New-York daily tribune., 1863-07-06
TIE RsTTlEa.

who left The held Oi battle IN f6nnsllVhuln Nv
o'clock Saturday afternoon. We arc in pos
session of complete and authentic accounts n
the memorable victories on Thursday and FRI
day. His letter describing tlese battles will
be found in otber columns, and to them we
refer for details. They moro than confirm the
good news which has been arriving for the
last three days. The whole OF 1t may be
summed up in this statement: that the
Rebels were defested outright in the great
actions of Thursday aud Friday, suffering
immense losses in killed. wounded, aud
prisoners; that they abandoned the battle
htid leaving their killed aud wounded in
our bsnds; that they fell back on Friday night
to the nights near Casbtown, six miles beyond
Gettysburg, there intrenching themselves in
order to cover retreat; that Gen. Meade is
pressing forward with his whole army, which
is IN the highest spirits, to pursue and destroy
the enemy; and that il is universally believed by
generals aud soldier that the escape OF any
considerable portion of Lees forces is imposs.
bic
| Gen. Meade's official dispatches are to 10
p. In. OF Saturday, at which nme there had
been 10 change in the positlon since morning
Bu: it is not to be inferred that he 10 inactive
His cavalry are enveloping the fanks of the
enemy, constantly bsrassiug him, penetrating
the country in all directions, and leaving DO
means untried to develop the enemy's design'
The Twelfth Corps, General Slocum's, was
pushed well forward on an armed rcconnois-
sance on Saturday. and the whole army
will advance the moment 1t is practices
bic. General Couch is moving down
from Carlisle. General French with
the entire garrison of Harper's Ferry is
threatening the South Mountain passes in
Marylani, and has already destroyed the pom
toon bridge at Williamsport, and still another
force 10 threatening Lees communications from
point which at this moment it is prudent
not to mention. With = victorious. exultabt,
impatient army in front Of him, aud oil these
other columns hanging on bis rear, what poe
sible hope has Lee Of extricatiDg lie defeated
forces from the tolls fast closing about him
1t is impossible to praise too highly the
splendid capacity which Gen. Meade has eI.
hibited. The best evidence Of it is in the en-.
thusastic confidence with which be has inspired
bis army. Never was that army called upon
10 endure sach desperate assaults as
in these tremendous engagements. The Rebe!
Generals, aware that the fortunes Of their pirate
Coplederacy was staked IN the issue, hurled
their columns on the National lnes with
mad impetuosity which 1t seemed as II
nothing could withstand Hard pressed our
their brave men often were, but they bei'ered IN
| General aud never wavered. So completely had
Gen. Meade Won their devoted faith, % nd
urably handled his troop in the fret days fight,
50 promptly sent re-eniorcements to the points
Of greatest peril. that the officers on Friday
all over the field, when tho shock came
heaviest, cheered aud stoadied their men with
tho cry: Remember the General. men; you
know be II have the supports here IN time. :"
4 And 90 those gallant troops held fast their
ground, md the supports never once failed.
No liBe broke, save once for n moment and
nowhere did the Rebels break their immOvable
array.
And above oil things, as tho test and crown
ing evidence of Gen. Meade's sodicrship, he
put erery man lie had into the fgh In other
words be knew what ~ do with his troops;
proved himself able to handle in battle hun
dred thou.and men. Not brigade in the
army, says our correspondent. that has not
fought, and fought two OF three times over 10
these baLtes TrOops were moved with
facility and precision that were miraculous, and
with a victorious result that only was not
miraculous, because it was the logical outcome
of 80 much genius aud courage.
Marx, too, the arrival Of Gen. Sedgwck's
corps, the Sixth. on Thursday worn. footsore,
and weary with continuous march OF thirty
hours. 1t was the crisis Of the battle, tho Third
corps had been broken, the Second and Fifth had
been thrown in to meet the advancing enemy,
but still it seemed doubtful If they csuId be
checked. The gallant Sixth heard VI the cODdl-
ton OF tho field, they forgot their wearines'
aud hunger. flung away knapsacks. aud many
Of them barefooted and scarcely able ~ limp
over the ground, went straight into tho battle
and won it,. With such heroes for soldiers, and
such commanders, who shall say that defeat il
ever possible again
But We have no time nor space for fur
tber comment. The interest Of the position
will DO still better understood with the know
edge that Con. Dix on tho Peninsula il swiftly
aud steadily ut work. and has already com
pi.tslu ISOLATED Richmond from the Rebel armies
CD all sides of IT, The bridges on tho South
4 Anna are broken, the Fredericksburg and