Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-07-15
THE BATTLE AT GETTYSBURG.
Full and Graphic Account of the Three days
Conflict, by an Eyewitness.

Conflict, by Eyewitness.
As connected narrative of the memorable
battles fought on Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday, the lst, I'd and Sd days of July, near
Getty sburg, in Adams county, Pennsylvania
| will be valuable for reference, We think the
| following carefully written account from the
Pittsburg Gazette, will be acceptable to our
readers:
Gen. Meade took command 81 this army
| on Sunday, the 2Sth ut. At that time his
headquarters were at Frederick, and Lees at
| Hagerstown. 1t will be seen that he was in
| the southeast, and consequently in the rear
OF the foe, immineDtly threatening his line of
| retreat. The army of the Potomac began its
| campaign from that moment. Orders were
issued to the several corps to move early in
the evening, and on the morning of the 29th
our whole brilliant and hopeful host was in
motion toward Pennsylvania. The First, and
| Third and Eleventh corps encamped on Tues
day at Emmettsburg the Second ana Twelfth
| also pitched their tents near by.
The First Corps, under Major General Rey-
| nolcs. and the Eleventh under Major Gen
| eral Howard, started for Gettysburg, Rey-
nolds in command, where they arrived at 10
O'Clock A. NJ. The First corps in the ad-
vance, marched directly through the town
The enemy was discovered post ed in wood
to the westward, near the Lutheran Theologi-
cal Seminary. The beginning Of the three
days. conflict at hand.
THE BATTLE OF WEDNESDAY
One who has been in the presence, who now
sits among the echoes, and whose brain teens
with rushing memories of a conflict so recent
and so vast, may well pause before attempting
to indicate its magnitude or describe its pro-
gress. Rash as the advance of Gen. Reynolds
has been pronounced by many brother officers
who now lament his death, question wheth-
er 1t was not after all for the best. Ii served
at once as reconnaissance, showing the enc.
my's exact position and probable force, and
as a check upon any offensive movement
which that enemy might have been intent up
on. Ii secured the army of the Potomac the
commanding position on Cemetery III ill from
which the battles OF the two succeeding days
were chiefly fought, and which, had the reb-
ell commander anticipated the engagement,
he would doubtless have secured for himself
Not less, perhaps, than the SIX ill of the gene.
rails who directed the battle on side, gave
US the victory. When, therefore, the heroic
First corps and its fated commander placed
themselves in the terrible dilemma of Wednes-
day morning they won a knowledge by their
sacrifice worth all the world to us thereafter.
The corps marched in the following order
First division, under Gen. Wadsworth; Third
division under Gen. Doubleday five full bat
teries, under Col. Wainwright; Fourth divis-
ion, under Gen. Robinson.
A portion of our artillery took position half
mile south of the Seminary. The enemy |
opened fire upon it with sIch ferceness as
forced the batteries to retire, which they COM |
menced doing in good order. Gen. Wads- |
worth Immediately came to their aid two of |
his regiments, the I'd Wisconsin and the |
Twenty Fourth Michigan, charged the rebel |
infantry, forcing them in return to retire. |
The batteries assumed an excellent position |
further in the rear, which they held during /
b. n
to inspect the field and ascertain the most ia.
vorabIe line for the disposal of his troops.
One or two members OF his staff were with
him. The enemy at that instant poured in
cruel musketry fire upon the group OF officers;
a bullet struck Gen Reynolds in the neck,
wouDdng him mortaliy. Crying ont, with
voice that thrilled the hearts of his soldiers, |
"Forward. for Gods sake, forwardl' he
turned for an instant, behold the order obey
ed by line of shouting infantry, and falling
into the arms of Capt. Wilcox, his aid, who
rode beside him, his life went out with the
words, ssGood God, Wilcox, am killed."
The command of the corps devolved upon
Gen. Doubleday, who hurried to the front,
placed it in position, and awaited charge
which it was seen the rebels were about to
make. An eminence wherein stood piece
oil woods was the important point thence
forth TO be defended. The rebels advanced
and opened fire from their entire line. They
we're instantly charged upon by Meredith's
Western brigade, who, without firing a shot,
put with a tremendous cheer, dashed for |
ward with such swiftness as to surround near
y 900 of the foe, who were taken prisoners. | .
strong column Immediately advanced a. |
yainst US from the woods, and, though vol Z
ey after voiley was poured into them, did not | |
vaver. Their proximity and strength at Last {
became so Threatening that the brig ades of :
he Second division were ordered TO make
mother charge, which was even more success {
ul than the first. Their momentum was like
n avalanche the rebels were shot, bay on | I
ted. and driven to partial retreat, more than | ,
wo regiments falling into our hands alive I
Dur ranks suffered fearfully in this demon s
tration, and it was evident that such fighting +
ould not long go The Eleventh corps s
ON made its appearance, ard its General a
Howard) assumed command of the forces. v
teinwehr was ordered to hold Gettysburg f
nd Cemetery hill-al his artillery being plac- h
in the latter position. The other two d. "
isions of the Eleventh corps, under Shu.tz n
nd Barlow, then supported the First corps, d
n the right, ia time to resist the desperate q
harges by Ewel's troops. third charge b
as now made by the entire rebel force in o
'ont, which comprised the corps of Hill and b
well, sixtytw thousand strong. The shock fl
as awful. The superior number of the foe d
nabed them to overlap both our tanks, fl
lreatening us with surrounding and capture. II
heir main effort was directed against our left 81
ing, and notwithstanding the gallant fight fl
,g done by our soldiers at that point, they e.
last obtained such advantage that Gen. n
Toward was forced to retire his command q
trough the town to the east, which was done K
good order, the compliments Of the rebels c.
falling thick among IL, in the b
rape of the shells, grape and canister The l.
vo corps were placed in line of battle on w
emetery Hill at evening, having witbstood RI
nring the entire day the assaults of an enemy vi