St. Landry democrat., 1888-10-13
THE SECOND DAY.

The battle Of the second dav was dine more
to accident than was that Of the first, just
described. Reynolds had been instructed to
march at the head of the Unio, army, and
engage the Corfederates known to be con-
cenutatiag i'll the vicinity of Gettysburg; but
Meade was not marching with the intention
Of going SO far north as Gettysburg. There
is line of defensinle ridges running east aud
west on Pipe creek, thirteen miles south of
this town. These ridges protect all those
roads to Baltimore and Washington that
meet at Gettysburg, and the seven Union
corps had been held in readiness to form a
line and fight on Pipe creek, in case the Con-
federates should attempt to march south with
Il View of attacking either Baltimore or
the capital. But the sudden death of
Reynolds. at the hands of Confederate
sharpshooter, led Meade to send Gen. Han
cock to Gettysburg to assume command and
the news of Reynolds death and his battle ut
Wilioug9lby run reaching Sickles, the latter
was induced, though fifteen miles distant, to
move his Third corps northward to Gettys-
burg by niGhtfall of tie first. In the same
way Gen. Slocum, whose Twelfth corps was
at Hanover, five miles east by south of
Gettysburg, was drawn to the battlefield, so
when the First and Eleventh corps fell back
to the heights of Cemetery Ridge, they were
soon in communication with Slocums
Twelfth, Hancocl.'s Second and SickIes'
Third corps, all of whom were either
already on the ground, or arriving
by different roads. Thus five Union
corps were at hand, prepared for any battle
that might he offered by the enemy Han.
cock lad reached Gettysburg at p. m. on
the first day, just as the conflicts Of the First
and Eleventh corps had ended, and when
these troops were falling back on to Gene
terry Hill, the northern extremity of the
ridge. The presence of Hancock infused
courage end confidence, and, although infe-
rior in rank to Howard, who was in COM
n1art,, Hancock, by Meade's special order,
took control. Posting the troops Of the two
corps by .2rigades and regiments ON the crest
of the ridge in full view of the enemy, he, by
this show of strength, prevented the Confed-
crates from making their customary "s,1n-
down stack, and as the troops of the Third
and Twelfth corps arrived they were added
to the line. Tho more the ground was re.
conno;tred by Hancock end his colleagues
the better it appeared as 9 good position fos.
defense if not fer attack, and word was at
once sent to Meade, at his headquarters at
Taneytowa, to hurry forward the treops in
order TO make the expected fight at Gettys-
burg. In the meantime some difficulty had
arisen at the ridge, as Howard had de-
INJURED to being superseded by Hancock, aud
on Sicisles' arrival Howard proposed to settle
the matter by yielding to Sickics, the latter
being the superior 9th Oh Hancock and him
self But Sickles declined to interfere with
Meades orders, only retaining discretion as
to the placing of h.; own corps, which he did
by putting them i'll line along the slopes on
the west of Cemetery Ridge, between that
and the Emnlitsburs road. Slocum out
ranked tnem all, and on his arrival from
Hanover Hancock turned the command over
to him, and riding back to Meade at Taney-
town, advocated the position ct Gettysburg
so strongly that Meade camo On in person,
reaching the ridge after midnight, and then
giving lis sanction TO what lad been done.
Tho El1xil corps, under Sykes, YVES ordered
to hurry forward, and hasty summons was
sent to Gen. beagwick, who, with his Sixth
corps, Tcs still at Manchester. thirty-fye
miles distant. OF the greater events Of the
battle, this rapid concentration Of troops on
the Gettysbuig ridge was really accidental,
and wholly apart from the original plan. It
was brought about as a result Of the battle of
the lst, just as the bayinS c. enc hound calls
up tae pack.
TIC ridge, where the Union army found
itself at the dawn of July 2, was place well
adapted for the display OF war in ell its
grandeur. The form of tho ridge resembles
the letter inverted {, Wolf Hill, Cups Hill
ard Cemetery Hill forming the curve Gene.
terry Ridge, the long stem, and Round Top
and the Little Round Top, the lower extrem-
|ity. OF these Cemetery Hill, with its bare,
broad summit. rises leo feet above the plain.
while the long line from this hill to the
Round Tops, three miles distant, show sue