The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-07-06
brought around to she right to reinforce Early,

brought around to the right to reinforce EARLY
and as the scheme was developed 1t appeared
that the early attack on the left was intended
merely as diversion to cover this movement.
From q distance the progress of the dgh
could be observed by the curling smoke rising
above the woods, marking the line Of the fierce
contest
In this struggle our reserved artillery was
brought into play, and did most excellent SER
vice from impromptu positions on the elevated
points back of Cemetery Hill, shelling the face
of the mountain where the enemy were suppos-
ed to be- This reserve fire of SHE'LL added to the
steady and unainching ardor of the glorious
Twelfth corps, ultimately checked the vastly su-
perior force of the enemy, who for an hour or two
had been gradually advancing. AT the critical
juncture, about eleven O'Clock in the forenoon,
one or twe@b5igades of New York troops, sup
posed to be tia from Pennsylvania, arrived,
and were Immediately thrown into position to
reinforce thu right wing, which was being SO
badly pressed. This assistance determined the
fate of the day. The enemy quailed before
it, and soon the curling smoke that
marked the line Of the contest
began to rccede, surely indicating that the
enemy were falling back; but if they gave away
at all it was bnt slowly, fighting at every step;
and thus the battle ragged for hours, and until
afternoon, when the enemy abandoned the field
in that direction. But they did not yet yield
the day. For period hostilities seemed
to be suspended; but the suspension was very
brief
The rebel columns seemed to be moved as il
by magic, and within a n hour their whole force
was massed directly in our front, and once more
the fierce and deadly contest opened. This
time it was an assault along the entire line-a
last resort, the forlorn hope Of the enemy
They were weakened in numbers and dispirited
and utterly demoralized; yet Lee had reputa-
ton to save and name to make, and at any
sacrifice Of life he seemed bound to win the day;
but hestrove in vain. The Union troops were
fighting at home and among their own people
They fought like heroes, and, inspirited
by success, they had no thought of de-
feat. They could have withstood three
times the force the enemy hurled against them.
1t was mere play for them to drive back the
columns oil. the rebels, and so they did drive
them back, and at five o'clock. after more than
twelve hours constant fighting, the contest ter
minated, the national troops victorious at every
point and having nearly the entire battle field u.
their possession.
Time fails me to dwell upon the de-
tails Of this brilliant and glorious bat
tie. It would be interesting to state
how wo took thousands on thousands OF
prisoners, how the enemy were slaughtered,
how our men fell BY thousands, heroically de-
Tending their national emblem; but let all this
be deferred the day is ours, the uictory is ,oon,
The country is saued
At the close Of the action General Lee had
the impudence to send in flag Of truce asking
asuspension Of hostilities, to give him time for
the burial Of the dead and an exchange of
prisoners. General Meade replied that he in
tended to recapture all the prisoners the
enemy had taken, and that he too,ld
bury their dead for them Failing In this at-
tempt to gain time, and badly worsted at ell
hands, the rebels had no other recourse but to
avail themselves of the fast approaching night
to fall back to the mountains. So precipitate
was their retreat last night that their guards
and sentinels In town were not relieved, and
were captured.
This morning upwards Of eleven hundred
stragglers were taken in Gettysburg, besides
our wounded who had fallen into the nemy's
hands on Wednesday. At early daybreak Gene
raj Pleasanton was started in pursuit OF the
rebels with his artillery, and at last accounts
was pressing them hard.
The summary Of this battle II would be dim
cult to give at this time. Both sides have lost
heavily. The country about Gettysburg is
crowded with wounded men. Every house
and barn is a hospital. Probably in tn,
aggregate Of both armies at leas
$4,000 men have been placed nor,
de combat. The apportionment Of this los
would probably be twenty thousand Union and
thirty thousand rebels. In addition to this
zoe haze captured from t,oelus TO t.oeniy thousand