Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-07-10

before General Webb Commanding the Second brig,
Second division Of tho Second eorpa methe iuy o.
me attack with steady fire that served 20 rerd the en-
e1y's advance for 4 moment That moment wm
ooehpied by hetehol Gcnerd Armitage in stredy
ing hs troops behind the fense; General webb imme.
distely ordered charge, which made with ench
eagerness and swness and supported by such numbers
Of our troops enabled us to partially surround the
enemy and capture General Armistagc aud SVVO Of nus
men The carnage which accompanied this charge and
the terror inspired by II were 80 great as TO reduce num-
bcrs of the foe actual oowardce They fell upon theH
knees and faces holding Onward their guns ana begging
for mercy while their escaped cumrades panic stricken
and utterly routed rushed down across the bitches and
fences through the fields aud through 9et'yseuIg not
fought for during these three terrible days belonged At
last to the noble Army Of the Potomac,
Win pen that filters. with hand and hcaft heavy
in the pfcscnce Of this great conquest s4qdened
10y the death " few friends and sok of The sights
and sounds that have 50 long sheekedpV ys and nppe
ed my thou hts with vision deceived, perhaps in ma
ny insnhocs by the mere uumuh " the conflicts and
with ears filled by divers reports and estimates ohcer
and surSeohs can not dare not at,empt to give you
an account Or opinion Of losses, They are great
But compared With those Of the enemy They are like
pebbles 10 grains Of sand along the shcreg lcio9
-as.smn1I.3 r------ ----l-alL '1om MO Daih'l
,fx grre GENERAL oRDER--No. 6s.A .ss3
HEApouARTsRs AMY oF.rHg PoToMAc, \
Near Gettysburg. July 9th, $50 4. M,gai
The Commanding General, in behalf Of ib9
country, thanks the army Of the Potomac for
the glorious result OF the recent operations.
Our enemy, superior in numbers, and flushed
with the pride Of q successful invasions at
tempted 70 overcome OF destroy this army.
Bafiled and defeated, he has now Withdrawn
from the contest. The privations and fatigue
the army has endured, and the heroic cour-
age and gallantry it has displayed. viii be
matters Of history to he ever remembered.
Our task is not yet accomplished, and the
Commanding General looks TO the army for
greater efforts TO drive from out. soil every
vestige Of the presence Of the invader.
It is right and proper that we should, on
suitable occasions, return our greatful thanks
to the Almighty Disposer Of events, that, in
the goodness Of His providence, He has
thought fit to give victory TO the cause of the
Just. By commgnd Of . .l.. .f.in ss'
Boo. st.v e Major General MEADE.
S. WILLIAMS, A. a. O.
WAR ITEMS. .y.. .v
A special to the New York Herald, says
News Of the most important character reache.
us from sources beyond all question as TO the
truth of the statement The Vice President
Of the rebel government, Alexander Stephens
and Mr.. Commissioner Ould, came down the
James River on board the rebel gunboat ORA.
gon, on Saturday, with a flag of truce, and
requested permissiou from Admiral Lee t.
proceed to Washington in order Is present ii
person an important communication from
jeff Davis to President Lincoln
Admiral Lee at once despatched to Wash
ington for Instructions. A cabinet meeting
was accordingly held yesterday morning auC
II was decided that permission should not b,
granted to these gentlemen to fulfil then
mission whatever It was to Washington
Admiral Lee was instructed to inform then
that the ordinary channels Of communication
would suffice for the transmission Of an,
message they might have to send 70 Mr.. Lin
( coin. Meantime the rebel gunboat ha,
steamed up the James river while awaitin.
the reply from Washington.
The officers and men Of Gen. Milroy's com
mand, captured at Winchester. are returnin,
from Richmond. They unite, it is said. it
denouucing the surrender Of Winchester a.
disgraceful. They state that its defense wa
feeble, and that if the commanding genera
had not been satisfied that the could hold it
there was ample time 10 have abandoned it
saved the men, and destroyed what propert,
could not have been removed 10 Harper
Ferry.
Richmond dispatches Of the 9th say in
formation received at the war department say
/ that 10000 yankees und-r Gems. Dix an,
| Reyes are moving on the city. A ptoclama
I ton was issued, this forenoon, calling upoi
the citizens of Richmond and vicinity to or
ganze to cooperate with the troops in tn
field.
The main reason for the removal Of Gen
[ Hooker from the command of the Army o
the Potomac was radical difference Of opin
n between him and Gen. Halleck as 10 III
value ofVMaryland Heights as militar,
/ position during the present active operations
PORT HUDsoN. The reason why our gun
boats cannot cooperate at Port Hudson j
because shot or she'll. If fred from the gun
boats, would, from the contiguity of our for
ces, be likely to fall on their encampment
Z passing clear over the rebel stronghold.
4 MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.
( PRgsENrIMEYT.-Ah highly esteemed frienS