The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-07-11
The Battle ofGettysburg.
FULL PARTICULARS OF THE FIRST DAYS
FIGHTING.

ford's cavalry had previously driven the
rebels to the west of the town, beyond the
seminary. and between nine and ten o'ciock
A. NJ. the rebels gave the pickets pretty
sharp brush and drove them in. General
Reynolds, with the LIST Corps, was on the
road from Emmettsburg, to Gettysburg, en-
,oute to the latter place, which the road APP
proaches through the very scenes of the
conflict.
General Reynolds at once threw forward
the LIST Division under General Wadsworth
which began to drive the enemy from the
start. Very soon after the I'd Division OF
the same corps went on the right of the LIST
Division, the Sd Division on the left of the
Ist and the whole line began to advance.
Nearly west of the town, just in the out
skirts, near the seminary, of which have
spoken, is large brick edifice. South
ward from this runs piece of woods, and
the seminary stands on ridge which
slopes to the west into little open valley
of plowed fields and meadows, rich with
grass and grain. Beyond the valley is q
ridge of higher land, thicl<ly wooded. The
valley runs in a south-westerly direction,
and at it's lower extremity is large farm
house, near which the Sth Illinois cavalry
was drawn up in the field, and formed our
extreme left. Several farmhouses dotted
the same rich little valley. Across this
valley General Reynolds line advanced
somewhat hastily, almost before it was
well formed, and in that condition did not
go far until against it a heavy force OF the
rebel iy,fantry was Immediately thrown,
and General Reynolds was, in turn, driven.
But his troops retired step by step, and in
excellent order. Forward with the ut
most enthusiasm, pressed the rebel line,
eager now to turn Reynolds retirement
into rout Some of the rebels had too
much energy, and got too far, while they
roIt too al al ff,<ar inof of
ter division. the left of the same division
was suddenly swept around, and then in
closed in the handsomest manner and en-
tire rebel brigade under General Archer.
General Archer and his whole staff were
taken. About fifteen hundred of the enc
my's men thus fell into our hands. and
went to the rear. Small regiments were
Alabama Colonel was asked where the
rest of his regiment was, he responded
laconically, "Gone to He'll, SIR"
One of these prisoners said to another,
with some astonishment, "Heh! Jakey
we're fighting the Army of the Potomac
now" They seem to have thought they
had hold of the militia. The regiments
which made this capture were the 9Th Wis
consin, the Brooklyn 14th and the 95th N. Y.
Though the 1st Corps still continued to
retire, the rebel advance was broken soon
after this, and General Reynolds now pre-
pared to go forward in earnest. Apparent
Iy forgetful that he had at first only gone
in to support cavalry, he was very like to
bring on general engagement with only
one corps. Formed as before, his line
went forward and drove the enemy across
the valley and over the ridge at the further
side: but it was at great expense to us, as
the fire with which they received our fel-
lows was terribly severe. From the hill
the line of skirmishers was thrown out
some distance, and General Reynolds went
out to the line to reconnOiter, when hewas
hit by amusket ball in the back OF the
neck, and killed instantly.
In rather less than an hour after the fight
began the 18th Corps came up the same
road by which the LIST had approached, and
General Howard at once assumed COM
mand of the whole field, while General
Schurz assumed command of the 18th
Corps. General Doubleday had already
assumed command ofthe LIST Corps. Across
| the north side of the town runs a creek ON
which, shortly afternoon, it was reported
that the rebels were massing troops, ap-
parently to take the LIST Corps on its rear
To guard against an advance from that dl-
rection, General Howard sent forward the
| LIST and Sd Divisions of the 18th Corps, which
| moved across the rear of the lst Corps and
through the town, and took up position
with the 1st Division on the right. Gener-
! al Steinwehr's division, the I'd, was held as
|
| a reserve
Meantime two or three of our batteries
held a sharp pariey with the rebel batter
les posted ON the hills that encircle the town,
and the balls overshot our batteries
somewhat, and threw several shot in
among the solid people of Gettysburg
Whether it frightened them or not, cab
hardly say. ! doubt if they could expe-
rience an emotion so lively as that OF fear;
but they began to get out of the way, not
the woman and children particularly, but
stalwart, able-bodied wretches in mems
garments, were what I principally saw on
the road to the rear.
/ At about half past two o'clock, while the
batteries exchanged heavy fire and some
sharp echoes woke up the echoes on the
i right, the rebels advanced in heavy force
against the 1st Corps, which slowly re-
treated from the hills beyond the valley tC
high ground near the seminary, where Il
prepared to make all the resistance IT was
capable of. 1t was reinforced there by
some dismounted dragons, and fought il
the open field; for, though some rail fence:
were thrown down across the front OF oul
line. they afforded no cover. From tn.
woods beyond the farm honses, and across
, the open space, rebel force of perhaps
t three large brigades advanced handsome
ly in line OF battle, while the rebel bat
teries near the general center shelled on
; position hotly TO cover the advance.
On came the line, right up'within shor
| range of our position, when it was opene'
, upon with fire so sharp and well servet
/ as to stagger and then completely repuls
e it. Backwards went the line that cam
3 forward in such good order, mere mas
of stragglers, each of whom made the bes
r of his way across the plain.
4 While the musketry was very not Il
e front of Gen. Doubleday, party OF abou
: one hundred rebels stole through tn
, woods well up on Doubleday's left flank
b and fred large barn, one of those i'm
8 mense magazines of breadstuffs that Il
: Pennsylvania so overpeer the compare
lively small farmhouse. An immens
black column of smoke soon began TO as
: cend from the roof breaking out present.
Q into a white, sulphurous cloud, and the
u into a fierce red blaze. Under cover {
G this fire the rebel skirmishers exchange
n numerous shots with a line of skirmisher
d from the cavalry ON our extreme lett. Re
d pulsed but not vanquished, the rebel lin
e was reformed and reinforced; and now, &c
) the second time, came on force nearl
twice as large as at first. Once more, als'
the batteries threw shells, answered by OF
l. batteries on the left, and also by batteri'
d, of ours on the extreme right, which at tn
IL .:r,o tlraxy sballs Oft tho positiOp the az