Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-22

| GERS, formed q picture worthy an artists pen
en-: After .. crossing the nns and proceeding
stores for the troops At the front To accom-
into beautiful grove of big, full-foliaged trees
free from any undergrowth, carpeted with q vel.
1t was An ideal spot for q bivouac, and its CRATE
| ini shade was delicious relief from the hot and
dusty highway. While resting here another In
| 5dent occurred which was calculated to still
inTther exalt the feelings ofOur Pennsylvanians
ALREADY wrought TO high pitch by the stirring
ssrnns,. sr cseir commanding general ana the
| eoondary-line. Gazing upward as be lay upon
the ground one of them discovered through the
leaiy branches OF the trees, plainly visible not
| outstanding the brightness of the sun, which
vas yet two hours from its setting single star.
| giitter1ng ike u diamond in field of azure.
/ Announcing his discovery to his comrades soon
| every eye was directed heavenward to catch a
glimpse OF the radiant visitor whose apparition
was hailed by the enthusiastic sOldiery as sign
OF welcome and q harbinger OF victory in the
| coming conflict. One fellow, who pragmati-
caiiy asserted that the star was just visible TO
the rebels as to them, and that they had just as
good right to consider il favorable omen,
was a', nooted AT and set upon I'm a way which for
Iar more comprehensive than that of his COM
paDiOns.
considerably prolonged beyond the regulation
ten minutes generally accorded soldiers at the
enu OF every hour of marching, came to an end
little before nightfall, and the line of march
was resumed. The Reserves were still q full
days march from what had now been settled
was to be the scene of the great conflict.
Although they did rot know it, the first act in
the momentous drama had been performed.
MOvEM ENTS OF THE CONFEDERATEs
1t would exceed the prescribed limits of this
| paper to attempt to trace the Confederate inva-
sion of Pennsylvania from its inception, but a
general view of its course from the time the
| southern forces first Sc: foot on northern soil
10 the opening OF the battle of Gettysburg seems
| To be proper and necessary.
Emerging from the Shenandoah valley at its
opening on tue Potomac, the Confederate van
guard, composed of EwelTs corps, com pleted
cavalry, under Jenkins, having crossed on the
l4th and occupied Chambersburg on the 10Th.
Two of Ewelfs divisions, those of Rhodes aud
Johnson, entered Chambersburg on the 2:;d the
other under Early took the road to York by way
OF Gettysburg. On the 25th the two other corps
OF the Confederate army, under Longstreet and
A. r. Hill, which had crossed the Potomac the
preceding day at Williamsport and Shepherds
town respectively. united at HagerstOwn, and,
supported by their presence, Ewell with his
main Douy pressed on to Carlisle, which he Oc-
cupled on the 21th, Jenkins brigade proceeding
towards Harrisburg, and reaching Kingston,
only thirteen miles from the capital The pas
sage OF the Potomac by Stuart cavalry on the
same DAY brought the whole Confederate army
north OF the river. Lee, ignorant all this while
matt MON army Was at his heel, was play ing
Inc part OF the successful invader, apparently in
bi1ssful confidence that he was In no danger of
meeting other opposition than could be offered
by the hastily-gathered and poorly EARNED levies
vi I nliillla whlcn were being collected. On the
Potomac was at Frederick, and a change came
over his dreams OF Invasion aud conquest. Re-
cognlZlnS at once the necessity OF creating a d.
version I'D relieve his rear and draw away the
Union army from his line OF communication
| he determined to threaten Baltimore with his
whole lorce, and according y sent orders to his
| corps commanders to concentrate at Gettys-
burg; What turned the Confederate army to-
wards The scene OF the epOchal conflict vi july
L, and 3 was, therefore, the fact OF its being
stragetIcally the point for a concentration pre-
ninlnary TO adeseent upon Baltimore, by means
Leo a tIaI v,,;,,
army farther east and away from his line of
communication and retreat, should necessity
for the latter arise.
THE UNION FORCES
Now let Us see where the Union army Was
and by what mOvementsi 1t came to confront the
confederate forces at Gettysburg, and then we
snail be prepared To carry on intelligibly our
narrative o. the Reserves participation in the
served liz respect OF the Con iederate movements,
We shall limit our view of the operations of the
Union forces to what took place after they had
| arrived north of the Potomac.
| On the 2eth of June, the day on which Gen.
eral Lee determined on his diversion In the
direction of Baltimore and the concentration of
his army at Gettysburg, the Union army was at
| Frederick, with its left wing, consisting of the
| First, Third, and Eleventh Corps under Cen
| eral John +. Reynolds, thrown forward to
| Middletown and BOonsboro, General Buford
with his division OF cavalry, holding the passes
OF south Mountain. General Hooker had on
| that same Jay been superseded in the com
| mahd OF the Army of the Potomac by General
| Oh BuiOrds cavalry covered the left flank OF
the Union army near Fairfield, with one bri-
gade at Mechaniestown The First and Eleventh
Corps were At Emmettsburg, the Third and
Twelfth at MiddIeburg, the Fifth at TaneytOwn
the Second at UniOntOwn. and the Sixth at New
windsor. The first determination OF any part
of the Army OF the Potomac to Getty sburg was
General PleasontOn's direction to General
Bufurd on the 18th TO occupy it the next day
| and holdit until the rest vi the army shouiG
arrive. SO far as our side Is concerned Gem
e era rIeasanton seems to have been
OF Gettysburg as strategic point in reference to
the campaign. The evening of June 80 found
Inc First Corps, the extreme lett of the army at
Marsh Creek, on the Emmettsburg road while
| the sixth Corps its extreme right was at West
minister: Between these extremes were posted,
| from lett to right, the Eleventh Corps at FIN.
| mettsburg, the Second and Third at Taneytown
the Fifth at Union Mills, and the Twelfth at
FrizLleburg. General French, with the greater
part Of the garrison OF Harper sFerry had moved
! up and occ lpied Frederick. A glance at the man
will show that this arrangement OF the seyer,i
| corps of the Army OF the Potomac brought the
| LETT wing IAuch nearer Gettysburg than was the
right Up to this time neither Meade norI zee mad
been conscious how surely the law of strategy
J working like that OF gravita inexorabiy was
| bringing them to a crucial test of strength at
| fensive position on Pipe Creek and ther. await
an attack by Lee. The latter, still without def
| mite Information of his opponents position, an
| ticipated occupying Gettysburg without serious
| resistance Gen. hey uOids had been orderd
| to Gettysburg but had halted his corps at Marsh
| Creek, as previously shown, his reason being
! that the enemy were reported TO be coming from
the direction OF Fairfield. Now, however on
the night OF the Both vi June, Meade had he.
come fully appraised that the enemy were con-
! centratlng at Getty Sburs As soon Gen. Rev
noids was informed OF the situation he de-
terInlned TO move forward and occupy the town
aud mold II against the Confederate. advance
he directed tue Eleventh Corps To move u ID a., a
support To- the First, and he RECOMMENDED but
| did not order, the Third corps To do the same
WAITING FOR THE SHOCK
| We have seen that Gen. Buford had already
been sent forward To occupy and hold Gettys-
| burg till support should arrive. Thus ON the
morning OF the LIST of July, we find Buford hold
ing the ridges to the west of Gettysburg with
his cavalry division, composed OF CANDLES aud
/ DeVens brigades. With his videttes well out
| ON the roads leading north, west, and east of
/ Gettysburg. u large part of his command dis
mounted and In line OF battle, and his batteries
| strongly posted, he waited on side the ap-
proacn OF the ConfederateS, while towards tie
the First Corps. Here was presented the picture
of tine northern army coming from the sonth
towards the point ON which were governing the
southern batt.illons approaching from the
north. A birds eye view OF the situation tn ono
| knowing nothing of the combatants WouId
| have created AL impression exactly the reverse
| OF the fact. Such an one would have naturally
! supposed that these biue-cad soldiers thai he
| saw south OF Gettysburg were making an in
vasion of the north, while the gray and butter
! nut masses, marching southwark from
! the direction OF Harrisburg and Car
lise, and Chambersburg, he would have
taken To be the defenders rather than the in
vaders of the soil north OF the Potomac II