The New York herald., 1863-12-12

he l.se he was placed 10 the command Of the Army Of
he Potomac tl he reached Fairfax station on the 10Th
Df june few days before he relieved from the com
mand General HOOKER reported directly 10 the Presdent
and received instructions directly from him. received
70 Official Information OF his pans or OF their execution
Ia the early part Of June Lees army moved up the
south bank Of tho Rappahannock occupied Inc gaps OF
"sh a"ota moassr cina az on an interior line by
Warrent0n Junction 1bOroughfare Gap and leesonra;
but tho operatous OF both armies were 30 masked o he
that neither could OBTAIN positive
information OF the force and movements OF the other
and hartnsburg we're a. this time occupied
by simply outposs. Neither place was susceptible
OF a gooo defence Directi0us therefore given on
tho 1th OF June 10 withdraw those garrsons to harpers
Ferry but these orders obeyed and on the 18th
Winchester attacked and ts armament and part OF
the CARR s0D captured.
Leo now crossed tho Potomac wlliamsport. and
directed his march upon Harrisburg. General Hooker
followed his right naDk, covering Washington and Bal
tmore On reaching Frederick on the 2Sth of
June no at hrs own request, relieved from the oom
mand, and Major General Meade appointed in his place
During these movements cavalry skirmshes took place
At Beverly Ford, Brandy Station Berryvile and Aide,
some Of which were quite but the absence OF
detailed reports am unable TO give the osscs
either side When General Meade under the orders
Of tho President, took command OF the Army OF the Po
tomac The 18th OF Juno, was manly concentrated
at Frederick, Md. Lees army was supposed 70 oe ad
vancing agaDe Harrisburg. which was garrisoned BY
militia, upon which little or no reliance could be
placed. Ewes corps was on the west side OF the sus
Qnehanna, between that place and Columbia; Long
streets corps Chambersburg, and ills corps
between that place aud Cashowu Suarts cavalry was
n
Our force at Harpers Ferry At this time was supposed
to be about eleven thousand II was Incorrectly repre-
sented General Meade be destitute OF provisions and
that he must immediately supply il order the aban
doument Of the place. Accordingly few hours after no
up by officer Of General Rockers sta directing Gen
French TO send thousand mon Of the garrison to
Frederick, and with the remainder-cstimated ut four
ihousand-to remove and escort the public propertyto
Washington This order, based erroneous representa-
tons, was not known in Washington M TOO late 70 be
oountermanded IT, however, was not entirely executed
whom General Meade very judiciouey directed the
occupation Of that imports tant point.
On the Goth General Meades army was put in moSson,
and at night was 10 position s left Al Emnctsourg and
s right at New Windsor The advance OF Bufords caval
ry at Gettysburg, and Kpatrick's at Hano
YER where il encountered Stuarts cavalry which had
passed around tho and right Of our army without
meeting any serious opposition.
On tho J0th the First, Third and Eleventh. corps were
concentrated at Emmettsburg under General Reynolds
whilo the right wing moved 10 Manchester General Bn
Gettysburg Reynolds moved up that place
tho 10! Of July He found our cavalry warmly engaged
%
division OF tho First corps, and ordered the Eleventh
corps 10 advance promptly 10 ts support wadsworths
division had driven back the enemy some distance and
carureda large number OF prisoners, when General Rey
nolds fell mortay wounded The arrival OF Ewes corps
about this tme by tho York and Harrisburg road, com
PEELED General Howard, upon whom the command de-
volved, 10 withdraw his force, the First and Eleventh
corps, to the Cemetery Ridge, on the south side Of
slocun arrived on the field with the Third and Tweih
corps, which took position, one on the left and the
the day, however, was over General Meade arrived on
the Geld during the night with the reserves, and
he right the Eleventh corps next then The Twelfth corps
which crossed tho Rltimore pike the Second and Third
corps On the Cemetery Ridge oo the left OF the Eleventh
corps The Firth corps pending the arrival OF the sixth
form the On the arrival Of the latter about
two O'Clock p. NJ, took the place Of the Fifth which
ordered 10 take position the extreme LEFT The
enemy massed his troops exterior ridge, about
mile and half 10 front OF that occupied by General
sckes snerpretins hrs orders instead OF placing tho
Third IN the SNCOnd
IL nearly three fourths Of a mile in advancean error
which nearly proved fatal in the battle Tho eaemy at
tackled this corps and the Second with gre fury aud
was likely 70 DO utterly annihlated when the -
corps moved up tho lett and enabled TO reform be
sixth corps and part the FIRST also opportuDex
thrown into this gap and sacSeeded 10 checking the enS
s,on and disorder. Aboo. eight p y. e .ssauls was
made from the left Of the town. which was ga
sasS ss .oI rss'es GO Z. me morning. Il 'Gss ss
spirited eoT,'s', psr ,a.% % our ,os ,,s sne
osss; & points On % The 3D. % About one n. .S. enemy
opened artillery FIRE OF hundred and twenty-five
guns on our centre ana left This was followed by an
assault OF heavy Infantry column left and left cen
tre This successfully repused with terrible loss 10
the enemy his tcrmno,ed the battle, and the rebels
retired defeated from the field. The opposnE forces in
this sangunary contest equal IN numbers, and both
fought with the most desperate courage Tho command
handled their troope the field with distngu shed ab
ty; but to General Meade belongs the honor OF well
earned victory one Of the greatest and best fought bat
On the morning Of the 4th enemy apparently occa
pied line in front OF our left but 10 reality his
his wounded. His lInee. however. were not entirely
evacuated til the morning of the 5th, when the
cavalry aud tee sixth corps were sent N pursuit
al Meade in succorina the wounded and bnryng
the dead eft on the battle hed. He then started IN
pursuit Of Lee by flank movement upon Middle
town. In the meantime General French had reoccupled
Hsrpers Ferry destroyed the cnemy pontoon train
wiamsport and Falling Waters aud captured s glards
Halt day al Mtdd detOWn GENERAL Meade crossed
South Mountain and the l2th found the enemy occu-
Pyiog strong position on - heights o. Marsh run 10
position, with the swollen waters Of the Potomac his
rear without any means OF crossing his artillery and
entire army, be allowed time construct pon
bridge with lumber collected from canal tho
RUNS OF wooden houses and the morning OF the l4h
his army had crossed 10 ha south aide Of the HIS
suffered considerable lose.
thus ended the rebel campaign north of the Potomac
from which important political and military ressiis hsd
been expected Our own oss the short campaign had
been very severe, yir2<4 Killed, 1900 wounded and
6,cl3 m eng-in all % ls2. We captured three guns
forty standards, - e2i prsoners - small arms
the numbers Of bis dead and wounded Jeff On tue feld
must have been much greater than After crossBg
the Potomac lee continued b. retreat up the valley u
the Senandoah and through the gaps o the Blue Ridge,
I'll be reached tho south bank of the Pap dan near
Orange Court House when he took defensive position 10
iinued bis fank pursuit BY Harper Ferry, Berlin and
wnrenton, I'll he reached Calpepp<r Court House when
ne hANed DIS army DOT deemng u prudent 70 cfote mo
river and attack Tho enemy, who ntrepched
the south bank which completely commanded the an
breaches the Borth side During Ia advance several
cavalry skrmshss tocs place. Dot without serious loss
on either side
a considerable Iart q Lees army with
drawn 10 reinforce Bragg 10 the west bu with HE d.
mnhhod Dumbers he assumed . threatening attitude
against Meade, manouvred turn nm Gank and
forced him W fall back 70 the line Of Bull run. Having
destroyed tho 0rsns and Alexandria Railroad from
Tho hnpidan 20 hanSsas, the rebels sgain fell back
Their former position near Orange Court House Dur
ng these operations there several engage
nen between detached forcce, but general battle
October 10 and n. at Roberton river October "a, at
brandy station oc,ber ~, at Brtoe statioo october
10, al Bucsand hils october "a, st realton and the
~ dgc, and the Tth OF November
Tho south bank of that Our Ices Bystoc station
81 killed and 32o wounded. We captured Gvs Canon
wo c0ors and $50 prisoners In tte several kxrm tzhes
between the 9th and 23d of October the casua,e. In
bar cavalry oorps we're "a and $50 missing. The snsmys
oss not Known, oa, must have been heavy 40 cap
lurei many prdoners 1roop~ sent cut from HuTer
terry forced him 10 immediately retreat on the 7ih ~
November Generals sedgwck and french attacked The
snemy at Ksppabannocs station and Kelly ford, cap
arng several redoabt four guns, eight battle Tags and
about 1000 pr sonefs Our lo<e 10 kied and wounded
vas $40. The enemy reifeated to hif old postioo
Dn the kapidan ibc operations q Ogf troops West
hero be IN m atstv rou.