Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-07-23
Ewell.

TIE distance from the First to the Third
is ten miles; from the Third to the Second
is tea miles; and from the Second to the
Sixth terminating the Sixth thirty miles
from the First. On Sunday Ewell begins
to fall back. On that day Longstreet and
Hill are pretty we'll advanced from Cham
bersburg out toward Gettysburg. Lee is
waiting for his opportunity, as cat waits
foi mouse. You see the movement at .
giance-the entire Union army sweeping
north in line, Ike rank OF mowers in
a hay field. Ewell moving rapidly south
along the Cumberland Valley-on its east
ern edge, to Gettysburg, LongstreeL and
Hill moving east.
Lee is foiled in his anticipations of splin-
tering the end of the column and driving
his blows its entire length. Suddenly the
Union army begins to shut itself together
like telescope. Instead Of being a length
ened column it becomes a mass a Gettys-
burg. The 1st and 18th reach the town
on Wednesday morning, July 1st, the Sd
and 18th arrive in the afternoon, the Cd
and 9th Thursday morning, and the 9th
Thursday afternoon.
THE GROUND.
lave said that Rock creek runs south
about mile east of the town. AS you
approach the town from the southeast on
the LittletoWn road, or the Baltimore pike
as it is called, you have gradual ascent
nearly mile from Rock creek before
gaining the top Of the ridge-not an even
inclined plane, but undulaiing-theg ground
being broken, beaved up on either hand
into rocky hills and knobs, nearly all
cleared-here and there an oak and chest
nut grove, scattered houses, small gardens,
apple orchards, stone walls in abundance
the ground divided into small patches to
get rid Of the rocks. AS you approach
the top of the ridge your face set to the
northwest, you notice hill half mile to
your right, quite sharp and steep, and
wooded. Remember it, because it is an
inns ortant point; on it, as we shall see,
rests our right wing.
Looking straight ahead YOU notice on
the very top of the ridge house. 1t is
not a dwelling house, but the gateway of
the Gettysburg cemetery. Tkis is the
strongest and highest point of Meade's
position. The 18th corps is there, and
Howard has his batteries standing over
the Wondering forms OF the dead who have
been borne hither in times of peace by
mourning friends. Roses, cypress and
dalses are in bloom, seeming the morning
air; but the hOofs of horses. the rumble
of ammunition trains, and the roar of
cannon resound through the streets of the
silent city.
You look half mile distant in the north
esst and see the wooded hill before men
toned. Turning northwest, right in front
OF you On the western slope is the town.
1t is not more than forty or fifty rods to
the buildings. On the north side of the
Baltimore pike, between the buildings and
the wooded hill are newly mown fields
Ia these fields are batteries with breast
works thrown up by Howard on Wednes-
day night-lighJ affairs, not intending to
resist cannon shot, but to protect the can
Monies from sharp shooters. You see his
. lines of infantry behind stone walls. The
canponiers ere lying beside their pieces
sleeping perhaps, but at any rate keeping
close, for, occasionally, a bullet comes
this way.
Away off beyond the town northwest,
is hill wood crowned, sloping gradually
to the south, dotted with the white can
vas of wagon trains. There the road from
Carlisle comes in. Down at its base is
the Lutheran Theological Seminary, a
large brick building, half hid by the tall
forest trees that surround it. Between
the seminary and the town are smooth
meadows, with here and there an oak or
walnut standing alone in the landscape.
There, south of the seminary, is the fine
residence of DR.. Schumacher, well known
in the Theological world 10 an able writer
| and thinker. The distance from the GEN.
| etery to the seminary is a mile and half
Locking nearer, ct our own line, you
| see, as you turn your face from the north.
west to the south, that this ridge tends q
little to the southeast. Adjoining the
cemetery is IN oak grove on the eastern
slope and an apple orchard On the western
side. Then you come to cleared felds.-
Coming up from the south. is the Teney-
town road. On it is mean little house,
on the south side of the road, the Ameri-
can flag flying in front of it. There are
horses hitched 10 the fences and nibbling
the grass in the fields. Officers with stars
on their shoulders are examining maps,
writing and sending off cavalrymen. 1t
is Gen. Meade's headquarters. 1t is on
the battlefield. When the rebel batteries
open it viii be a warm place.
The ridge, as | have said, along here, is
smooth. but mile south of the cemetery
it suddenly rises to hillock, rocky,
knobby, with boulders, and covered with
t. ID