The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-07-28
(Continued.)

July 4, after Gettysburg battle-Long-
street was in q high state of amusement
and good humor. A flag of truce came over
from the enemy, and its bearer announced
among other things that Gen. Long
street was wounded and a prisoner, but
would be taken care Of.
Gen. Longsueet sent back word that he
was extremely grateful, but that, being
neither wounded nor prisoner, he was
quite able to take care of himself. The
iron endurance of Gen. LonCStreet is most
! extraordinary; he seems to require neither
| food nor sleep. Most Of his staff now fall
| fast asleep directly they get off their
horses, they are so exhausted from the
| last three days work.
| At 10 a. m. Lawley returned from Head
quarters, bringing the news that the army
| is TO commence moving in the direction of
| Virginia this evening. This step is i'm
perative from want of ammunition. But
| it was hoped that the enemy might attack
during the day especially as this is the
4th of July, and it was calculated that
| there was still ammunition for one days
| fighting. The ordnance train had already
commenced moving back towards Cash
plumber had been proceeding towards
| HagerstOwn by the Fairfield road ever
| since an early hour this morning.
| Johnson's Division had evacuated dur
| ing the night the position it had gained
yesterday. 1t appears that for time it
| terry, but had been forced to retire from
thence from want of support by Pender's
| Division, which had been retarded by that
| officers wound. The whole Of our left
was therefore thrown back considerably.
At 2 p. III. we walked to Ger. Long
| streets camp, which had been removed to
| a place three miles distant, on the Fair
| field road. Gen. Longstreet talked to me
| for a long time about the battle. He said
| the mistake they had made was in not
| Ii
| the attack yesterday with $1,000 men in
stead of $1,000. The advance had been in
| three lines, and the troops of Hills Corps
| who gave way were young soldiers, who
| had never been under fire before. He
| thought the enemy would have attacked
had the guns been withdrawn. Had they
| done so at that particular moment i'm
| mediately after the repu!se, it would have
! been awkward; but in that case he had
given orders for the advance OF Hoods
| Division and McIaws's on the right.
| Rather over 1000 Yankees were cap
| tured during the three days; $500 took
| the parole; the remainder were now being
marched to Richmond, escorted by the
remains Of Pickctt's Division.
Wagons, horses, mules, and cattle cap
| turcd in Pennsylvania, the solid advan-
| tages of this campaign, have been pass
| day; those taken by RweIl are particu-
| larly admired. So interminable was this
tram tliat IL soon Deca!ne evident ina we
should not be able to- start till late at
night. AS soon asst became dark we all
lay around a big fse, and heard reports
coming in from the different Genera Is that
the enemy was retiring, and had been
doing so all day long,, McLaws reported
rOthing in his front bit cavalry videts.
But this, Of course, could make no differ
ence to Gen. Lees Plan; ammunition he
must have-he had failed to capture it
from the enemy (aqcording to precedent);
and as his communicate ions with Virginia
were intercepted, he was compelled to fall
back towards Winchester, and draw his
supplies from thence. Gen. Milroy had
kindly left an ample stock at that town
when he made his precipiiate exit some
weeks ago. The army was also eneum-
bered with an enormous wagon train, the
spoilS OF Pennsylvania, which it is highly
desirable to get safely over the Potomac.
Shortly after 7. N. the rain began to
descend in torrents. Lawley and luckily
got into the doctors covered buggy, and
began to get slowly under way little
after midnight.
July 5-Thc night was very bad
hunder and lightning torrents of rain
he road knee deep in mud and water
md often blocked UP with wagons come
% grief | pitied the Wretched plight OF
he unfortunate soldiers who were To fol-
ow us. Our progress was naturally very
slow indeed, and we took eight hours to
70 as many miles. ;
At "a. III. we halted little beyond the ,
yillace Of Fairfield near the entrance to n
mountain pass. No sooner had we done
20, and lit a fire, than an alarm was
spread that Yankee cavalry were upon us
several shots few over cur heads bat we
never could discover from whence they
,ame. News also arrived OF the capture .
If the whole OF Ewclis beautiful wagons. !
1t afterwards turned out that all escaped
tut 3d.. These reports created regular
amongst the waeoners, and T
4OngStreet'S drivers started off as fast rs
hey could 90. Soon afterwards, some i,
Confederate cavalry were pushed to the
ront who cleared the pass after a slight {
,kirmish. j
At noon, Gems. Lee and Lonrstreet ,
,rrived, and halted close to us. Soon t
afterwards Ewell came up. This is the t
irst time ] ever saw him. He is rather Il l
emarl1a BILE -lool<ing old soldier, with a
,ald head, a prominent nose, and rather u
haGgard, siclly face; having so lately (
ost his leg above the knee, he is still a t
complete cripple, and falls off his horse
occasionally. Directly he dismounts he
las to be put on clutches. He was Stone 7
vail Jackson's coad!utor during the cele- !
)rated Valley campaigns, and he used to /;
,e a great swearcr--in fact, he is said To {
rave been the only person who was f