Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-07-21

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it before departing, however, he re
marked in substance that he was oblg
cd TO use such persons as be felt dis
posed TO use that in this case he sen
me because he had explained them Il
the others that knew his plans anC
ideas, and could better accord with
him in my operations than anybody
else. went to Gettysburg, arriving
on the ground not later than half pas
three o'clock. | found that, practically
the fight was then over. The rear O
our column, with the enemy in pur
suit, was then coming through the
town of Gettysburg. General Howard
was on Cemetery Hill, and there had
evidently been an attempt on his part
to stop and form some Of his troops
there; what troops he had formed
there | do not know. | understood
afterwards, and accepted it as fact
that he had formed one division there
prior TO this time. | told Gen. How.
ard had orders TO take command in
the front. did not show him the or.
ders because be did not demand it. He
acquiesced.
| exercised the command until even.
ing, when General Slocum arrived,
about six or seven o'clock. His troops
were in the neighborhood, for they ap.
parently had been summoned up be.
fore | arrived, by General Howard
possibly, as well as the Third corps.
When General Slocum arrived, he
being my senior, and not included in
this order to me, turned the com.
mand over to him. In fact was in.
structed verbally by General Butter.
field to do so.
When ! arrived and took command
! extended the lines. sent General
Wadsworth to the right to take pos.
session Of Culp's Hill with his division.
! directed Gen. Geary, whose division
belonged to the 10Th corps Gts com.
mander General Slocum, not then hav
ing arrived, to take possession of the
high ground towards Round Top.
made such disposition as / thought
wise and proper. The enemy evidently
believing that we were reinforced, or
that our whole army was there, dis.
continued their great efforts, and the
battle for that day was over. There
was firing of artillery and skirmishing
all along the front, but that was the
end of that days battle. By verbal
instructions, and in the order which /
had received from General Mead, |
was directed to report, after having
arrived on the ground, whether it
would be necessary or wise to continue
to fight the battle at Gettysburg, or
whether it was possible for the fight
10 be had on the ground Gen. Meade
had selected. About 4 o'clock p. NJ,
| sent word by Major Mitchell, aide.
dc-camp to Gen. Meade, that would
hold the ground until dark, meaning
to allow him time TO decide the matter
for himself. As soon as had gotten
matters arranged to my satisfaction.
and saw that the troops were being
formed again and felt secure, | wrote
a note to Gen. Meade, and informed
him of my views Of the ground at
Gettysburg. | told him that the only dis
advantage which thought it had WAS
that the roads were clear for any
movement he might make. had
ordered all the trains back, as ] came
up, to clear the roads.
General Meade had directed my
corps, the I'd corps, to march up to-
ward Gettysburg, under the command
of General Gibbons. When 1 found
that the enemy had ceased their opera
tions, | directed General Gibbons to
halt his corps two or three miles behind
Gettysburg, in order to protect our
rear from any flank movement of the
enemy. Then my operations in the
front being closed, turned the com
mand over to General Slocum, and i'm
mediately started to report to General
Meade in detail what ! had done in
order to express my views clearly to
him, and to see what he was disposed
to do. | rode back and found General
Meade about 8 O'clock He told me
he had received my messages and note,
and had decided upon the representa-
tions / had made, and the existence OF
known facts of the case, to fight at
Gettysburg, and had ordered all the
corps TO the front. That was the end
of operations for that day.
On the third day, in the morning,
the enemy and General Slocum were a
good deal engaged. About one or two
o'clock in the afternoon the enemy
commenced terrific cannonade, from
probably one hundred and and twenty
pieces of artillery, on the front OF the
line connecting Cemetery Hill with
Round Top, the left centre commanded
by me- That line consisted OF the LIST,
"a and Sd corps, Of which ! had the
general command l commanded the
ohols front, General Gibbons com.
manded the 2d,corps in my absence, Gen.
eral Birney the Sd. That cannonade
continued for probably an hour and
half. The enemy then made an rs.
sault at the end of that time. 1t was
very formidable assault, and made,
| should Judge, with about $4,000 in.
fantry. When the columns of the
enemy il appeared it looked as if they
were going to attack the centre of our
line but after marching straight out a
little distance, they seemed to incline
q little to their left, as if their object
was to march through my command
and seize Cemetery Hill, which have
no doubt was their intention, They
attacked with wonderful spirit-noth-
ing could have been more spirited.
The shock OF the assault fell upon the
I'd and Sd division of the second corps,
assisted by asmall brigade Of Vermont
troops, together with the artillery OF
our line which firod from Round Top
TO Cemetery Hill at the enemy oil the
way as they advanced whenever they
had the opportunity, Those were the
troops that really met the assault No
doubt there were other troops that
fred little, but those were the troops
that really withstood the shock of the
assault and repulsod it. The attack of
the enemy was met by about six small
brigados of our troops, and was finally
repulsed after a terrific contest at very
close quarters, in which our troops took
thirty or forty colors and some 1000
to 5000 prisoners, with great loss TO
the enemy in killed and wounded.
The repulse was most signal one,
and that decided the battle, and was
practically the end of the fight. was
wounded at the close OF the assault,
and that ended my operations with
tho army for that campaign. did
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