The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-04
A HERO OF GETTYsBURG.

Maj. Gen. A. s. Doubleday, who was
buried Monday at New York city, was the
hero of the first davis fighting at Gettys-
burg. The battle began July l, 1868. when
the First army corps. commanded by Gen.
John f. Reynolds. struck the enemy just
beyond Gettysburg who had been severely
pressing our cavalry under Gen. John
Buford. Gen. Reynolds was killed within
fifteen minutes after he reached the field,
and his splendid corps was put into action
and fought by Gen. Doubleday. who sue
ceeded TO the command. The First corps
was reinforced by two divisions of the
Eleventh corps, and made most desper.
ate resistance TO the superior numbers of
the enemy, but were finally forced to re-
treat through the town of Gettysburg to
Cemetery Hill. which had been already oc-
cupied by Gen. Howard, who in his ad.
vance to the battlefield prudently left one
Of his divisions in reserve on this import
ant position.
The losses of our troops in this first
days fighting were terrible, being over
1900 men out Of some $1,000 engaged.
agsinst $1,000 of the enemy. The splendid
First corps, on which the brunt Of the fight.
ing fell. was completely wrecked, but Gen.
Donbleday's stubborn and skiiltui resist
ance saved to our army the position at
Gettysburg upon whose line the battle Of
the next two days was ferceiv contested
and finally won by the Union arms. Gen.
Doubleday inflicted loss of 5000 killed
and wounded upon the enemy, a loss quite
equal TO his own, but we lost 400 prison.
ers in our disastrous retreat through Get
tysburg to Cemetery Hill. To Gen. Double
day belong, the credit of this first
days fight. Had he retreated or
fought feeble fight after REYNOLDS
death the enemy would have rushed
on through the town and stormed
tie position Of Cemetery Ridge before the
rest Of the Army of the Potomac were
able to get up. Gen. Dodbleday's gallant.
sklilful and determined fighting held the
enemy off until Howard came up, and
| then he held on until by p. IN. ne was
forced back to Cemetery Ridge. By this
| time the corps Of Gems Slocum and Sick
les were within supporting distance and
the position was saved to our army and
| Gettysburg was won. for a soldier who.
with anything like equal numbers, could
not defend our position at Gettysburg. was
| disgrace TO his profession. Gen. Double
| day did excellent service on the third day.
| too, when his troops were conspicuous in
repulsing the famous charge of Pickett.
| but the best bit Of independent fighting ne
| ever did washis line work on the first dav.
! He fought that battle alone, without any
| dictation or counsel and he saved the po-
sltion of Gettysburg and the battle TO our
army.
Gen. Doubleday was an eccentric man,
| but sound soldier; man of nerve and
| cool courage. He was one of the few anti.
slavery men in the old regular army be-
| fore the war, ana on this account was
| deemed a crank" by his brother officers
and was never popular with Gen. Meade.
Gen. Doubleday. in his able and very in
teresting history OF the Gettysburg CAM
| paign, insisted that Gen. Hancock was
| the real hero of the battle; that Meade
| owed his final success 10 the great strength
| of the position; 10 the imprudence OF Gen.
| Lee, whose assault was reckless TO the last
| degree, and 10 Gen. Hancock, who selected
the position, posted the troops and was
| really field marshal of the army until he
fell in the moment of victory, on the
| afternoon of the third day Doubleday
| charged Meade with lack of moral cour-
age. energy aud enterprise; with wishing
to retreat the might OF the second dav, de-
claring that ait was no place to light a
| battle" Hancock persuaded Meade To
stick, and 10 Hancock and Warren we
chiefly owed our success. Gen. Socum
corroborated the statements of Doubleday.
whose story Of Gettysburg has bid defiance
| to its critics and is regarded in al! essen
| tials a correct estimate Of the situation
and Of those who were responsible for the
shocking plumbers Of the campaign.