The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-07-02

Today is the anniversary Of the victory
Of Gettysburg, the glory Of which belongs
TO Gen. Winfield 5. Hancock. according 10
the testimony Ct the late Gen. Henry W
Slocum. who commanded our right wing,
and % that OF Gen Abner 8. Doubleday.
who commanded our forces on the first
days battle after the death OF Gen. John
F. Reynolds, and division Of the FIRST
Army corps on the second and third days
eight.
Gems. Meade, Hancock, Doubleday and
siocnm we're all trained soldiers and grad-
yates Of West Point Gen. Meade was
graduated in 1885, Gen. Doubleday was
graduated in 1872, Gen. sIocum was grad
nated in Is52. Meade. Hancock and Sio-
cum were Democrats, Doubleday Was one
OF the garrison Of Fort Sumter under Maj.
Anderson. and one OF the few snti-slavery
men in the regular army before the civil
war. besides Gen. Nathaniel Lyon and
Gen. Rufus Saxton. It is clear, therefore,
that in giving the war Democrat Hancock
full credit for the victory ~ Gettysburg,
Doubleday and slocum were not animated
By political feeling, for Slocum vas as
stiff Democrat all his days as Hancock
himself
General Doubleday in his history of the
battle gives Hancock full credit for the
victory, first Hancock decided the battle
field. posted the troops late in the after
noon Of the disastrous first days fight.
ordered the occupation Of Culp's hill on
our right, Of Little Round Top on our
left, of Cemetery ridge and Cemetery hill
On this line selected by Hancock the
troops were posted On the evening ofJuiy
/ as fast as they came up. and then
Hancock rode off to report to Gen. Meade.
When Gen. Meade arrived after dusk
he approved Hancock's dispositions. but
the terrible battle of July 2. when Gettys-
burg was really fought and won, was
nearly lost by the blunders of Gen. Sickles,
commanding the Third army corps, and
by the bIunders of Gen. Meade. which
we're only repaired by Gen. Hancock, who
really fought the battle. and by Gen. G. h.
Warren. Had the battle of July 2 been
fought out on the lines originally selected
by Hancock on the afternoon of July /
Lee would have been fearfully repulsed.
for he recklessly assaulted a very strong
position defended by an army as gallant as
his own and superior in numbers.
The battle OF July 1 was an accident.
Lee, moving on Harrisburg with his army,
heard that the Army of the Potomac was
on his track. He turned on his heel and
the vanguard of both armies tumbled In
to each other the morning of July l. Gen.
John +. Reynolds. en- able soldier. who
was graduated at West Point in the famous
class of 1s4l, commanded the First and
Eleventh army corps and the cavalry OF
the Army of the Potomac under Maj.
Gen. John Buford. Early in the action OF
the LIST, Reynolds was killed by sharp
shooter, and the rest Of the battle was
fought by Gen. Doubleday, who succeeded
to the command of the First army corps.
Doubleday made bitter, gallant, skiilfui
fight, but was finally forced to retreat by
the pressure OF superior numbers, and at 3
%. m. of the afternoon Of July l, the rem
nant of the First and Eleventh army
corps made stand on Cemetery hill, the
Union army having lost some 1900 men,
over 1900 of whom were prisoners. The
Confederases lost the first day some 5000
killed and wounded.
Had Gen. Ewell. who was in command
OF the Confederates. instantly pursued his
advantage. with his superior forces he
could have swept Doubleday and Howard
like flies from Cemetery hill aud we
would have lost n strong position from
which to deliver q great battle, but Ewell
waited two hours In the meantime Han
cock arrived with full powers 10 act He
instantly saw the strength Of the position,
occupied Culp's hill, Little Round Top
and Cemetery ridge. Gen. Sloeum's
Twelfth corps arrived about p M, and
according to Hancock's directions was
posted on Cups hill: Gen. Sickles' Third
corps arrived about p. m. and was posted
on our left. covering Little Round Top.
The Second corps, commanded by Gen.
Gibbon arrived early on the morning OF
July and took position on Cemetery
ridge.
At daylight Of July our line of battle,
| stretching from Little Round Top on our
| left 20 Cups hill on our right. was formed
| as Hancock had traced IL at p. IN. on the
evening of July 1. when he rode of to in
| form Gen. Meade that lit was a good place
| to Eight battle" Had the battle Of July
been fought out on the lines traced by
/ Hancock, Lee would have been as badly
repulsed as ne was in the battle OF July 8
| But Gen. Sickles, commanding the Third
corps, instead Of occupying Little Round
Top in force as Gen. Meade expected
him 10 do lifted his whole corp. out of
line and advanced 10 the EN- metishHrg
road, thus completely uneoysring Littl,
Round TOP. she lett OF our line. leaving
1t 20 be defended only through the acct
dental arrival Of Vineent's brigade from
the Fifth eorps, called on by Gen. G. X
| Warren, who. seeing Slekles' frightfa
| blunder, without awaiting for orders
| rushed brigade up Little Round Top iGsi
| in time 10 save il from the enemy. Had
Warren been fifteen minutes later Con
| federaie brigade and battery would hav,
occupied Little Round Top. the key &