Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-07-12
THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.

I
Greene's brigade fought, and where tn
skill and yalor of the enemy came S,
near turning the tide of battle agains
us on that memorable day, twenty-five
years ago.
The main body of Lees army crossed
the Potomac on the 24th and 25th o
May, 1868, and the Army of the Poto
mac followed on the 25th and Goth. Or
/ the 9th, while the Twelfth Corps wa'
| at MiddletoWn, | received from Genera
Hooker an order to be in readiness t.
move the corps to Harper's Ferry, TAXI
the troops to that place with me and tC
move to the bank of the Potomac in the
rear of Lees army. l had an interview
with Gen. Hooker, and was informed
that the order directing this movement
had been sent to Washington for approx
al, as Gen. Hooker did not feel author.
lied to take all the troops from Harper'S
Ferry without the sanction of Gen. Hal
leck. This order was not approved by
Gen. Halleck, and resulted in a request
from Gen. Hooker that he be relieved
from the command of the army, which
request was granted. Gen. HOoker's
plan was very bold one, but he believ-
ed that the Twelfth Corps, with the ten
thousand troops at Harper's Ferry, could
take position in rear of Lee, and pre-
vent him from recrossing the river
while the remainder of the army of the
Potomac would be in a position to come
to our aid before we could be destroyed.
If Gen. Hooker had remained in COM
mand, the part assigned to the Twelfth
Corps would have been no less prOmi-
nent, no less important, than that subse-
quently assigned to it. But the change
in commanders resulted in an entire
change of plans.
Gen. Meade assumed command on the
18th, and moved his army nOrthward.
At noon on July l, we were resting and
waiting orders at Two Taverns. The
sound of the guns at the opening of this
great battle on July l We're heard fifty
miles to the north and west of the field,
while we, owing to the crest of the hills
between us and Gettysburg, and to the
direction of the wind, heard nothing OF
it, although we were only four miles dis
tant. The first information | received
came from citizen living near Gettys-
burg, who stated that battle was in
progress. Orders were at once given to
move to this place, and Major GuindOn,
of my staff, was sent forward to give in
formation of our approach and learn
where we were most needed. On our
arrival Geary's division was sent at once
to the left, to the Rounded Tops, and
Williams was placed on the crest east
of Rock Creek. During Ire following
night and early on the morning of the ID
our corps was reunited on the line mark
ed by these monuments, and part of the
day was spent in entrenehing and
Strengthening the position.
On the morning of July 2, and before
the arrival of the Sixth Corps, was OF
dered as soon as that corps came up to
advance from this position and attack
the enemy with the Fifth, Sixth and
Twelfth Corps. Soon after an order
came directing me not to wait for the
Sixth Corps, but to attack with the Fifth
and Twelfth. At my request General
Meade sent Gen. Warren to examine
our position and the ground in our front.
A careful examination was made, and
on the return of Gen. Warren the order
was cOuntermanded. When the attack
was made on the left of our line, on the
afternoon of the I'd, l was ordered to
move the entire Twelfth Corps as rapid
ly as possible to reinforce the left.
At this time no serious demonstration
had been made against us, but the pres
ence of the enemy was well known to
us. urged Gen. Meade to leave one
division here, and he finally consented
to leave a brigade. Yours was the brig
ade selected to defend line previously
occupied by an entire corps. Soon after
the attack on our left, and before the re-
turn of Williams and Geary, you were
by the divisions of Early and
Johnson, of Ewelrs corps. The gallant
old General WadswOrth, without orders,
sent much-needed help to you, and
you succeeded in delaying the advance
of the enemy and in holding portion of
your line. When darkness put an end
to the struggle the blue and the gray
were intermingled on this part of the
field about as prOmiscuOusly as they are
to-day.
That night Gen. Lee entertained the
hope (as stated in his report that Ewell
would be able to secure possession of all
this portion OF our line, and orders were
given for an attack at an early hour. We
the offensive before Ewel was
to do it. The battle eOmmenc-
ed at t o'clock on the morning of the
3D.. The division of Gen. Williams and
the two brigades of Geary had returned
during the night. A portion of the First
and Eleventh Corps and Shaler's brigade
Of the Sixth Corps were with us. After
Il struggle of seven hours we were once
more in possession of the entire line.
The severity of the battle was abundant
ly attested by the killed and wounded
in our immediate front.
With the cessation of the battle on
this part. of the field came an ominOus
lull. For more than three hours scarce
a shot was fred on either side. At |
o'clock came the artillery battle, in which
one hundred and fifty guns on each side |
took part. Shot and shell filed the air
for more than two hours. With the ces-
Sation of the artillery fire came the most
spectacle of the war the
charge of Pickett's division and a por-
ton of Hills corps across the open fields
in front of Hancock. As an exhibition
of cool, determined bravery it will stand
But it was met with equal |
bravery and equal skill. The repulse of
Pickett closed the most important battle
of modern times.
THIS time last year farmers were get |
ting 30 to 33c per pound for their wool.
Now they are offered % to 25c. There