Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-07-23

cStos 0uO JOu ACA Q bu0 SuilSu IOAE from his
light battery. he is upon Longstreet's
flank, pushing on, and evidently troubling
that General.
Gregg has gone north, and is at it with
stuart. Riding up the Bonaughton road
we find him in position, sending shells
over long stretch of field into the rebel
column, just visible in the edge of distant
ierests. Stuart replies and retires. He
"ouio IKE to get at that long line of wag-
ons coming In, but he will be foiIed in
every attempt. Later in the day be en-
deavors to out round Pleasanton at the
Two Taverns, but is thrust back uncere-
moniouslY,
THE LAST GRAND ATTACK
| must pass over the two attemnts of
the enemy on the left flank. l do not at.
tempt to give history of the three davis
engagements, but simply an outline. Twice
during the forenoon of Friday there were
attacks which were successfully repulsed-
| could hear st times far off to the north
dull report of artillery, and could see
little handfuls of smoke in the air in the
direction of Carlisle. II was not Gregg.
neither Fitzpatrick nor Buford, for they
were otherwhere. Who thens Couch
or Smith, coming down on Lees flank
What he has to do must be done quickly,
He will have new foe at hand to morrow.
There are new signs II the coming strug-
gle-ammunition going up to the batteries,
boxes of spherical case shells, grape and
canister.
You see movements along the enemy's
lines-troops taking positions south of
DR.. Schmucher's. The forenoon passes.
Between one and haif-past one, rebel
battery north of the seminary fires gun,
and then all along the rebel line, from the
right to the lett, the rebel batteries POM
a concentrated fire upon Towards posi-
ton. The lines cover an hundred and
eighty degrees Of the circle.
THEIR INTENTION.
Their intention is we'll understood-to
silence Howard's batteries because thew
entlade the attacking force, ready to
move over the fields toward the centre
our weakest point. If they can give to
the living quiet as profound as that of
the sleepers beneath the ground moldering
to dust, then they may hope to break
through the thin line of men at the sec.
| ond corps.
But Howard is not man to be kept
cause. 1t rains, halls, pours upon him.
His battery horses are knocked TO pieces,
the tombstones are knocked over, iron
Ratings torn, shrubs and trees Cut down,
mere and there a limb damaged, but he is
not sienced. He keeps at it cooly and
spiritedly.
Not only Towards, but all the batteries
along the lines of both armies are in full
play.
HEADQUARTERS A HOT PLACE.
The rebels have evidently discovered
that the American flag floating over the
cottage on the Taneytown road is the
headquarters flag. Gen. Meade is there,
surrounded by his staff. A hundred
horses are standing in the dooryard, teth-
cred to tie palings or nibbling the grass
by the roadside. Engineers are down on
their knees, examining maps. Wearied
correspondents are making notes beneath
the shadow of the gable. There is an
ominous silence all along the lines. 1t be-
gins-the internal din and uproar. a
shell screamed over the house startling
those who were there. Another-a third
"a half Observation-Disclosures the house
through it-ihto the yard-burying
themselves in the earth-exploding in the
air-tearing horses to pieces-knocking
in the sides of the building. Gen. Meade
quietly remarked that they had better ad-
journ to the barn, but the barn was
equally exposed. Some officers walked
hastily into the grove near at hand. Some
went down cellar with q couple of CORES
pondents. One correspondent mounted
his horse with commendable alacrity and
galloped down the road at tremendous
rate, running the gauntlet of fire for half
mile.
| remember the fire at Antietam and at
Fredericksburg, but never have | heard
such a roar of field artillery--three hum
dred guns firing with the utmost rapidity
the rebels to disable and silence ours,
while their infantry moved across the
fields to attack our centre. They had
tried the right and the left, had failed, and
now with all energy, power, desperation
and madness they were to attempt our
weakest position.
THE MOVEMENT.
Howard allowed them to think that
they had silenced him. He slackened fire
to allow his guns to cool. The time had
come for Lee to make his last grand eff
fort.
Stand then by the cemetery and look
south along the lines. Across the mead
ows, emerging from the woods, is long
line of skirmishers in double ranks. .
Behind you see the first attacking force
and then the second attacking force. The
lines are long and straight. They march
excellently. The ranks bend over hill
lock, dip into hollow, but are unbroken.
The open field is half mile wide. Solid
shot plow through them. Shells make
great gaps. Men toss their armE wildly
and fall headlong, but the movement is
still on. The movement mainly is against
the Second, Third and Fifth corps. Hill,
Longstreet and Anderson's reserves are
expected to be there-forty thousand
men.
The Second corps is like thin blue
ing in the rifle pits-not in reverent acts
OF worship. but to shelter themselves
from the fire of the foe. Forty pieces of
cannon cut and cash the line as it comes
on. it does not waver. Neither does
the line Of men in blue.
General Gibbon-in command of the
Second, now that Hancock is wounded
walks composedly along the ranks. "Hold
your fire, boys-they are not near enough
yet" is his command. Still nearer, and
then with bayonets at the charge, they
sweep up to the rifle pits. A line of fire
flashes suddenly from the ranks of the
Second Scores, hundreds Of rebels go
down, but they do not falter. They