Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-07-08
THE BATTLE OF THURSDAY.
Special Dispatch to the New York Times.
BATTLE FIELD NEAR GETTYSBURG Pa. I
Via BALTIMORE, Friday, July 8.


Special Dispatch to the New York Times.
BATTLE FIELD NEAR GETTYSBURG PA.
Via BALTIMoRE, Friday, July 3.
Ny brief dispatches regarding the des.
perate engagement of yesterday have hard.
ly conveyed true idea of its magnitude
and character. We have now and had two
days. fighting. Nearly the whole of Wed.
nesday was thus employed by the lst and
llth Corps, with varying success, they fu
ally being obliged to fall back before great
ly superior numbers.
This morning there were strong Premou-
itions of an early engagement with the en-
emy in force, hut as the day wore away
and no positive exhibition was made by the
enemy. We began to think that perhaps
there wonld be no immediate battle after
all. We were hardly in a condition to give
battle, as all our dispositions had not been
made, Gen. Meade not having arrived on
the ground until 2 O'Clock in the morning.
| The position of our forces after the fight Of
I Wednesday was to the eastward and south
ward of Gettysburg, covering the Baltimore
pike, the Taneytown and Emmettsburg
roads, and still being nearly parallel with
| the latter. The formation OF the ground
on the right and centre was excellent for
defensive purposes. On our extreme left
the ground sloped off until the position
was no higher than the euemy's. The
ground in front of our line was a level,
open country, interposed here and there
with an orchard or a very small tract of
timber, generally eak, with the underbrush
cut away. During the day, portion of
the troops threw up temporary breastworks
and abbattis. Gen. Meade's headquarters
were at an old house on the Taneytown
road, Immediately in rear of the centre.
ESOur line was not regular in shape. In
deed the centre protruded out toward the
enemy SO as to form almost the two sides
OF triangle. Before sund0wn Gen.
Mead's headquarters proved to be the hot.
, test place on the battle field, so far ms
careless shelling was concerned.
Geu. Howard occupied, with his corps,
beautiful cemetery on II hill to the south
! of Gettysburg. Caunons thuudered,
horses pranced, and men carelessly tram
pied over the remains of the dead. From
this hill beautiful view could be obtained
of the valley, and also of a goOdly portion
of the euemy's line of battle.
| Our forces had all been concentrated on
Tuesday night, save the Fifth and Sixth
corps. The former arrived during the
morning, and the latter soon after noon.
They were all massed Immediately behind
our centre.
Whether or no it was Gen. Meade's in-
tention to attack, cannot say, but he was
hardly ready tor it before the afternoon of
yesterday. The day had become almost
dull. Skirmishiug was now and then
brisk, and the sharpshooters in the steeples
and belfries of the churches persistently
blaZed away at officers and artillery horses.
Il was by sharpshooter in a barn just
opposite Wadsworth's Division, Yesterday,
that Capt. Stevens, of the Fifth Maine Bat
both legs, below the knee, inhictiDg a se-
we're, but not dangerous wound.
At 81 o'clock, Gen Meade had received
sufficient assurances to justify him in the
belief that the rebels were concentrating
their forces on our left flank, which all felt
to be secure under the protection of the
invincible Third corps. Our line was i'm :
mediately strengthened on that flank, Gen.
Sickles' corps being sent to its support,
and several batteries from the reserve be-
ing brought out and placed in position.
At about 43 o'clock P. NJ, the enemy
sent his first compliments by a salVo of ar
tillery, his first shells falling uucomforta-
bly, near Gen. Meade's Headquarters
From this hour forth to 81 o'clock, occurr-
ed by all odds the most sanguiuary en-
gagements yet chrohicled iu the annals OF
the war, considering its short DURATION
The artillery attack which was made by
the enemy on the left and centre was rapid
ly followed by the advance of his infantry.
The Third corps received the attack with
great coolness. The rebels at once made
for our flank, and kept moving heavy col
umns in that direction. This necessitated
support, which was quickly given by the
Fifth Corps. The division of Gen. Barnes
being sent to the right, and that of Gen.
Ayers, regulars, to the left, with General
era wfnrd in reserve 9
The battle now became perfeatly fear
ful. The armies engaged each other at
very short range, aud for three long hours
the war of musketry was incesssnt, have
heard more noise, louder crashes, in othe er
battles, bpt l never saw or heard Of such
desperate tenacious fighting as took place
on this faux. The enemy would often
Z bring up suddenly heavy column of men
and force our line back, only to be in tnru
/ forced back by our own line of glittering
steel. Our gallant columns covered them
selves with glory over and over again
They fought a superior force in Numbers
The dispositions of the enemy were verJ
rapid, for look where you would on tina
field body Of, rebels would be advancing
Our dispositions were equally rapid, anC
the enemy found more than their equal il
such gallant veterans as Sickles aud Bir
I ney aud Humphreys. AT half past sil
: Gen. Sickles was struck in the right LEI
by a piece of shell, aud borne from th,
field. The Injury was so great that ampu
tsIion nbecame necessary, and it was per-
= formed successfully. The limb being takel
!, of below the knee. Wl- t--- aElf-E
The struggle grew hotter and hotter
p The Second corps was called on for aid
. aud though its owu position was strongly
II threatened, yet the First division, formerl