The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-07-11
l0ar Nous.
From the Army Of the Potomac,
The Battle OF Thursday.

battle of Thursday
My brief dispatches regarding the
desperate engagement of Wednesday
have hardly conveyed true idea Of its
ma enitudc and character. We have
now had two days fighting. Nearly
hc whole of Wednesday was thus en-
ployed by The Is aud llth corps, with
varying success, they finally beng
obliged to fall back before greatly
superior numbers.
Thursday morning there were strong
premoni ions of an carly engagement
wi h the enemy i'll force, but as Ihe day
wore away and no positive exhibition
WAS made by the enemy, we began to
think that perhaps there would be no
immediate battle after all. We were
hardly IN a condition to give battle, as
all oar DISPOSE ions had not been made,
Gen. Meade not having arrived on the |
ground until O'Clock in the morning.
The position of our forces after the |
fight of Wednesday was 10 the eastward
and southwark of Gettysburg, covering
,hc Baltimore pike, the fancy own and
Emmi tsburg roads, and still being near
ly parallel with he la!,er. The torma-
ton Of the ground on the right and CEN
ire vas excellent for defensive purposes.
On our extreme left the ground sloped
off until the position was no higher than
the encmy's. The ground in front OF
our line was level, open country, IN
terspersod here and jbcrc with an orchard
or very small tract Of timber, general
" oak, with the underbrush cut away.
During the day portion of the troops
threw up temporary brcastworks and an
abattis. General Mcade's headquarters
were nj an old house on the Taneytown
road, Immediately i'll rear OF the centre.
Our line was not regular in shape
Indeed, the ecu re protruded out toward
the enemy so far as to form almost the
two sides of triangle. Before sun
down General Meade's headquarters
proved to be the hottest place on Inc
battlefield, so far as careless shelllng
was concerned.
General Howard occupied, with his
corps, beau ful cencte,y on hill to
the south of Gettysburg. Cannons
- thuudercd, horses pranccd, and men
carcesSly trampled over the remains OF
the dead From this bill! beautiful
view could be ATTAINED Of The valley,
aud also of goodly portion Of the
enemy 5 line Of battle.
Our forces had all been concentrated
on Thursday night, save the 9th and h
Cops. The former arrived during the
morning, and the latter soon after noon.
They we're all masscd Immediately be-
hind our GENRE.
Whether or no it was Gen. Meadc's
inten ion to attack, | cannot say, lut he
was hardly ready for it before the af'cr'
noon of Wednesday. The day had be.
come almost dull. Skirnshing was nov
and then brisk, aud the sharpshoo ers III
the stecples and bellrys of the churches
~. persistcntly blazcd away at officers an'
artillery horses.
10 At 3! o'clock, General Meade haC
hi, received sufficient assurances to justify
Mt him in the belief that the rebels wev
sed conccn rating their forces on our lief
en-, flank, which all felt to be secure undc
''o nt the protection of the invinciblc 81.
hen Corps. Our line was immedia, el
the strengthened on that flank, Genera
'es. Sicklcs' corps being sent to its support
So and several bctteries from the reserv
and being brought out and placed in pos
but ton.
n a At about A O'Clock p. NJ. the enem
pad sent his first compliments by a salvo {
,omi ar ilery. his first shells falling uncon
tcr fortaby near General Meade's heac
ind quarters. From this hour forth, to s
bout O'Clock, occurred by all odds the mo
Top, sangunary engagement yet chronicle
o onj in the annals of the war, considering
What short duration. The artillery atta(
ack- which was made by the enemy on tt
Tally left and GENRE, was rapidly followed
p De The advance of his infantry. The 81
,ot Corps received the attack with gre
face coolncss. The rebels at once made f
low, our flank, and kept moving heavy &C
make unns in that direction. This nccess
' OH taxed support, which was quickly giv'
and and by the 9th Corps, the division of Ge
airing Barnes being sent to the right, and tn
of General Ayres, regulars, to the let
with General Crawford in reserve.
",. The battle now became perfectly fes
fruit full. The armies engaged each other a
ZOOS very short range, aud for three 10
and hours the roar of musketry was ines
allea SAINT. / have heard more noise, louo
- for crashes, in other battles, but l nce
they saw or heard Of such desperate, tena
ch is Gus fighting as took places on this flax
gree The enemy would often bring up suddn
"'e'y ly heavy column of men, and force u
=; and line back, only to be in turn forced be
st as By our own line Of glittcring stee,-
the Our gallant columns covered themseEe
pick with glory over and over again. Tie
Is 20 fought a superior force in NUMBER
areat The dispositions of the enemy were Ter
dilute rapid, for look where you would on h:
: one field a body of rebels would be adnn'
the ing. Our dispositions were eqall
,,a "%d rapid, and the enemy found more ha
fla. their equal in such gallant veteran
stead Sickle, and Birney, and Humph es.-
At half-past six Gen. Sickles was sruc
in the right leg by piece of shell, al
$ fol- was borne from the field. The njul
! Jog was so great that ampu.ation jecau
ears necessary, and it was performed ucces