Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-07-20
From the Richmond Examiner
FROM GEN. LIES ARMY.

reached the CITY, vet as Cney WeIS ioi lIc part
struck during the first days engagement, they know
little of subseuuent events only from hearsay. In the
entire absence of official dispatches, we are therefore
without any connected or Ineligible account of the
bloodiest battle of the war. We kno" the battle was
begun Wednesday morning and lasted for several
DAYS. with the loss of twelve Thousand on our side
and more than double that on the part of the enemy,
but how or when it was brought to a conclusion, and
what were the subsequent movements Of the hostile
armies, we have no positive Information. From what
we can learn from the most trustworthy sources. il
appears that Wednesday and Thursday we drove the
enemy before US with unparalleled slaughter. Again
on Friday, after a sanguinary battle, We put them to
flight, but oCr pursuit was checked by certain hills.
intrenchments and rifle pits, behind which the enemy
took refuge and made an obstinate and determined
stand. Our loss before this position was very great.
Five or more attempts were made to carry it by
direct assault, and each time our ranks were fearfully
thinned by the fire of the enemy behind earthworks,
rifle pits and stone walls. Two of our divisions,
Rhodes on the left and Picketts on the right, carried
the portion Of the position in front Of them, but find
ing it commanded by a still stronger position ia rear.
were forced to retreat.
From participants in the engagement we have the
main facts oc the first days battle.
As usual, to A. ?. Hill was assigned the duty of
opening the ball. Tuesday evening skirnishing was
begun between q division. on our side and Reynolds
corps on the part of the enemy, and lasted until night.
Wednesday morning, Penders division having
come up on the left of the division already engaged,
both were, after an hours skirmishing, attacked by
Cuc ellEluy. III artillery. ldtlOle OH Hills IN the
rear, played over the heads of our advancing columns.
! The Yankees fought and contested the ground obsti-
nately. About noon Rhodes, of EweTs division, came
into the fight on our extreme left. The enemy also
sent forward heavy reinforcements and TIE battle
ragged with renewed furry. The conflict begun in
: the open country, some three miles west of Gettys-
burg, and ended long after dark by our driving the
enemy to the east of the town.
> Unlike every previous battle of the war, the move
. ments of the two armies were not hidden by forests
S and dense thickets. The country was broken and
e rolling, and in a high state Of cultivation. On every
side were wheat and corn fields, surrounded by stone
: fences, and dotted here aud there by groves and
clumps of open timber. The movements of each ar.
my were visible from every part of the field, and
the game of baltic as thus played on a clear board,
Q is sadie have been of abbsorbing Interest to such as
tlllery, were handled with consummate skill. Again
and again they turned the enemy's flank, and drove
y them from. one stone fence to another-from one
range of hills to others further east. On our left.
Rhodes had, at one time, to dislodge the enemy from
a long breast work, constructed chiefly of bales of
hay. This was an important capture, as it saved
d much trouble In seeking forage for our artillery hors-
es that night. The enemy's loss in killed and wo,n.
: ded in this days fight was at least three to ONE and
we captured from four to six thousand prisoners
The field from the point where the battle was begun
to gettysburg, was thickly strewn with their dead
and wounded, and every house in the town. when we
IT took possession OF 1t, was q crowded hospital.
Thursday morning Gen. Hill with Rhodes Division
renewed the battle east of Gettysburg, the ether two
DIVISIONS OF EWeil corps falling in on our left. and
Longstreet coming up on our right. This day also
10 we met with uninterrupted success. but we are with
Q out any particulars of the battle except that NV
m nightfall we had driven the enemy six miles e,ct &c
the original battle field.
I'd After the battle of Thursday, which was kent I'm
with undiminished ardor on our side until a yery late
he hour, the enemy took position on three immense hills
W. or mountain spurs, and Friday mornings light show.
ed but too plainly that they had not been idle during
the night. A long heavy line of earthworhs. bris,En9
.ts with cannon, fringed the base of each hill. In fron3
re and on the tanks of these the Yankee army VS.
ire drawn up in line of battle. We made the att,ck
re and drove the enemy into their entertainments IT,
king the entertainments was a more serious matte
CIV We were repulsed several times, and finally succeed.
nv ed in taking the outer line OF works only to-fnd H..
nd it was commanded by another equally form;d.hIs
of higher VI. the mountain side. In the retreat e.
TO these entertainments our greatest loss is believed -
,as have been sustained. The enemy brought Their hor
itzers to bear on our columns, cutting them to nieco,
all horribly. p"
ian Our artillery charge when we took the e,so,,
works is said to have been magnificent. One bny,.
dred. and forty of our pieces charged I'D TO with
lly three hundred yards of one of the enenv's wi
be- and silenced it IN a short space of time, but not ,r;th
we out very great loss. Our losses in this mart or ~
fight was heavier than ever before known IN ~ VI
ey- liar length of time. One of our batteries 49, "a m
thirty eight horses in as many minutes. ~
Having abandoned the idea of stormins tho
mys position, General Lee fell back towards Go t
lGl I~@- 49, - u