The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1863-07-21
I'LL.
THe BATTLE OF THURSDAY.

III.
The BATTLE OF THURSDAY.
On what a spectacle the sun of Thursda,
rose, the memory Of at least that portion o
our forces who witnessed il from Cemeter,
Hill will linger forever. From is crest the
muzzles Of fifty cannon pointed toward the
hills beyond the town. From the bluffs Il
the right and left additional artillery frowned
end away on either side is graceful aud ma
jestic curve, thousands of infantry moved intc
battle line, their bayonets cleaning like ser
pents' scales. The roofs Of Gettysburg in the
valley below, the riffs of woodlard along the
borders of Rock Creek, the orchards far down
on the left, the fields green and beautiful, in
which the cattle were calmly grazing, com.
posed scene OF such peace as it appeared
was never to be msrred by the clangor Of bat
tie. / stroled out to the cemetery ere the
dew was yet melted from the grass, and loan-
ed against monument to listen 10 the sing
ing of birds. One note, milder han tho rest,
had just broken from the throat of an oriole
in the foliage above me, when the ra tie OF
musketry on the left told that skirmishing had
begun. Similar firing soon opened along the
entire rebel line, and, although no notable
demonstration was made during the forenoon.
It was apparent that the enemy was feeling
our strength preliminary to some decisive eff
fort.
The day wore on full of anxious suspense.
1t was not until four O'Clock in the afternoon
that the enemy gave voice in ernest.
He th'n began heavy fire on Cemetery
Hill. 1t must not b. thought that this wrath
ful fire was unanswered. Our artillery began
to play within few moments and hurled
back defiance and like destruction upon the
rebel lines. Until O'Clock the rosr of mus
kerry, the rush Of missiles and the bursting
of bombs filled all the air The clangor alone
Of this awful combat might we'll have confused
and awed a less cool and watcbful commander
than Gen. Meade. 1t did not confuse him.
With the calculation Of a tactcian and the
eye Of an experienced judge he watched from
bis headquarters on the lill whatever move
ment under the murky cloud which enveoped
the rebel lines might first disclose the -inten.
ton which it was evident this artillery firing
covered
About 6 o'clock p. NJ, silence, deep, awful
Iy impressive, but momentary, was permitted
as il by magic to dwell upon the field Only
the groans uoheard before of tho wounded
and dying, only murmur-a morning mem
orv-of the breeze through the foliage, only
the low rattle Of preparation for what was to
come, embroidered this blank stiffness. Then,
as the smoke beyond the village was lightly
borne to the eastward, tho woods on the left
were seen filled with dark masses of infantry.
three columns deep, who advanced at quick
sfac 4
force-full $4,000 men, under Hill and
Longstreet-even though it threatened TO
pierce and annihate the Third Corps, against
which it was directed, drew forth cries of ad
miration from all who beheld it. General
Sckles and his splendid command withstood
the shock with determination that checked,
but could not fully restrain it. B lck, inch by
iuch, fighting, falling, dying, cheering, the
men retired. The rebels came on more furi.
ously, halting at intervals, pouring volleys
that struck our troops down in scores. Gen.
eral Sickles, fighting desperately was struck
10 the leg and fell. The Second corps came
to the aid Of his decmated column. The
battle then grew fearful. Standing firmly mp
against the storm, our troops, though still out.
numbered, gave back shot for shot, voley for
volley, almost death for death. STILL the en-
emy was not restrained. Down he came up.
on lofs with a momentum that nothing
could check. The rined guns that lay before
our infantry on knoll were 10 danger OF cap.
tire. General Hancock was wounded 10 the
thigh, General Gibbou in the shoulder. The
Eiflh Corps, as the First and Second, wavered
anew, weat into the breach with such shouts
and such volleys as made the rebel column
tremble at last. Up from the valley behind,
another battery came rolling 10 the heights,
and flung its contents in an instant down in
the u dst OF the enemy's ranks. Crash
crash! with discharges deafeping, terrible the
musketry firing went on; the enemy, reform.
ing after each disc aige with wondrous celeri
ty aud firmness, still pressed up the declivity.
What bidoous carnage filled the minutes
between the appearance of the Fifth Corps
and the advance TO the support Of the rebel
columns Of still another column from the right,
cannot bear to tell. Men fell as the leaves
fall n autumn before those horrible di,cha,ges.
Faltering FOR an instant, the rebel columns
seemed about 10 recede before the tempest.
But their officers, who could be seen through
the smoke Of the conflict galIoping and swing
irg their swords along the lines, rallied them
snew, and the next instant the whole line
sprang forward as il to break through our own
by mere weight Of numbers. A division
from the Twelfth corps on the extreme right
reached the scene at this instant, and at the
same time Sedgwick came up with the Sixth
corps, having finished march Of nearly thirty
six consecutive hours. To what rescue they
came, their officers saw and told them. Weary
as they were, bare looted, hungry, Ct to drop
for slumber as they were. tho wish for victory
was so blended with the thought Of exhaustion
that they cast themselves in turn en- n'usse in
to line OF battle, and went down on the eue-
my with death 10 their weapons aud cheer on
their lips. The rebel camel's back was broken
by this !" feather" His line staggered, roeled,