The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-07-06

is will reostablish the territorial integrity Of
the Union.
The Terrific Three Days' Battles OF Get
tysburG-The Great victory OF Friday.
The great struggle Of Gettysburg, in Penn
sylvaaia, which commenced on Wednesday,
the lst of July, and ended on Friday the
I'd. at five o'clock r. NJ, terminating in victory
for the Union arms, does not equal in duration
the seven days fight on the Chckahominy,
but outstrips it in severity. Indeed, in point
OF reckless prodigality of human life and des-
perate yalor it will rank with the most cele-
brated battles Of the world. From his expe-
ricnce At Antietam and at Gettysburg Lee must
be thoroughly convinced by this time that it is
a very different thing to fight Northern troops
on their own soil from fighting them in Viz
GINA Each time the further he moves north
the worse he fares. II the War Department
will only do its duty now This will be not only
the last rebel invasion Of the North, but the
iast great struggle Of the rebellion.
The dispatches Of our correspondents from
the battle field, taken in connection with the
oflicia. dispatches OF General Meade. leave
%
result of this last terrible conflict. On Friday
night, according to our advices, Lee took adj
vantage of the darkness TO retreat, and was in
full flight on Saturday after loss Of from thirty
thousand TO fifty thousand men in killed.
wounded and prisoners. Cur own,loss is very
great particularly in oflicers, bet does not equal
that of the enemy. Ii the figures Of the rebel
i0s nnt tIv tad Ina ia
plcd that he will consider himself very fortu-
nate if he can escape into Virginia with even
q remnant Of his army.
A good deal depends on whether Lee has
fought with his whole army, or has any consider
able reserve. He has fallen back on the noun
tains OF the Cumberland valley. in which it was
supposed from the beginning he intended to give
battle if he could only draw the Army of the
Potomac into that region, which was the object
of all his manGayring on the Susquehanna
1t is known that he holds the passes of those
mountains and it may be that they will be
sufficient to cover his retrea, to the Potomac.
Ii his losses are exaggerated, and IT, as has bccn
asserted, he had with him when he crossed the
Potomac one hundred and twenty-five thousand,
be in position to still make a formidable resist
ance. If, on the other hand, his army did not ex-
coed from sixty to eighty thousand, and he has
lost from thirty to forty thousand men--in other
words, half his army-it will be impossible for
him to maintain himself in Pennsylvania or
Maryland. and he will undoubtedly make q
rapid retreat into Virginia if be can get away.
n,,t. Ia. hat ap has dos
his pontoon train at Williamsport, and the Po-
tomac is rapidly rising. Perhaps, too, COUGHS
division, and perhaps General Dix's corps, may
each have some important part to play in pre-
venting his successful retreat or in cutting his
communications.
But from General Meade's dispatches, as well
as from the various reports from the battle
field, we conclude that Lees strength is still
considerable. The reporters say that the rebels
at every point outnumbercd the Union troops;
ard General Meade says that during the battle
Of Friday his cavalry, in attacking the
tanks of the enemy, encountered supe.
rior numbers both of infantry and cavalry
So strong indeed in point of numbers were the
rebels that, according to our intelligent cores
pondents, at the critical juncture, about eleven
| o'clock in the forenoon of Friday, one or two
brigades Of the New York militia arrived and
were Immediately thrown into position to rein
force the right wing, which was being 80 badly
pressed. "Ihis assistance determined the fate of
| the day" The inference is that Lees army is
| still large enough for mischief, and cannot be
despised with impunity.
Cacnral Mazda haa dana rol,tv .o.a L. -.
fortunate in snatching SO soon the prestige from
the rebel arms. He was new and an untried man.
except as a corps commander. and ptted against
a well tried, able and successful adversary;
while the difficulties arising from his inexperi-
ence in handling large army were enhanced by
the fact that he was suddenly placed in command
on the very eve of great battle. And, Though
| the country felt more secure than if Hooker
had been retained in command, still it was by
no means free from doubt and apprehension.
But the rapidity and energy Of Meade's move.
ments appear TO have taken Lee by surprise Il
is not at oil probable hat he intended to give
general battle at Gettysburg His object in
holding that advanced position with two corps
was to keep our advance in cheek till he had
time to gather bis scattered forces into strong
! position. But the impetuosity OF Reynolds.
which has been criticised as rashness, had the
effect Of forcing on a great and general battle
at . point in which the Union troops had the
advantage in position. Lee was thus outQene-
raled by too much confidence in the pres
tige Of his army and the resources OF his intel.
| lect.
l~tsl n
as follows On the first day the advance corps
of the Union troops attacked two corps Of the
enemy north Of Gettysburg about a mile. An.
other Union corps came up TO the assistance of
the first, and finally four Union corps were en-.
gagged 10 the action. The result was that Gen.
Rnrnnlda Was killed and the rninn ,roaz