Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-07-06
q Il E. A T
GLOR1OUS S NE w S!
THE UNION ARMS VICTORI-
GUS IN THE GREATEST
BATTLE OF THE
CENTURY!

After the last edition OF yesterdays st Ir went
to press official dispatches reached Washing
ton announcing that one of the most desperate
battles OF the war occurred on Thursday after
noon from 4.30 until e-3O p. m, in which our
General Zook and the rebel General Barksdale
were killed. Prisoners invariably assert that
Longstreet was also killed.
We take the following account of this great
engagement from a special despatch to the
New York Times, published in that journals
issue OF yesterday afternoon:
At about * p. m. the enemy sent his first
complmens by salvo OF artillery, his first
shell falling uncomfortably near 1en. Meade's
headquarters. From this hour forth to SIX
o'clock occurred by all odds, the most san
culinary and bloody engagement yet chronicled
in the annals of the war, considering its short
duration.
The artillery attack which was made by the
enemy chiefly on the left and centre, was rap
idly followed by the advance of his infantry.
The Third Corps received the attack with
great GOODNESS. The Rebels at once made an
attempt TO get on our flank, and kept moving
heavy columns in that direction. This npcas-
STATED support which was quickly given by
the Fifth Corps, the division of Gen. Barnes
being sent to the right and that of Gen. Ayres
(rrgulars) to the left, with Gen. Crawford in
reserve.
The battle now became terribly fearful The
armies engaged each other at a very short
range, and Tor three long hours the roar of
musketry was incessant. / have heard more
noises, louder crashes in other battles. but /
never saw or heard of such desperate, rena-
Eohf
enemy would often bring up suddenly heavy
column Of men and force our line back, only
TO be in turn forced back by our own line of
glittering steel.
Our gallant columns covered themselves
with glory over and over again. They fought
q superior force in numbers; the dispositions
of the enemy were very rapid, for look where
you would on that field, q body of rebels
would be advancing Our dispositions were
equally rapid and the enemy found more than
their equal IN such gallant veterans as Sickles
and Birney and Humphreys. At6H General
Sickles was struck in the right leg by piece
of she'll and borne from the field The injury
was SO great that amputation became neces-
sary, and II was performed successfully, the
limb being taken off below the knee.
The struggle grew hotter and hotter, and
many OF our regiments, Small enough before
melted away into almost nothing. The Second
Corps was called on ter aid, and though its
own position was strongly threatened, yet the
First Division, formerly General Hancock's,
flung themselves into the fight with desnera-
ton, and after long and obstinate conflict
the enemy slowly and sullenly gave way In
this last charge the brigade of General Cald-
well, Second Corps, and that of Col. Sweitzer
from the Fifth Corps, won great honors.
The charges made by onr men deserve men,
tion, but want of time forbids. The rebels
made frequ attempts to capture our artil-
lery; and at one time had Watson's battery in
their possession, but it was retaken in fu-
rious charge by Birney's division.
The battle lasted till fully half-past O'clock
when the enemy fell back to his old position,
and leftour veterans the ensanguined yicters
Of that field. Our pickets were thrown out
and our lines covered the most of the field, in
cluding great numbers of the enemy's dead
and wounded. visited some portions of the
line by moonlight, and can bear personal wit
ness to the terrible ferocity of the battle
great and magnificent feature of this fight
is the splendid and extensive use of artillery
though our line was only mile and half
long, yet almost every battery belonging to the
Army OF the Potomac was more or less en-
gagged. Every one of the Reserve batteries was
brought into action, the positions for use being
numerous.
The enemy also used artillery largely, but
not to near so great an extent as we did. From
this they suffered immensely, especially on the
left, where canister was largely used. / be-
heVe We lost no artillery, unless it was two or
three disabled pieces, though it was very won.
derful we did not, considering how the ene-
mys forces were piled on TO them- Some of
their skirmishers were literally blown away
from the muzzles OF our guns.
Our losses at this hour cannot be computed.
For the two days fighting they must reach
10000. We mourn the loss Of many valuable
officers, but they have been amply revenged in
the hecatombs of rebel dead who lie piled along
our lines.
The enemy withdrew his force from the city
OF Gettysburg yesterday, and occupies it now
only with skirmishers. Opr skirmishers adj
vance9 into it a short distance last night, and
now hold considerably more than they did.
Capt. Dahlgren, volunteer aid to Gen. Pleas
anton, made daring scout into Hagerstown
yesterd ay with twenty picked men, and cap
tured more prisoners than he had men in his
party He also captured q dispatch bearer
from JEFF Davis to Lee, with dispatches of the
greatest importance, the nature of which can
not to-day be properly disclosed. They have
an important bearing on coming events
L. L. CRouNsE.
On Withdrawing from the field Lee left his
dead ana wounded in our possession.