The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-10-03


Far,y's division was detached for this pur-
pose. aud proceeded as Eir east as YORK,
while the remainder Of ihes,orps procode
10 Carlisle.
General Imboden, In pursuance OF the in.
s.ru,aions previously referred 10, had been
actively engaged on the left of tieu. Ewel
during the progress Of the latter into Mary
land lie had driven oH the forces guarding
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, destroying
all the important bridges on that route 1folh
Cumberland To Martinsburg, and seriously
! d,n,ged the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
He subsequently, took position at Han
cock. aud, at;er The arrival Of Lon&street
au1 lin a, Chambersburg, was directed 10
march hy way Of McCopucllsburg to That
place. .o .Jv,nca
| imam Harrisburg; but on me hiSht vi III"
| oi,b information was receiFed from sco"'
th,, the Federal army, having croSscu 'he
| p",onoc WAS advancing nortiiwartis, AMI
,,a, the head of the column had reached the
Sn,,,h Mountain As our communications
/ ,.are inns menacei, it was resolved 10 pre-
| ven. his further progress IN that direction
| ,y concentrating our army on the east side
ii the mountains Accordingly, Longstreet
and Hill were directed 10 proceed from
Cha,nbersburg to Gettysburg, to which
point Gen Ewell was. also instructed 10
march rom Cafltole.
Gen. Stuart continued 10 follow the move
mcnts of the Federal army Jutlr Of the Po
toyaac after ourpwn hadsu cred Mary land,
and in his cfrJrts to impede il $ progress adj.
yarced as far eastward IS Fairfax Court
House Finding himself unable 10 delay thf
eucmy materially, he crossed tue river Al
Seneca. and marched through Westminster
10 Carlisle, where he arrived after Gen. Ew-
81! htd left for rGettysburg. By the route he
nnrsued the Fede.al army was intorpoSeti
between his command and onr main body,
preventing any communication WIN MN
mil his arrival at Carlisle.
The march towards Gettysburg was con
,ue,cd more slowly than it would have been
had the movements of the Federal army been
known.
The leading division of Hill met the enc
my In advance of Gettysburg, on the morn
in.r OF the ist of July. Driving back these
troops TO within short distance Oh the town,
he there encountered q larger force; with
viii b two of his divisions became engaged
Ew,ll. coming up with two Of his divisions
by the Ucidlcrsburg road, joined in the en-
ga.cinent. The enemy was driven through
Gettysburg, with heavy loss, including about
live thousand prisoners and several pieces ol
artillery.
He retired to a high range Of hills south
ana east Of the town. The attack was not
pressed that afternoon, the cnemy's force
being unknown, and il being considered ad
yiSabir to await the arrival of the rest OF oui
troops. Orders were sent back to hasten
theil maj cll, and, in The meantime, every
effort WAS Inadt, to ascertain the numbers and
positiou of the enemy and tind the most
favorable point of attack. 1T had not been
intended = fight a general battle nj such Il
distance from our base, ui.le,s attacked by
the enemy; bat, finding ourselves uneXpect-
edly confronted by the Federal army, it be
came a matter OF difficulty 10 Withdraw
through the mountains with Ourlargc trains.
At the same time the country WAS uniavOra-
bic for collecting supplies while in the pre-
senct. of the enemy's main body, rs lie WAS
enabled to restrain our tOrlting parties by
occupying the passes o!the mountains with
regular and local troops. \ battle thus be
came, in Il measure, unaVoidahle. LntG}tr-
aged by the successful issue OF the engage
ment OF the first day, and in view OF the val
uablc results that would cnsue from the de
feat of the army of Gen. Meade, it was
Thought advisable to renew the attack.
The remainder Of EWeli's and Hills corps
having arrived, ana two divisions Of Long
streets, our preparations were made accord
iuylv, During the afternoon Intelligence
was received Of the arrival OF Gen. Stuart al
Carlisle, and he was ordered TO march to-
Gettysburg, and take position on the left
A full account OF these engagements cannot
be given until the reports OF the several
commanding officers shall have been re.
ceiyed, and shall only cier general de-
scription
The preparations for attack were not com
plcte,i until the afternoon OF the ii.
The enemy held 4 high and commanding
ridge along which he had niassed large
amount OF artillery. Gen. Ewcll occupi, d
the left Of our line, General llill the centre,
and Gen Longstrcct the right. la front OF
Gen. Lougstrctt the enemy held 4 position,
from which il he could bc driven ii was
thought that cur army could be used to ad
vantage il assailing the more elevated ground
beyond, and thus enable Us 10 reach the crest
OF the ridge That officer was directed TO
eudeayor to carry this position, while Gen.
Ewell attached directly the high ground on
the enc,ny'a right, which had already been
partially fortified. Gen. Hill Was Instructed
/ . threaten the centre of the Federal line, in
order to prevent rcniurcelnentS being sent
10 either wing, and 10 avail himself Of any
that lnight present itself 10 at
tack
After a severe struggle, Longstreet sue
ceeded in getting possession oi- and holding
tbs. desired ground. EWeil also carried some
OF the strong positions which he as3ailed,
and the result wa. such as 10 lead to the
belief that he would ultimately be able TO
the enemy. The battle ceased at
dark
These partial successes determined me TO
continue the assault next day, Pick k2tt,
with three OF his brigadea, Joined Longstreet
the following morning, and our batteries
were moved forward TO the position gained
ty him the day before.
The general plan Of attack was unchanged,
except that one division and two brgades Of
iIilrs corps were ordered TO support Long
street.
The enemy in the meantime had strength
ened his line with euthWOrks. The murn-
ing was occupied in necessary preparations,
aud the battle recommencedin in the AT ernoon
OF the Cd, and ragged with great violence until,
sunset Oar troops succeeded in entering
the advanced works of the enemy, and get
ting possession Of some OF his batteries, but
our artillery having nearly expended lis am
munitiUu the attacking columns became eX-
posed 10 the heavy lite of the numerous bat
teries near the summit of the ridge, and after
a most determined and gallant struggle We're
compelled TO relinguish their advantage and
fall back to their original positions with Sc
we're loss.
The conduct of the troops was all that |
could desire or expect. and they deserved
success so far as it can be deserved by heroic
,alor and forti.uie. More may have been
required Of them than they were able 10 per
form, but lay admiration oftheir noble quail
tiles, and coniideuce in their ability to cope
successfully with the enemy, has suffered no
abatement from the issue OF this protracted
aud sanguinary conflict.
Owing to the strength of the enehy's pO-
sition aud the reduction of our ammunition,
4 renewal of the cngagein ent could not be
haz irded, and the difficulty o! procuring
supplies rendered it impossible to continue
ouger where we were. Such of the wonnd-