Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1871-03-31
LEES RETREAT FROm eEFTYs-
BURG.


Confederate General Imboden con-
tributes to the April Galaxy paper on
the battle Of Gettysburg. from which we
extract the following:
After a good deal of conversation he
General Lee4 sent for his chiefs of staff
and ordered them to have everything in
readiness for me to take command the
next morning, remarking to me that the
general instructions he had given would
/ was about leaving to return to nv
camp, he came out of his tent and said
to me in a low tone: will place in
your hands tomorrow sealed package
for President Davis, which you will re
tain in your own possession till you are
across the Potomac, when you will de-
tail a trusty commissioned officer to take
it to Richmond with all possible dispatch.
and deliver it immediately to the Presi-
dent. | impress it upon you that what
ever happens this package must not fail
into the hands of the enemy. If you
should unfortunately be captured, de-
stroy it."
On the morning of the 4th my written
instructions and the package for Mr..
Davis were delivered to me. 1t was
soon apparent that the wagons and am
balances and the wounded could not be
ready to move till late in the afternoon.
The General sent me four four-gun field
batteries, which with my own gave
me twenty-five guns to defend the trains.
Shortly after noon the very windows
of heaven seemed to have been opened.
Rain fell in dashing torrents, and in a
Lit le while the whole face of the earth
was covered with water. The meadows
became small lakes; raging streams ran
across the road IN every depression of
the ground; wagons, ambulances, and
artillery carriages filled the roads and
fields in all directions. The storm in
creased In fury every moment. Canvas
was no proteCuon against 1t, and the
poor wounded, lying upon the hard
naked boards of the wagon-bodies. were
drenched by the cold rain. Horses and
mules were blinded and maddened bv
the storm, and became almost unman-
ageable. The roar of the winds and
waters made it almost impossible to
communicate orders. Night was rapid
ly approaching, and there was danger
that in the darkness the confusion -
would become worse confounded. .
| About four P. NJ. the head of the column
was put IN motion and began the ascent
| of the mountain. After dark / set out
to gain the advance. The train was
seventeen miles long when drawn out
on the road. 1t was moving rapidly,
and from every wagon issued walls oi
agony. For four hours galloped along,
! passing to the front, and heard more
It was too dark to see--of the horrors ot
war than had Witnessed from the bat.
tie OF Bull Run up to that day. In the
wagons were men wounded and mutt
lated in every conceivable way. Some
had their legs shattered by a shell OF
Mimic ball some were shot through
their bodies; others had arms torn Il
shreds; some had received a bali in tb,
face, or a jagged piece of shell hac
lacerated their heads. Scarcely one il
a hundred had received adequate surgi
cal aid. Many had been without fooc
for thirty-six hours. The irragged
bloody, and dirty clothes, all clotted anS
hardened with blood, were rasping5 III,
tender, inhamed lips Of their eSpin,
. wounds. Very few Of the wagons ha'
even straw in them, and all were with
out springs. The road was rough an,
rocky. The jolting was enough to hav
killed sound, strong men. From nearl
every wagon, as the horses trotted on