The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-07-10
The Battle of Thursday.

The Battle of Thursday.
Mr.. Crounse. the New York Times cor
respondent, gives the following account of
the battle fought near Gettysburg, Thursday
afternoon, the I'd of July:
We were hardly in condition to give bat
tie, as all our dispositions had not been made,
Gen. Meade not having arrived on the ground
until clock in the morning. The position
of our forces after the fight of Wednesday
was to the eastward and southwark Of Get
tysburg, covering the Baltimore Pike, the
Taneytown and Emmettsburs roads, and still
being nearly parallel with the latter The
formation Of the ground on the right and
center was excellent for defensive purposes
On our extreme left the ground sloped off
until the position was no higher than the en-
emy's. Our forces had all been concentrated
on Tuesday night, save the 9TH and 9th corps.
The former arrived during the morning, and
the latter soon after noon. They were al!
nassed Immediately behind our center.
At 3! o'clock, Gen. Meade had received
sufficient assurances to justify him in the
belief that the rebels were concentrating
their forces on our left flank, which all felt to
be secure under the invincible third corps
Our line was Immediately strengthened on
that flank, Gen. Sckles' corps being sent to
its support, and several batteries from the
reserve being brought out and placed in po-
sition. At about i! o'clock p. H., the enc
my sent his first compliments by salvo Of
artillery, his first shells falling uncomfortaby
near Gen. Msade's headquarters. From
this hoIr forth 70 81 o'clock, occurred by all
odds the most sanguirary engagements yet
chrGniclet. in tie ANNA, Of the war, con>id-
er.ng It's short duration. The artillery attack
which was made by the enemy on the left
and center was rapidly followed by the ad
Vahce OF his infantry, 'ne third corps re-
celved the attack with sleat coc!nesS. The
rebels al once made Tor cur flank, and kept
moving heavy columns III that drect;o't.-
THIS neceaSltatcE. support which was quickly
given by the filn corps, the division OF Ger.
Barnes being sent 10 the right, and that Of
Gen AyreS, regulars, to The left, with Gen
(fawtord Iii reserve
The battle nov became perfectly fearful
The armies engaged each other at very short
range, and for three long hours the war OF
musketry Was nceSs.nt. | have heard more
noise, louder crashes, i'll other battles, but
rever saw OF heard of such desperate, tena-
Go is lighting DIS took place on this flank.
The enemy would often bring UP Suddenly a
heavy column OF rAcn and force our liue
back, only TO be III turn forced back " our
own line Ct gliitering steel. Our gallant
columrs covered themselves with ginyl over
AMI over again. The iNGsht superior
force in numbers. he dispositions Of The
emmy were very rapid, 70. .. % where YOU
would on that field body Of :a,,-ls would
be advancing. Oar dispositions we're equally
rapid, and thu enemy tound mos than their
equal III such gallant veterans Us Sielles and
Br.-ey and Humphreys. at hait-paSt six
OeH SickicS vas st!ntS Oh the richt t., ~
q piece OF shell, and borne from the field.
The strug..le grew hotter and h0tter.-
The ID CO ps WIS called OF foc a.! and Tough
IFS own position Was strongly threatened. vet
the LIST division, formerly Gen. Haa.cck's.
flung thnmSa'v Yes into tho feht with DIES )er-
alton. and after long and obstinate conflict
the enemy slowly and sullenly gave way
In this last charge the brigade of Gen Cald-
well, ID corps, and that of Coz. Switzer,
from the 9Th corps, won great honors. Ire
rebels made frequent attempts to capture our
artillery, and at one time had Watsons bat
terry in their possession, but it was retaken
in furious charge by Brney's d;yision.-
The battle lasted Til fully s! o'clock, when
the enemy fell back to his old position, and
left our veterans the ensanguinsd victorS of
that hcli Oar pckctS were thrown out.
and our lines covered most of the cmemys
dead and wounded.
| visited some portions Of the line by
moonlight. aud can bei: personal witnes. to
the terrible trrocity OF the battle. In front
Of some Of our brisales, who had good pro
lection from stone walls or Faces, the rebel
dead laid piled in lines like winrows of hay
In front of Gen. Webbs-the Philadelphia
brigade, they lay so thick as to literally
cover the ground. Not far from here was
found the body of Gen. Barksdale. that once
naughty and violent rebel. who claved as a
dying boon cup of water and a stretcher
from an ambulance boy. He Is literally cut
to pieces with wounds. ard must die.
A great and magnificent feature of this
fight is the splendid use of artillery. Though
our line Of battle was only a mile and half
long. yet almcst!every battery belonging to
the army Of the Potomac was more or less
engaged. Every one of The reserve batteries
vas brought into action, the positions for
ase beng numerous. The enemy also used
arHiery largely, but not 10 near SO great an
extent AS W did. From this they suffered
Immensely, AID specially CT Tie !et;, where
canister was largely used. | believe W. lost
40 artillery, unless II IVES two or tflrer dis
aoIel pieces, though it was very wonderful
We did lot.