The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-25
aee After the E:attlc OF Gettysburg.

General Confederate J. d. lmboden
writes for the Galaxy an article OH Lee ut
Gettysburg, from which We take the follow
ing
When night closed upon the grand scene
our army was rcpul,cd. Silence and gloom
pcryadcd our camps. We knew that the
day had gone against MS, but the extent OF
the disaster was not known except III h,eh
quarters, The carnage OF the day was re-
nortrd to have been frighttul. but our army
was not in retreat, and we Ill SllrmlSeo tii't
with o.morrow's dawn would come re-
newal of the struggle: and we knew tnat II
such was the case, those who had not Dech
in the fight would have their tllll snare III
the honorS and the daE"crs OF the neNtuay.
All felt and appreciated the HOMOGENEOUS
consequences Of final defeat or victory on
that rrcnt. field, Th, Sc considerations made
that TO us one Of those solemn and awful
nights that every one who fought through
our long war sometimes experienced before
great battle.
Few camp.frcS cnlivencd the Scc"e. IL
was warm summers night, ana tGe weary
soldiers were lying in groups on the luAu-
RANT grass of the meadows we occupied,
discussing the events Of the day, or watch
ing that their horses did not straggle OIL i'll
tbrowsing around. About II o'clock 4
horseman approached and delivered mes
sage from Gen. Lee that he wished TO see
me immediately. | mounted at once. and,
accompanied by Lieut.. McPhal, OF my
staff. and guided by the courier, rode
about two miles towards Gettysburg,
where half 4 dozen small tents on the
roadside were pointed out rs General
Lees headquarters for the night. lie
was not there, but I was informed that l
would find him with General ~. 7. Hill,
half Il mile further on. On reaching the
place indicated pickering, solitary candle,
visible through the open front of com.
mon tent, showed where Generals Lee and
| Hill were seated OH camp.stools, with 4
county map spread upon their knees, and
engaged in Il low and earnest conversation
They ceased speaking rs | approached, and
after the ordinary SITUATIONS General Lee
| directed me to 90 to his headquarters and
wait for him. He did not return until
about | o'clock, when he came riding alone
at slow walk, and evidently wrapped il
profound thought.
There was not even Il sentinel on duty,
and no one of his staff was about. The
moon was high in the heavens, shedding. I
flood Of soft, silvcry light, almost as bright
as day, upon the scene. When he ap
preached and saw US, he spoke, refined uI
| his horse. and essayed to diSmount. The
effort to do so betrayed so much physical
exhaustion that stepped forward to aS>is
him, but before l reached him he haC
aightcQ. He threw his arm across his sad
die to rest himself. and. fixing his eyes upOl
the ground, leaned in silence upon hi:
! equally weary horSc-the two forming ;
striking group. As motionlcSs as Il statue
The moon shonc full upon his massive fca
lures, and revealed al expression OF sad
ness ] had never seen upon that fine c0un
| tcnance before in any Of the vicisStudes 0
the war through which he had passed.
waited for him to speak until the silence
! became painful and embarrassing, When tt
break it. ana change the current of hi:
|! thoughts, | remarked in 4 sympathetic tone
and III alIusiou to his great fatigue:
General, this has been Il hard day 0!
YOU"
This attracted his attention. He looked
up, and replied mournfully
eyes. 1t has been sad, sad day to us, !
| and immediately relapsed into his thought
| full mood and attitude. Being unwilln.
again to intrude upon his thoughtful re
| tlertionS, ! said no more. After Il minute
or two III suddenly strai ghtcned up 10 hi:
| tull height, and, turning TO me with moro
| animation. energy, and excitement OF man
ncr than l had ever seen in him before, be
| addressed Inc in voice tremulouS witt
emotion, and said:
General, l never saw troops behave
more magnficently than Picketts division
of Nirginian> did to-day III their grand
charge upon the enemy. And if they had
been supported, us they were to have been
Out, for some reason not yet fully OK
planned to me, they were no), we would
have held the position they 50 Slorlou-lI
won ut such fearful loss of noble lives!
and the day would have been ours
After moment he added IN tone al
most of agony;
TOO bad ! Too bad Oh, too bad!'
shall never forget, as long as live. his
language and his manner, and his appear.
ance and expression Of mental suffering
Altogether it was Il scene that historical
painter might we'll immortalize, had one
been fortunately present to witness It..
In 4 little while he called up 4 servant
| from his sleep to take his horse spoke
| mourntully, by name, of several Of hi.
| friends who had fallen during the day, and
| when a candle had been lighted, invited Inc
alone into his tent, where, as soon rs we
were seated, he remarked:
eve must return to Virginia. As many
Of our poor wounded as possible must be
| taken home. / have sent for you, because
your men are fresh, TO guard the train:
back " Virginia"