The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-07-15
Fi S: S:;''s Lee at Gettysburg

veteran soldier when he hears the sound
of battle.
But as we progressed it was noted
that the discharges of artillery were less
frequent, and when we reached within
two or three miles of Gettysburg there
was heard but an occasional discharge
That it had been fierce and well-con-
tested field we soon had ample evidence,
for improvised hospitals were observed
all along the road, and although many
surgeons were working at high pressure,
hundreds of poor fellows awaited their
turn, while a long line of ambulanees
were unloading their CHASTITY burdens,
and many others were on the way. And
all these were Confederate wounded. If
victory had been gained, as we were
told it had, it must surely have been at a
fearful cost, and so it proved.
AS we came in sight of Gettysburg and
diverged from the road TO the left, We
found ourselves on the battlefield, for
hundreds of corpses in blue and in grey
Uttered the ground on every side, and
particularly was this the case along
Thad Stevens old railroad cut. Amid
these CHASTITY evidences of glorious
war we silently and sadly threaded our
way. until the right Of the column reach
ed the railroad station on Carlisle street,
where a long halt was made, while it
was being determined what disposition
was 10 be made of US
It was learned that the Federal troops
/ had been driven from the field TO a
! strong position on n ridge beyond the
/ town. which they he'd in force, and Cen
/ erals Lee, EweH ard a. P. Hill were
| then DEBATING Whe her 20 renew the at
! tack. nov that Johnson was up. But
! the dusk Of evening was setting in, and
the attack was deferred, as was supposed
lntil morning, when the splendid fighters
/ under LongstIeet would be there. John
/ son had arrived All hour or two too late.
/ About s 6'ciock the division crossed
I Carlisle street. and moving parallel to
! the York turnpike for a mile. fled to
the right for some distance, and then
! formed line Of battle along the Hanover
road, on the extreme left of Ewelrs corps
the men lying down upon their arms in
/ confident expectation Of engaging the
enemy with the morning light.
Greatly did officers and men marvel
as morning, noon and afternoon passed
in inaction-on our part, not on the en-
] :,
plying ak and pick and shovel in fo-ti-
tying a position which was already suf-
foiently formidable.
In the afternoon General Johnson or
| dereI three or four batteries TO occupy
Benner's Hill, the only position available
Tor artillery along that part of the line.
These were soon engaged with the Fed
eral batteries on Cemetery Hill and after
an artillery duel that lasted two hours
the Confederate battles were Withdrawn,
having suffered terribly, for Cemetery
Hill commanded the position taken by
the Confederate batteries. 1t was here
that the brave Lattimer, in command
received his death wound. as did the gal
liant Captain Brown. of the Chesapeake
Artillery, of Baltimore.
It was past o'clock p. m. before the
command to advance was given, almost
twenty-four hours after we had formed
line of tattle. We were 10 storm The
eastern face of Cups Hill, a rough anC
rugged eminence southeast of the town
and which formed the key to the Federal
right center
Preceded by cloud of skirmishers. af-
ter passing through a woods the line OF
battle crossed several large fields before
the base of the hill was reached, tht
enemy having opened q brisk fire IS soor
as we were unmasked. After fordina
Rock Creek which was waist deep, ant
; having entered the dense woods, oul
skirmishers were, for some unaccountablC
reason. drawn in. and the column soor
after suffered serious loss in consequence
Up the steep activity we camhered
/ falling over rocks and into assures, at
by this time night had set in, and th'
dense foliage made the darkness NOR
; intense It was impossible 20 keep OF
5 horseback over such ground, and iel
; and staff were compelled to dismount
, Ours was a long, weary climb, VIII G.
2 was attended with much disorder
t Soon General Stuart discovered that h
had inclined too far to the left, and ha
3 become sepaTted from the rest OF IN