The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-06-25
The Battle of Gettysburg-An Account
Off as General TrimbIe, late L. $. A.
baltimore sun, 2ith.I

\ meeting of the members of the Society
OF the Army and Navy of the Confederate
states in MARYLAND was held at Rainc's Hall
t,-l evening, which was well attended. BY
invitation General isaac K. Trimbc delivered
la.torc the Society minute and exhaustive
criticism on, and account of, the battle of
Gettysburg. in which he participated.
The General commenced by saying that
much had already been said and written
about the battle of Gettysburg, but that
many errors are yet entertained concerning
il. The battle took place without the intent
or knowledge of either commander of the
adverse forces. and hence confusion, uncer-
t,intv, and absence of well-combined action
marked its progress on both sides. Concert
ui action was rendered extremely difficult
by the fact that the extent OF ground COW
cred by the two armies was from flank TO
fnk about six miles. The first aim of Gen
rrtI Lee in his. movement from Fredericks-
hur. to the Valley of Virginia, and thence
a,ro>> the Potomac, General Trimble said.
was 10 thwart the Federal movement on
ltchmund. and to draw the Federal army
from Virginia. General Lee knew that to
take large army into Pennsylvania he had
10 tight Il great battle somewhere.
II. hoped to be prepared for this battle,
which he was not i"'.ause Of the disobedl-
cnce Of his caya'rv o. lander and the want
of concerted ac.i < hr, qeen his corps COM
manders. The General then went on to give
Il narrative of the campaign and battle in the
form Of Il Journal. He said that the facts
related came under his personal knowledge,
aud of these facts alone he now proposed to
speak. His narrative was interSperSed with
quite number OF anecdotes; one of which
WAS that General Lee, while debating as to
what should be his treatment of the people
OF Pennsylvania, said : d" | cannot hope that
Heaven Will prosper our cause when we are
violating its laws. shall therefore carry on
the war in Pennsylvania without offending
ID" sanction of high civilization and of
Christianity" General Trimble further re-
marked:
'Ou the 18th OF June General Lee entered
Mary Wand. | met him in HagerStOwn and
suggested sending at once brigade to Bal
nmore to take that city, rouse Maryland, and
thus cmbarraSs the enemy. There was not
a brigade, however, which could be spared.
General Lee said TO me, on the evening of
HE same day, That the men were In finer
spirits than he had ever seen them in any
campaign, and that he hoped to meet the
cncmy rs they came up through Frederick,
broken down with hunger and hard march
ing, aud TO throw an overwhelming force
upon their advance. crush it, follow up the
>ucccss, drive one corps back on another, and
by successive rcpulScs and surprises, before
they could concentrate, to create panic, and
naturally destroy their army. He then, placing
II hand on map ot Pennsylvania, said that 4
treat battle would probably be fought near
Gettysburg; and, If God gives It's the victory
he added, the war will be over The Cen
cIa!then enters into detail Of the varying for
tunes of the battle Of Gettysburg. AT 2:30 2.
NJ. on the lst of July the Union forces were re-
treating; General EweiI, however, did not
follow up the success, having been ordered
by General Lee not to bring on general en-
"ascncnt without his knowledge. The
moment seemed to me u critical one. About
$3.50 L. NJ. | advised General Ewell to occupy
wooded bill northeast Of Gettysburg, and
commanding the town, which was not done.
That night 1t Was occupied by the enemy.
'.1Ecrc weretwo separate attempts after
wards To tahe thai hill which resulted in iu!.
llcnsc loss TO Us. Gu the I'd General Lee
was extremely anxious to make an attack,
bui, however, was prevented. The. First
aud Eleventh corps were signaliy defeated on
lie lst, and their reserve did not come up
Until that night. The failure 10 follow up
properly the successes gained in the early
part Of the battle was The first fatal error
committed. There was 30 action from 3
i. n. on the 1St until 4 2. NJ. on the Cd,
when L0ngstrect drove the enemy hall "a
Mlle. About shutdown vigorous attack