Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-07-22
Tie Great PennsyIyania Campaign.

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81 Ae Great PennsyIyania Campaign. ;.
We make some extracts below from letter in
tne Aisnmond Examiner, written by Virginia Of
nces which gives connecsd, intelligent and reli-
aole account OF the Pennsylvania campaign -
~ Friday, 26th, We took up the line of march
~ .nfoqen Chambersburg on the Harrisburg road
ane splendid band in, the 4th Louisiana brigade,
S :. Williams, preceded the column, playing
Dixle and the Marseiilaise, whilst our red.cross
banners Haunted proudly over the dark columns Of
our gallant troops. The scene subiugated that
tovn We passed through Shippensburg to the
SOUND Of martial music again, and went on to Car
Isle The troops were not allowed to plunder-
horses we're taken and receipted for by authorized
agents. So with cattle and -four. ''Forsging"
was tolerated, but the. soldiers were expected to
pay for their supplies. 1t was thought and per-
haps rightly, that licensed plundering would de-
R9tal5e the army, and render it useless for great
We staid long enough at Carlisle to get what we
wanted. Harrisburg was in panic-and some of
our engineer officers went to the banks of the Sus.
quehanna and found them terrifying the enormous
heights on the southern side. EARLY and Jenkins
were at York and beyond, seeing after the bridges
up as faras the river, all Of which were destroyed
On the 3Oth, Johnston marched back from Carlisle
to Fayetteville, leaving Rodes at Carlisle On
Wednesday, July 1st A. P. Hill marched from
South Mountain to the neighborhood of Gettysburg,
followed by Johnston: Early reached the same
vicinity on the same day from York, and Rodes
from Carlisle. Meade's advance of three. or four
army corps disputed tie occupation of the town,
giving battle to the north and east Of the town,
from 70 A. NJ to about P. NJ. The result was
gloriois victory to the Confederates The invinci-
BILE AMP gallant Early, who ought to be Lieuten-
ant G ueral, drove the forced opposed to him for
miles Ind occupied the town. The 18th corps of
Chand llorsville memory, gave themselves up by
thousands Gordon's brigade made what is regard
ed most brilliant charge. 1t could but be sue
cessrl with such men and such leader. The
Fayetteville road was cleaned out" by Hill
Rodess swept down, the Carlisle road, and Early
down the York turnpike. The loss of the Confed.
The Yankee loss in killed probably reached 400,
and bis wounded 2,00O We captured most of his
wounded and $3.50 additional prisoners.
Gettysburg is .in Adams county, Pennsylvania,
some where near miles from the South Mountain,
which is the eastern boundary of the Cumberland
Valley. 1t is beautiful town of some 1000 in
habitants, and the centre Of the following roads:
road from Frederick, both on the southern side Of
the town, and the three roads just mentioned; be-
tween these two former roads and about three quar-
tiers Of mile from the town were two tall hills one
wooded and detached, the other, the front of a
range that swept backward to the South These
positions boldly commanded the town and vicinity,
and Meade occupied them Wednesday, heavily en-
trenchng during the night. On Thursday morn
ing, Eweh's corps lay beneath the first eminence
and near the Baltimore road; A. p Hill occupied a
position to the west of the town and near it. Long
street was not yet up. During the morning, occa-
sional artillery and infantry skrnishing alone broke
the silence that hung over the expec;aot hosts
cavalry stretched up to the south Of the York road.
threatening our rear, but was closely watched by
the naefatigsble Stuart, whose recent seven days
and nights nlarcn from the vicinity Of Washington
was the most wonderful cavalry achievement OF the
war.
At last, Long.treet having passed to the south Of
A. P. Hill opened at four 2 II followed by Hill
and ESeL Then epsued undoubtedly the fer. st
cannonade of the war. This terrific TIRE lasted till
night About dark Ewell charged the position on
the wooded hill. The enemy h'd several lines on
this e,ninence and cannon in position with ab~ss;s
and planted sticks in rows to prevent our advaa,e
The sides of the hill were rocky and pre;ptons to
almost inaccessible degree. Our lDes, howe Yer,
calamity marched up under fearful fire of inus,.et
balls and grape. A partial advantage vas gained
by Johnson's troops and lost by accident Bat it
was beyond mortal endurance to stand before hat
terrific blast of shot, and the men were withdlzn n
after suffering heavy loss. During the afternoon,
the other corps had attacked the positions on the
south without success. On Friday, July Sd, the
battle was renewed early in the morning, and with
one clock, P. NJ, lasted all day. The Confederases
did not succeed in holding any of the crests, al.
though one or two were reached; and night again
| closed on the smoke-wrapped field FROM 81 to
p NJ, General Stuart succeed in driving back very
handsomely the enemy's cavalry threatening our
rear The fight was quite severe and loss unknown.
Thus ended the great battle of Gettysburg the most
remarkable conflict of the war The loss of the enc.
| my was probably $4,000 men-perhaps $4,000 du.
| ring the three days. He was severely handled-for
| it is believed that he fell back with the greater por.
ton of his force on Friday night towards Boons-
boro'. What their papers say you know better than
L It is reported with us that they claim little or
| nothing, but don't believe it. When turn from
this to our own loss my heart sickens. It was
! frightfuL
| . All our wounded that could be transported were
| removed beyond the Potomac. Those severely
wounded had to be left fhe Confederate loss in
killed, wounded and prisoners (of which there are
| few must be taoenty thousand
| All day long of July 4th, army lay in line of
battle, in new position overlooking the town.
Scarcely picket shot broke theday long quiet Meade
| was withdrawing, but we did not know it Our
trains were quietly moving back to Williamsport,
and are now safely parked there, with the loss OF
but twenty vehicles, Of various kinds, and teams
This was brilliantly executed.
| On the night of the 4th the army began quietly
| to fall back BY Fairfield towards Hagerstown We
marched slowly, for the whole army took one road.
| About 2 A. NJ, July, 5, halted with some men
near Confederate hospital, where, found several
unburied dead-one noble form lying between two
wounded men-and several others dead on thest
| They were North.C arolinians-many severely
wounded. All needed water and other attentions.
One poor fellow lay there with bis bowels out and
some fingers of, in the last agonies, with no GOV.
| ering and no water Another was delirious and
spoke sensiby on but one subect-he wanted va
| teri water which he drank with fresh thirst as
held his head. Not nurse nor surgeon in all the
building was left All gone, cowardly gone. There
these. poor manned men we're left to wait for hours
nay, it might have been days, for some Yankee at
| tention-poorly supplied when twenty five tnous.
| and parched tongues demanded food and water in
| Yankee hospitals.
The march back to Hagerstown, some twenty
four miles, occupied three daysl The army took
| one road most Of the way and marched quietly AND
with dignity back. No defeat to the Confsdsrates
was shown in that proud, invincbe tread, that spir
! tied and bold heart, that grieved but proud ano
! farca army of freemen The morale of our army