Delaware State journal and statesman., 1863-07-10
INC struggle at Getlysburg.
THE BATTLE OF FRIDAY.


Sgfcidt Correspondence 81 me New oFh HoFtd. nj
ugAuouABruRs Amy or me PoToMAc, r
FRIDAY, July 3, It P. NJ.
The sun of Austerlit Is not more memorable tt
han that which is just hngiug its dying raysoser
he Held Of this the third day Of successful bat c
He The victory won hy Gen. Meade is now SO
decisive that no one in this army pretends TO
question the route and decentralization OF the D
rebel army under General Lee The battles Of s
"Wednesday aud yesterday were sufficiently ter r
rible, but in that which has ragged today the
fighting DONE not only by our troops but by
those Of Lees army, will rank in heroism, in
aud in savage energy with that Of
Waterloo.
The position Of Lee at the close of last evening
was such that he was forced to-day TO reduce all
his energies into one grand desperate, and cen
tralzel attempt to break through our army
His divisions were SO much cut up as to render
pitched battle from wing TO wing one OF awful
hazard. The dilemma was terrible one, and
that the rebel commander fully appreciated all
its risks, is evinoed by the desperation of his
onset to-day.
Friday morning found our army reinforced
The reserves Of the Sixth Corps, Gen Sedgwick,
and the Twelfth Gen. Slocum, had arrived aud
taken up strong positions. At the last hour our
troops were ranged in line along the Emiuetts-
burg turnpike aud the Taneytown road
The engagement began by an assault of our
troops upon suulc lltH WI wv llbh
which we're left in possession Of the enemy last
evening. Their fire was returned by the rebels,
and the fight Immediately became general
Until nearly noon the battle ragged without inter
mission, hut with no loss TO Us, when we finally
| obtained possession of the rihe-pits-the rebel
force which had previously held thtm retreaiing
4 The firing then slaokened, but Mt one O'Clock WAS
renewed At different points along the line with
a tercenes3 premouitory Of the terrific engage
ment that ensued
Several charges were made by the rebels as
fciuts, their troops falling back after the first
rush IN every part of the field, except that held
by their forces under Gen. Ewell who was seen
TO concentrate the infantry and artillery together,
aud who soon opened a murderOus ire OF cannon
ON our left centre Then the engagement began
ia earnest The firing became n continuous roar
battery after battery was discharged with a
swftncss amazing yell on yell from the rebels
succeeded each gust Of shot and shell, until the
valley, overhuug with smoke from whence these
horrible sounds issued seemed alive with demons
1t appeared at times as though not Il foot Of air
was free from the hail Of missiles that tore over
our ranks, thiuned but not shaken. Our men
stood the shock with courage sublime-an en-
duranoe 40 wonderful MS to dim even the heroic
record Of the band that fell upon tho acre Of
Tourney The corps against which this deadly
fire was mainly directed was the Second, the
position being commanded by Gen. Hayes.
> The artillery fire continued without intermis-
sion for three hours, when suddenly having been
formed under the cover of the smoke of their own
guns. the rebel troops were hurled against our
lines by their officers in masses the very tread
7 Of whose ieet shook the decligity up which they
came, with cries that might have caused less
dauntess troops than those who waited the onset
| to break with terror. Not man in the Federal
ranks llinched from his position Not au eye
turned to the right or left in search Of security,
a. A ia al
heroes grasped their muskels at a charge, aud
waited the order 10 fire.
Tn and up came the enemy, hoOiing, CROW ding,
showing their very teeth in the venom Of their
rage until within thirty yards Of our cannon. As
the turbulent mass Of gray uniforms of flashing
bayonets and cleaning eyes, lifted itself in "a last
> leap forward almost TO the very mouths of oui
r guns, volley OF shot shell, schrapne, and bull
u lets went crashing through it, dwelling il as
1 scylhe. Its overwhelming onward rush was il
II the next instant turned to the hestatiug leap for
q ward Of few soldiers more daredevil than the
/ rest, the wild bounding upwards of more than a
b few nortally wounded heroes. aud the succeed
It ing backward surge of the disjonted remainder
n which eliminated in scamper down the sop'
- that WAS in some instances retarded by the pur-
e suing bullets Of our men.
- The carnage of this assault among the rebel
u was 80 fearful that even Federal soldiers VIII
J. rested GU their arms Triumphant, after the fo
l. had retreated beyond their fire, they cast the
l. eyes downward upon the panorama OF death ant
lie wounds illuminated by the sun that shono upol
d, the slope before them, seen to shudder nm,
rs turn sickening away.
D. Then the Third and Fifth Corps joined in thu
ell fight. As the rebels rallied for an instant an,
g. attempted to make stand, they were met b.
GO such combined volleys threatened to reduC
their columns to fragments. The panic whic
re ensued is unparalleled in any battle in which III
in Army of the Potomac has ever been engaged -
rs The enemy quailed like ewes before Il tempest
III Their main line again receded, hut numbers
lie palsied by the horror and tumut fell upon thei
II knees, upon their breasts, upon their faces
I'd shrieking and lifting casped hands in token @
TX surrender and appeal for mercy. General Die
ut Garnetts brigade surrendered almost entire, Blu
%. Garnett HIMSELF by the aid of two Of his mon
N succeeded, though wounded, in making his es
Of cape. Longstreet, who led the reinforcement
m which enabled the rebels to make their secon
brief stand, was wounded, captured, and is nov
ii u prisoner.
ur The muskotry firing slowly ceased, and III
n discharge Of artillery continued for a brief period
d, but even these reyetberations finally died away
- Gen. Meade was not deceived in anticipatin
ad another onslaught. Lees columns were coecte
z, and reformed with magical haste. Within nj
ed hour what seemed to be his whole force wa
N, again massed directly in our 'front.' where III
ng contest once more opened. The assault this tim
nd was made with fury even surprising that Of th
re- first, 1t would seem as if the entire rebel arm
ng had resolved itself into gigantic Forlorn Hope
IT. and bore in its collective bosom the consciousness
ug that the effort now made was the last and til
ny ony one that could be made toward retrievin
le the fortunes of that army, or preventing the u
o. t,iable disgrace which lowered over it. Y,
- the cool and gallant pla!anx, secure in its pos
Ter ton and confident in its leader, waited with
nd silence only broken by The occasional roar ,
artillery the approach of the foe and viewed th
onset as calmly and met it as unfalterugly as be
nd fore. Back, as easily as q girl hurs the shut !,
". cock, did the soldiers Of our gallant army hui