The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-06-29


Gen. Doubleday, in his official report says:
"Arrived at the 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 the 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 force to support q
battery which had been established on q
lower range Of hills some 100 yards to the
east of our position, protecting our flank in
that direction. complied with the order
and 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 an
other direction. This occasioned at the time
some little delay and confusion" Gen. Han
cock says his orders were to proceed
to the front and assume command" tc
move the ''troops and horses to the rear,
toward the line of battle he (Meade) had
selected" or, ''if the ground were suitable
and circumstances made it wise, l was to
establish the line Of battle at Gettysburg"
Arriving on the field at p. m., ''orders were
at once given to establish line Of battle on
Cemetery Hill" This hill twas al0ady par
TALLY occupied on my arrival by direction of
Mai Gen. Howard" Hancock then sent
messenger to Gen. Meade. ito say that I
would hold the position until night" Later
on another messenger was sent to Meade
''informing him that the position at Gettys-
burg was a very strong one, having for its
o:<,I.k h.,
and leaving to him (Meade) the response
bility whether the battle should be fought at
Gettysburg or at a place first selected by
him" Between and 6 o'clock the First and
Eleventh corps and ono division Of the
Twelfth corps were in position, and the head
of the column Of the Third corps was in sight.
Gen. Slocum, 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 y he says.
"Howard thought it an act Of grace on my
part, but Hancock would not yield. I said:
Let it oil go; a good thing has been done (by
the first days fghting) and now let us hang
on to it.
Gen. Meade states in his report that he
learned from the front that the enemy was
bringing his whole army to the attack, and
hearing ''from 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 its
ground. At this point the Southern contro-
yersies again enter in, and the Confederate
rences Of JAly 2 and 8. The public all along
have had gliMpses of the inner workings of
the Union camps, through the Investigations
and the official reports; but on the Southern
side the controversy still awaits the publica,
ton of Lees private papers. It has been in
this case, as In many other important in.
stances, appeals to the Lee family have
been met with the response that ''Lee's plans
and purposes were kept to himself" ThI
much, however, is admitted in the matter OF
Gettysburg: Lee promised his corps COM
manders campaign of strategy, in which
he would place his army in such position
as to compel the Union army to fight him, he
keeping on the defensive. Meade meant to OBJ
serve similar caution, as his own testimony be-
fore the committee on the conduct of the war
shows. Here, then, were two great captains
confronting each other and awaiting attack.
That is to say, neither was committed to q