Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-05

ordered Lieutenant Jackson TO warn them
OF by some shots. Al sunset courier
was cent from headquarters ordering me
to leave Mechanicsburg after dark anu
fall back to Carlisle. There we mst
Jenkinss Brigade, and Captain Moorman
rejoined his company and took cnarse
OF II. Tho entire command conunueo
then to march to Petersburg, Va, where
we arrived about O'Clock in the morning.
We encamped there. but expecting an at
tack, our horses were held saddieo anu
our arms ready TO hand.
July 1st-At daybreak we were again IN
the saddle and on the road to Gettysburg.
During the forenoon we heard heavy
cannonading from that direction and soon
we learned that the two hostile armies
had met Unexpectedly. The Federal troops
were finally defeated. but the loss
on both sides was heavy. and that OF
the Union army the most severe. General
Reynolds, the commanding general, was
among the dead, and thousands OF prison
ers were taken by our victorious troops.
July 2d.--In the morning we advanced
into the valley between Seminary Ridge
and the mountain range held by the
Union army. Jenkins's Brigade was posted
In a piece of woodland. part OF yester-
days battlefield, In sight OF the seminary
and the city OF Gettysburg. Both armies
had been reinforced and concentrated du-
ring the night. General Stuart, with the
main force Of our cavalry. was not at
hand, and for want Of cavalry the
defeated Federals had not been
pressed and still held and fortified the
eminence, above Gettysburg, controlling
the valley. Our forces were In possession
of the town. We were wondering at the
silence prevalent, only In long intervals
the report of gun was heard. General
Jenkins resolved TO reconnoitre, and was
of his companions. Arrived on top OF
hill our party attracted the enemy's at
tention. and we were fired upon. shell
exploded among US, wounding the General
and his horse. Tho hours dragged on
YEARLY, until In the afternoon twenty
seven Confederate batteries opened fire OF
the enemy's lines. The Federal artillery
replied at once, and soon the rafting
noise OF the fire of small arms Joined in
the terrible accord OF battle. Several In
fantry regiments en- route Tor the
bloody field passed by our position, and
/ was struck by the composure and deter
mnation the men displayed. The contest
lasted until in the evening. but scanty
reports came to us respecting the course
of the battle At 0 o'clock our brigade
was ordered back some miles towards Pc
tersburg Hungry and fatigued, j slept
while in the saddle. but suddenly awoke,
hearing my name called by the adjutant
of the regiment. The brigade had just
met General Stuart, who, with his cavalry
corps had, after severe engagements win
the Federal cavalry at Hanover brought
with him 200 wagons and 30 horses and
mules. captured In the vicinity or Wasn-
ington city, and. after having repulsed
the enemy's attack, he now wanted an
officer to inform Generals Gordon, Heth'
and Early that he did no longer require
any of the achievements he had asked
for / was selected to carry these mes
sages. and all the directions regarding the
Headquarters OF said generals General
Stuart could give me was: You will ma
them somewhere on the left wing or our
army; numerous men wounded in to-day
battle will cross your way, ana they can
tell YOU" / galloped or, and soon met
many suffering victims Of the bloody
struggle. Finally emerging from a dark
forest a wide field. brilliant In the moon
shine, was before me, and / observed n
very slender line OF soldiers in a hollow.
within 200 yards OF the enemy's sharp
shooters. "Where will find General Cor
don's diytsion?" | enquired from an OH
line of soldiers, stretched on the ground,
and holding their muskets in their arms,
he replied In a most nournful voice: "This
Is what Is left Of It." A few minutes later
General Gordon approached us returning
from an inspection OF his scattered COM
mand and / delivered to him General
Stuart's message. at Is lucky for General
Stuart" he answered. that he does not
require the regiments asked for. l have
none to spare" Under similar discouraS-
ing circumstances L was received at Get
tysburg by Generals Heth and Ewell' ana
several times on my way thither the sharp
whistle Of a bullet sent after me by some
Yankee outpost touched my ear. Get
tysburg impressed one like an enormous
hospital-and a Yankee surgeon told me
that there were about ten thousand or
their wounded within our lines. About
balf-past l in the morning / arrived AT
the camping place of my regiment.
THE THIRD DAY.
July sd.-At 4 o'clock in the morning we
mounted horses and. through fields ana
on by-roads advanced to our extreme left'
Alternating 10 flank the enemy's army
and to cut off its way OF re-
retreat. Our sudden attack on their
rear was a success. nearly htteeh
minutes passed before they replied to the
discharge OF our artillery. For
rtarlv an hour the air was alive
With t sheiis-we lost men and horses
and finally we changed position and dis
mounted - charge the enemy on foot
General FitZhugh Lee commanded our
left wing. Generals Hampton and Will
licm T.. Lee our centre and JenkinS's
Pricade formed the right wing. My COM
peny was ordered TO the extreme right on
the slope OF q hill. our opponents poured
a rain OF bullets and shells on US, but
were forced slowly TO fall back. we 1851
heavi!y-Lieutenant Allan OF our resi-
n,ent was killed at my side. In the eve
Ming General Hampton charged upon the
Union cavalry. they could not withstand
his attack. their line broke. and they
fell back II was a day Of triumph for
the Confederate cavalry, but unfortu-
nate for the main force % Gu" army
ended this third day OF the battle The
roar of cannon and the rafting volleys OF
infantry fire had told us that desperate
fighting was carried on along the entire
line The results and details of the struG-
gle were not, however, positively known
TO us when we moved back towards
Hunterstown and encamped on fields and
meadows.
July 4th.-At daybreak I was ordered
to take charge Of all members OF the
regiment whose horses were not 10
marching condition and needed shoelng.
There were about forty men TO follow
me and we started 10 find the field FORCES.
but In vain. We were sent from place 60
Mace and at last / was told that they
had been ordered TO join the wagon
train on the Chambersburg road and
move 70 the rear This was the first In
formation I received of the retrograde
movement of our army. l resolved Their
20 try Gettysburg. and passing the house
where our wounded general was quarter
ed enquired about his health, and also
u Gettysburg was still In our hands.
The generals adjutant laughed at my
doubt and wa rode on. We repesse1 the