The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-07-04
The Victory Undoubtedly Ours.

Our national anniversary, we think, may be
celebrated in anticipation to day as in honor
of the nations greatest deliverance. From the
official dispatches of General Meade and other
accounts of the second and the third days
battles near Gettysburg, we can hardly resist
the conclusion that the tide Of victory has
turned 80 decidedly against the rebel army Of
General Lee that the end of this campaign will
be the end of the rebellion.
The latest reports from the field come from
General Meade at one o'clock yesterday after
noon, and he states that the enemy had at
tackled him at daylight in large force, but that
up to that time he had driven them four miles
from the position they occupied on the day
previous towards the north and west, and was
then pursuing them. He claims the victory as
complete, after three days. severe fighting.
Our late dispatches from Harrisburg state that
General Couch was fully aware of The rebel
disaster last evening.
In the official despatch Of General Meade OF
July he says that he was attacked at four
O'Clock in the afternoon Of that day, and that,
CATER one Of the severest contests Of the war;"
the enemy were "repulsed at all points," that
we shave suffered considerably in killed and
wounded" but that "we have taken
large number of prisoners" Lee appears
again to have practised the system Of
operations which he adopted at Chan
cellorsville; for here, as there, his first
desperate assault to break the lines Of our
army was made in the afternoon. But, while
the experiment in the first instance was sue
cess, 1t was In the second a complete failure.
He seems, however, to have adhered to his
tactics Of Charlottesville, in renewing the
battle again very early the next morning; but
in the despatch of General Meade, dated
at eight o'clock A. M. yesterday, the battle
still progressing, he says that "the enemy thus
far have made no impression upon my posi-
tion," and that prisoners report that Long
streets and A. P. Hills forces were much
injured" in the battle of the preceding day
Rumors from the field down to twelve o'clock
(noon) yesterday received at Baltimore, in
volved the death Of General Longstreet; and,
from the demeanor Of the secessionists of the
city, they not only believed this rumor, but
seemed to know that it was true.
We are satisfied that General Lees army,
with all the forces which he can rake and
scrape together in Pennsylvania, is consider
ably inferior in strengthen cavalry, artil-
lery and infantry-to ours; and we have no
doubt that General Meade's reserves are within
hailing distance
Our anticipations Of further and more
complete successes are based entirely upon
the capabilities Of the Army of the Potomac
imagine that, in the crisis Of this desperate
struggle Of the rebellion between life and
death, so good soldier as General Couch
viii remain inactive on the line of the Sus-
qusAanna, with his auxiliary army Of thirty
OF forty thousand militia, including fifteen 81
twenty New York regiments, as good, or only
wanting the trial by fire Of battle or two
70 make them as good, as regulars. We expect
that General Couch has been following up the
rebel rear guard in its retreat from the Sus-
quehanna, and has not failed to give power
full helping band at the proper moment to his
old associates Of the Army of the Potomac.
We conjecture that the relative positions Of
the two armies were such yesterday morning
that II was necessity with Lee to dislodge his
adversary, in order to secure safe retreat, II
nothing else; for, in failing to gain the most
convenient roads to the Potomac held by Gene
raj Meade, Lee would be In danger Of being cut
of altogether. From the facts connected with the
first of these three days battles--that In which
the intrepid General Reynolds lost his life--we
think It evident that Lee was not seeking, but
endeavoring to avoid, our advancing army, in
order to cover the removal beyond the Potomac
Of the immense stores of his Pennsylvania plum
der. We believe that he has been compelled to
fight at some disadvantage, but that, as fighting
was his only alternative, he has met the emer-
gency with the courage, resolution and terrible
compelled to meet our Army Of the Potomac,
not in snare to our commanding general Of
q wilderness Of woods, underbrush and ravines,
in which only third Of his troops could be
brought into action, but In fair held, where
all our forces may be called into play.