Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-07-06

came by way of York He says the rebel
pickets were posted five miles this side of Get
tysburr, and that the country between here
and Gettysburg may be safely tra$ersed Our
troops there are in excellent spirits. Ihey
say universally that the battle OF Friday was
the most desperate the army Of the Potomac
ever fought From the latest intelligence re-
ceivcd here, it is fully believed that Gen.
Lees army has been completely defeated.
There was no fighting on Saturday, end the
eHemy are eHdeaUOriHg to retreat ttroHgh
South Mountain Pass and Bo0RsJOrO. 1t is
certain that Lees retreat is already seriously
interfered with, aud his escape from our army
will be a matter of great difficulty. a large
force is concentrated here, and ready for Oh
tensive operations at any moment. Nearly
the full quota of Pennsylvania is already
raised and organized, either in regiments or
companies, at Reading Col. Doherty, Il vol
unteer ON Gen. Smiths stall, arrived here to-
day, having been paroled by the rebels
NEW York, July "a Washington dis
patch to a Sunday paper states that it is now
confidently expected, not only that Lee is
completely vanqushcd, but that his entire
army is cut of from retreat by large body
of federal troops which marched from Bloody
Run, yesterday, to cooperate with Gen. Kel
ley's force for that purpose. Baltimore dis
patch to the same paper dated July 4th, says
when the firing ceased, Thursday night, our
victorious army covered the enemyS ground,
holding command of the battle field. rebel
flag of truce was denied, and Friday morning
found our army reinforced by two more
corps.
On Friday morning the ball was opened by
Gen. Geary in taking some rifle pits from the
rebels on our extreme right. The firing was
general up to one O'clock when Ewell con-
centrated all his artillery upon our left CEN
ter, which was commanded by Gen. Hayes.
The rebels followed their artillery assault by Il
tremendous infantry assault, coming up in
masses in close column by division. Our men
stood like serted hosts, and on came the rebels
rushing like demons towards our guns, while
the canister from our batteries told fearfully
on their ranks They reached to within TWEEN
ty yards of our guns, while yollies went crash
ing among them, dealing death and scattering
them. The slaughter of the rebels was fear
full. Our Sd and 9TH corps now joined in.
One Of our divisions alone took ten battle flags
from the rebels in this move of enemy. A
panic seemed to seize them. They lay down
on the ground to escape our fire, and SuppG-
catingly held up white pieces of paper in to-
ken of surrender.
We took several thousand of them prison.
ers, and crowds of their stragglers came into
our lines, giving themselves up in despair.
Gen Hancock's corps now Aanked the field,
and crowds of disorganized rebels threw up
their arms and surrendered, while the field
fell into our possession, str2wn with wounded,
with battle flags and with arms. The result
amounted to Il rout, and the cavalry was sent
out to harrasS the stragglerS.
A dispatch dated at Hanover, July 4th, says
the battle ragged yesterday with varying for
tunes, till twelve o'clock, when our forces be-
gan driving the enemy. They fought desper-
ately during every foot of retreat, hurting
themselves against columns with savage per-
severance, which was resisted by immortal
courage. Up to seven last evening General
Meade had driven the rebels about three miles
north and west of their position in the morn
ing, and was still following them up. 1t was
thought that both armies would soon cease
fighting from mere exhaustion.