St. Landry democrat., 1888-09-22

Gen. Doubleday, in his official report, says:
ARRIVED at tho cemetery, our lines, with
those OF the Eleventh corps, were reformed
under the direction OF Gen. Howard. Our
batteries were placed upon the summit of the
hill, the First corps having been directed to
occupy tie ground to the west of the road,
the Eleventh corps being On its right. A
portion OF the troops were placed behind the
hill in reserve. Maj. Gen. Hancock then
rode up and informed me that he had been
placed in command of both corps. He at
once directed me to send a force to support a
battery which had been established on o
lower range Of hills some 100 yards to tho
east Of our position, protecting our flank In
that direction. I complied with the order
aud sent the remainder of Wadsworth's
division there. Immediately afterward Or
ders came from Maj. Gen. Howard, who
ranked Hancock, to send the troops in al
other direction. This occasioned at the time
some little delay end confusion Gen. Han
cock says his orders were to proceed
to the front end assume commando to
move the troops and horses to the rear,
toward the limo of battle he MEADE, had
selected" or, ''if the ground wero suitable
and circumstances made it wise, / was to
establish the line of battle at Gettysburg"
Arriving on the field at 3 p. d., "orders we're
at once given to establish q line of battle on
Cemetery Hill" This hin twas already par
tally occupied on my arrival by direction of
MAJ; Gen. Howard" Hancock then sent a
messenger to Gen. Meade. ITO say that l
would hold the position until night" Later
on another messenger was sent to Meade
Informing him that the position at Gettys-
burg was very strong one, having for its
disadvantage. that it might be easily turned
and leaving to him (Meade the response
bi.ity whether the battle should be fought at
Gettysburg or at q place first selected by
him." Between 5 and o'clock the First and
Eleventh corps and one division Of the
Twelfth corps were in position, and the head
Of the column of the Third corps was in sight.
Gen. GIocum, of the Twelfth corps, ranked
Hancock, and the latter turned the command
over to him at once, and rode back to fancy
town, thirteen miles distant, reporting to
Meade in person. Orders, however, had been
already issued by the commanding general
of the corps in the rear, the Second. Fifth and
Sixth, to advance Immediately to Gettysburg.
Gen. Sickles had arrived on the field in
advance of His corps and before Slocum came,
and he was the superior Of both Howard and
Hancock. II yielded to Howard lie says.
Howard thought it an act OF grace on my
part, but Hancock would not yield. I said:
Let it all so; good thing has been done (by
the first days fishting) and now let us hang
on to it.
Gen. Ieado states in his report that he
learned from the front that tho enemy was
bringing his whole army to tho attack, and
hearing ''fron, Maj. Gems. Hancock and
Howard the favorable character of the
position, determined to give battle at this
point, and issued orders to all the corps to
concentrate on Gettysburg"
Before midnight Lee became satisfied that
the Army Of the Potomac was in front Of
him, and would make an effort to hold it's
ground. At this point tho Southern contro-
versies again enter in, and the Confederate
statements throw a light upon the occur.
rences OF July 2 and g. The public all along
/ have had giimpses OF the inner workings of
Ethe Union camps, through the Investigations
and the official reports; but ON the Southern