Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-07-24
Che Ohio 3tatesnta,r
The Battle of Gettysburg-A Rebel State-
ment-Letter from Gen. Lee.
[Eron the Richmond Dianatch InIu 1a1

From the Richmond Dispatch, July 1871
| We have no official account OF the battle oil
Gettysburg, although we should think the au
thorities must surely have received one before
this. But many wounded oficers--some Of
them men OF great intelligence-hav arrived,
and from comparison of their statements We
are enabled to make out the following facts: .
The battle of Gettysburg was, on our part, q
triumphant success-an overwhelming victory.
We beat the enemy on all three of the days.
On Friday we drove him five miles, assaulted
his Notifications and carried them. He was ut
terly beaten aud discom6ted at all points. That
Gen. Lee did not continue to hold those fortfca.
tons was solely due to the fact that they were in
that mountainous country overlooked by q lofty
range of heights which entirely commanded
them. To these heights the Yankees fed for
protection, precisely as they did to their gun-
boats at Malvern Hill, aud Gen. Lee withdrew
his army for the came reason that he Withdrew
from the range of the gunboats' fire. That he
was repulsed in his attack on the intrenchments,
that he fed in disorder-that his army was de :
moralized-aFe Yankee lies of the fret maRni-
tude. They were not believed at Washington, 4,
however they might have been here, for that
city was in q state Of uncomfortable terror on
Sunday night. That Lincoln did not believe
them, is evident from his calling off all the
troops from the neighborhood OF Old Point,
save mere handful. The slaughter of the Yam
KEGS was terrible beyond all former example,
and the telegraph operator was not 60 far from
wrong when he said we had forty thousand pris-
oners, 90 had been supposed. We brought away
thirteen thousand, aud thousands were allowed
to escape. Every house in Gettysburg was fill
ed with Yankee soldiers, who had been left be.
hind when our troops entered. The soldiers,
finding Nnt that thau w Dtlhtu (oya, ara In,
concealment), rushed In and dragged them out
OF their hiding places. The enormous incum-
brance inflicted by these prisoners was one cause
of Gen. Lees retrograde march. Every officer
wno has spoken on the subject says that this
movement was not determined by anything the
Yankees had done or could do. Gen. Lee had
won the ground and could have held it, but he
chose, for military reasons, to fall back, after
having utterly broken the backbone OF the
Yankee army. Apparently he has no intention
to recross the Potomac, and Washington Is
nearer to Hagerstown than to Gettysburg.
II is stated upon good authority that our loss
In killed, wounded, and missing did not exceed
ten Thousand. II, ss the Yankees assert, we
lost four thousand prisoners, then our loss in
killed and wounded WAS only six thousand eight
hundred-a very small loss considering the
number Of combstAnts and the length of the
battle. The Yankeest took no cannon, although
they claim to have taken Eve. The pieces were
abandoned because they we're disabled, and the
horses attached to them were killed. 3.
These fell into their hands, and form the same
dismal trophies of what they pretend to con-
slider great triumph. Our army IL 10 splendid
order, and ready for another conflict. They
have not been pursued, as the Yankees falsely
stated, for they we're in no condition to pursue,
and it was, in fact, the very thing that Gen. Lee
most desired. Meade seems 10 have gone 10
parts unknown. ..-..a
From the Richmond Enquirer, July 10 ..
The President received letter from Gen.
Lee Oh Saturday, which puts TO rest all ankle
ties In relation to the situation of our army In
Mary and, and confirms the statements which
have been made, that our army has been uni
formly victorious in its encounters with the enc
my 10 Pennsylvania The letter states, in eff
feet, that the engagements at Gettysburg result
ed in defeating she enemy completely, in killing
and wouuding number tar exceeding our own,
and in the capture OF large number of PRISON
eSs; that the falling back OF Our army to Hsgers-
town was prudential move, not occasioned by
any success on the part OF the enemy, and not
through any apprehension of contingencies aris-
ing which might insure his success at that point.
The gst OF the letter, in few words is that
the enemy was more thoroughly cut up and
whipped than he ever has been upon southern
soil, and that the occupation Of Hagerstown
was movement dictated by strategy and pru-
dence, as essential to the success Of the CAM
paign. The secret involved In this movement
may az well be left to Gen. Lee 20 develop in
his own good time. The prisoners In our hands
aud on the way here. are, We understand, esti-
mated at between Is, 600 and l6, ,000 The army
is in fine spirits and excellent condition.