Santa Fe gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1859-1864, 1863-08-15
The Battle Field near Gettys-
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overturned. Graves once carefully tefded by
some loving hand, haye been tramped by horses
feet until the vestiges of verdure have dTpppear.
cd, The neat and well-traiued shrub,Rry has
vanished or Is but broken and withered inasR Of
tangled brushwood. On one grave lies IA dead
artillery horee, fast decomposing under ths July
sun. On another lie the torn garments NJ Some
wounded soldier, stained aud saturated Nth his |
blood. Across small head-stohe, beafsDg the
words, TO the memory Of our beloved child, |
Mary lie tile fragments Of q nusket Shattered
by a cannon shot In the centre Of spI M en-
closed by an iron fence, and containihsa half
dozen graves, q few rails are still standing where
they were erected by our soldiers and sssved to
support The shelter tents ofa birouackiub squad,
A family shaft has been broken in fragments by
she'll aud only the base remains, with psftion Of
the inscription thereon. Stone after stone tfels the
effects Of the .teu denter that was poutah upon
the crest of the BILL Common thundered, md foot
and horse soldiers trempcd over the slcepS place
Of the dead. Other dead were added to tllbse who
are resting here, and many awounded soldier still
lives to remember The contest above thoSa Silent
graves .4,f r4I
POSITION OF cEME Terry HILI--rrs IMPORTANCE.
The bill on which this cemetery is located was
the centre cf our line Of battle and the key TO tbs
whole position. Had the rebels been abld to car
ry this point they would have forced us into re-
treat, and the whole battle would have BEEN lost,
TO pierce our line here was Bees great eDdeavor,
and he threw his best brigades against IL. Wave
after wave Of living valor rolled up that slope ouly
TO roll back again under the deadly fire ID our ar.
tery and infantry, 1t was on this hill, "a little
10 the right Of the cemetery, where occurred the
charge Of the famous brigade Of Louisiana Tigers
It was their boast that they were never yet foled
in an attempt to take battery, but on this occa-
sion they suffered defeat and nearly annihila-
ton. Sad and dspirited they mourn theit repulse
and terrible losses in the charge.
THE BATTLE GROUND BEFORE Us.
From the summit Of this hill a largo portion of
the battle ground is spread out before thd specta-
tor. In front and at his feet lies the owa Of Get
tysburg, containing in quiet timesa population Of
four or five thousand souls 1t is not more than
ahundred yards to the houses in the edge Of the
village where the contest with the rebel sharp
shooters took place. 70 the left Of The town
stretches .ong valley, bounded on each side by
gently SloplDg ridge. The crest Of each ridge is
distant agood three-fourths Of mile Or more
from the other 1t was on these ridges that The
lines Of battle on the second and third daYs were
formed, the rebel line being on the ridge y tho
westward The one stretching directly from our
loft hand, and occupied by our men, has but little
timber upon it, whilo that held by the rebels eau
boast Of several groves Of greater or less extent.
In ons of these the Pennsylvania College is en-
powered, while in another is seen the Theological
Seminary. Half way between tue ridges are the
ruins Of a large brick building burned during the
engagement and dotted about hero and there are
various brick and frame structures. Two miles at
our left hand rises sharp pointed elevation
known 10 the inhabitants Of the region as Round
Hill Its sides ere wooded and the forest street.
ches from its base across the valley to the crest o
the western ridge.
THE VALLEY RETwEEN THE RIDGES
It must not be supposed that the space between
the ridges is an even plain, shaveu with the scy.
the and evelled by the roller. ltriscs and fall:
gently, and with little regularity but in no place /;
it steep Of ascent. Were it not for its ununfor
nifty and for the occasional spriDkling Of trees
over its surface it could be compared to. q patch
Of rolling prairie in miniature. 1o.the southwest
ofthe further ridge is seen tho mountain region o.
Western Maryland, behind which the rebels had
their line of retreat, 1t is not wild rough mas:
Of mountains, but region Of hills Of tho largcl
and more inaccessible sort. They are traverset
by roads only in few localities, and their passage
except through tho gaps, is difficult for single
team and impossible foran army.
EVIDENCE OF HOT WORK.
Moving to the left find still more severe traces
Of artillery fighting. Twenty-seyen dead horse,
on space OF little more than one aero is evidence
Of heavy work. Here are few scattered trees
which were evidently used as screen for our bat
teries These trees did not escape the storm O.
shot and shell that was rained 10 that direction
Some Of them were perforated by cannon shot, o.
have been completely cut of in that peculiar Spin
tering manner that marks the course Of o proec
tile through green wood. Close by where th
fighting took place are piled large number o
muskets aud cartridge boxes that have been col.
lected from the field. Considerable work has beer
done in thus gathering the debris ofthe battle, bu
tits by no means complete Over all the grount
arc scattered muskets bayonets, and sabres, ou
own being indiscriminatcly mingled with those 0
the rebels. ... '...' '-.i..r
BURIAL PLACES OF THE FALLEN.
My next advance to the left carries me whcr
the ground is tEickly studded with graves In on
group / count dozen graves Of the 18th New
York, and close at hand an equal number from
the 18th New Jersey. Care has been taken t
place headboard at each grave, with legbl
inscription thereon, showing whose remains ar
resting beneath The headboard Is usually mad
from the remnant Of box that may have serve,
its purpose and become useful as q box no Longer
In few instances they appear to have been mad
from fresh lumber, with special reference to thei
present use. On ono board the comrades Of tn
dead soldiers had nailed the back of bis knapsacl
on which bis name was painted. On another wa
a brass plate, bearing the soldiers namoin heavil
stamped letters. -,
. ARTIFICIAL DEFENcEs.
. The line Of breastworks continues. From th
centre ofour position, far away to the extrem
left, our men threw up hasty defences, from whlc
to resist the rebel attack. Wherever stone fence
we're found they were taken advantage Of to fort
a part Of the line. Where these were not at han
aha rails f.o,, connau u,n.n IL 49,. ..d naya,1