after wave of living
valor rolled up that slope, only to roll
back again under the deadly fire of our
artillery and infantry. It was on this hill,
little to the right Of the cemetery, where
occurred the charge of the famous Louisi
ana Tigers. 1t was their boast that they
were never yet foiled in an attempt to take
battery, but on this occasion they suffer
ed defeat and nearly annihilation.
THE BATTLE GROUND BEFORE Us.
From the summit of this hill large
portion of the battle ground is spread out
before the spectator. In front and at his
feet lies the town of Gettysburg, contain
ing in quiet times population of four or
five thousand souls. It is not more than
hundred yards to the houses in the edge
of the village where the contest with the
rebel sharpshooters took place. To the
left of the town stretches long valley,
bounded on each side by gently sloping
ridge. Thescrest of each ridge is distant
q good three-fourths of mile or more
from the other. It was on these ridges
that the lines of battle on the second and
third days were formed, the rebel line be-
ing on the ridge to the westward. The
one stretching directly from our left hand,
and occupied by our own men, has but
little timber upon it, while that held by
the rebels can boast of several groves of
greater OF less extent. In one of these
the Pennsylvania College is embowered,
while in another is seen the Theological
Seminary. Half way between the ridges
are the ruins of large brick building
burned during the engagement, and dot
ted about here and there are various brick
and frame structures. Two miles at our
left rises sharp elevation, known to the
inhabitants of the region as the Round
Hill. It's sides are wooded and the forest
stretches from its base across the valley
! to the crest Of the western ridge,