Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-07-06
FLIGHT OF THE ENEMY.

From the BALTIMORE American, 6th,i
From parties who left the battle field at ID
o'clock on Saturday morning, we gather the
following particulars of the flight of the enemy:
The enemy is in full retreat, demoralized and
almost disorganized, leaving in our hands his
many thousands OF killed and wounded.
The battle of Friday was the most terrible TO
the enemy OF the three days conflict, and his
repulse complete and disastrous, that Gene
raj Meade and the leading officers pronounced
it to be final and decisive. Never was there a
more vigorous and deadly assault than that
made on our centre by Longstreet. It was a
death struggle on the part OF the enemy to
break our lines, repeated and renewed half
dozen times during the afternoon, In which
they were as often repulsed and driven back
with loss oflite unparalleled by any previous
battle in which they had come In conflict with
the grand old Army OF the Potomac.
The men all felt that they had whipped the
enemy and the JOY was great The shouts of
victory could be heard for many miles when
the enemy retreaied, and was kept up to late
hour OF the night. shout in one division was
re-echoed from the next, and SO went the
rounds of the field, and was renewed as fresh
evidence OF victory reached them.
During the evening flag of truce arrived
from General Lee, proposing in his hypocriti-
cal manner q truce Of forty EIGHT hours as a
measure OF humanity, to afford time to bury the
dead and attend to the wounded 1t was evil
dent that the enemy must at once retreat. and
the proposition was regarded by Gen. Meade
as mere ruse to obtain time to push forward
OF escape. The proposition was promptly re-
jected and aa advance Immediately ordered on
the town OF Gettysburg. The enemy slowly
retired before our cavalry and infantry, and
by midnight we were in full possession of the
town and the battle field without opposition
During the night scouts arrived reporting
that the enemy was rapidly retreating by the
Greencastle road towards HagerstoWn, and
preparations were at once made for pursuit
at daylight Cavalry were also sent out to har-
rass the enemy, and at daylight vigorous at
tack was made on the enemy's rear guard,
which in vain attempted to check the pursuit
of the fleeing army.
The dis lance from Gettysburg to the Poto-
mac is fully forty miles. and with the assis-
tance OF General French and the old garrison
of Harper's Ferry, numbering about fifteen
thousand men, including most Of the Maryland
regiments, who are understood 10 be properly
posted to check his flight, we havestrong hopes
OF being able to SO operate on the fleeing Rebel
columns as to send it across the Potomac d de-
moraliZed and disorganiZed mob.
UP to 1a o'clock on Saturday night the
sounds OF cannon could be heard in the dis
lance as our pursuing columns attacked the
enemy's rear, and thousands of prisoners and
struggling Rebels were coming towards Get
tysburg, with captured wagons and cannon.
The advance OF Gen. Couch from Harris
burg was expected to be at Chambersburg on
Saturday, close enough to join in Furnishing
the well-whipped Rebels On their way to the
river.
In the town OF Gettysburg, when we drove
tured a large number OF Federal prisoners,
reported by some as high as fifteen hundred,
many OF whom were wounded. There wer"
also several thousand wounded Rebels, every
house being filled with them.
The general opinion OF all who witnessed the
conflicts was that the enemy had lost far
heavier than we did. Our army stood entirely
on the defensive throughout the three days
battles and Of course had the I'D vantage which
has always heretofore been with the enepay.
General Meade had, during tina Progress Of
the battle. cut OF Lees communications With
Hagerstown, and captured anuruber Of priso-
ners from his rear. General Fitzpatrick had
also started on extensive eIpedihcn III therear
of the enemy, and with his daShins troops will
be heard from in duetims.
1t was regarded - an impossibiiity for Lee
to retreat in order. He must right the battle
out, as an attempt to retreat with such q dis
lance between him and the Potomac, could not
but be most disastrous.
1t Is impossible to make any estimate OF ths
number Of prisoners taken. They covered
acres Of grsundat Westminster, EnmittsburS.
and along the diHxsGt reads. and are various