The National tribune., 1902-07-24

were somewhat less ragged with rocks, bu
the forest with which they were covered il
1863 formed a curtain of some two mile:
or more in length-not, however, very
broad.
Through this curtain our division took
peep on Wednesday afternoon, to see il
We were not wanted upon the right flank
of the Eleventh Corps, which would hav,
placed us upon the cultivated open ground
Of Benner's Hill by the eastern outskirt:
of the town. But the fighting was Over
for the day, and where we hoped to take
position the enemy was already in occu-
patton. Hence we Withdrew from Wolf's
Hill and the Hanover Road. and, after q
nights biyouac near the Baltimore Pike
we advanced in the early morning to th,
stern music of some measured artillery
duellIng III our frOnt-whOse resonant rnl
was practically our first assurance that W,
were to take part in a pitched battle be
twlxt the two great ,armies-tO the south
erly slope Of Culp's Hill, overlooking Rocl
Creek, and with the sweet waters OF
Spangler Spring few yards behind us.
Ihe conhguratiOn of the battlefield ha.
been often described. A line drawn from
the town of Gettysburg nearly due soutf
for the distance of two and a half mile:
would pass through Cemetery Hill and the
entire formation of the left center to it:
termination in the Round Tops. Cemeter,
Hill, which is at the edge of the town, was
the strategic center of the field. From
here, bending abruptly to the south
east, ran the right of the battle-ine for the
distance of mile, over East Cemetery Hi
and Culps Hill to the base of McAlIister'.
and VOLTS Hills. which are PRACTICAL,
one. all OF the nights averaging some 400
or 800 feet above the sea level
Before the men who were on Cemeter,
Hill lay the town, and at right and left q
broad, cultivated valley, suitable for cav
airy operatlons--a use to which Bufort
put 1T on Wednesday afternoon in delay
ing the Confederate pursuit; upon whose
yohder slope, mile or more away, were
the Confederate lines. except those of one
division, which were in the streets of thf
town.
The only protection of this central part
OF the Union line were the stone walls an6
ran fences, with perhaps q very slight
carthwork thrown about the cannon which
were posted here Wednesday noon. The
spade was an unknown tool in most of thu
Gettysburg lines.
The Culp's Hill troops, consisting of tho
reunited divisions of the Twelfth Corps
under -Ruger and Geary NNilliams being in
temporary command Of the corps, and Slo
cum of the right wing of the army) were
among woods and rocks the sluggish
waters Of Rock Creek-for the most part
narrow, shallow stream, although, near
my brigade, deep--at the base of our hill
toward the enemy. Woods were thick be-
fore US. Behind us, at few hundred
yards distance. was the Baltimore Turn.
pike: about which were clustered, out of
reach or the guns, the wagon trains and
some OF the hospitals. Far across the
country. through orchards and over undu
lating fields, we could catch glimpses OF
troops and guns in position The inner
distance from right to left was some two
miles. WV
The day was dreadfully still. save for
some intermittent shelling i'm attempts to
hnd out what the enemy was doing. As
the morning mists broke away il became
clear and hot, uncomfortable for those who
were IN the open fields. But we were upon
the picnic-grounds of Gettysburg; the oaks
grateful tent above our heads, as they
mad been over generations of pleasure
groups; the pellucid waters of the spring
lrefreshlngly cool. We made our ground
strong with breastworks of logs and stones
1t was not till 4 o'clock in the afternoon
that the battle broke behind us at the left
In the hurry of establishing the long lines,
sickiess Third Corps was thrust three.
quarters OF mile in advance of its trIa
position; and upon Sickles, and involving
Hancock's Second Corps at his right. and
Sykes's Fifth Corps at Little Round Ton
LGngstreet made strenuous assaults. whose
furious reverberatiOn and roar lasted for
three or four hours, the crash of mus
kerry, apart from the artillery, sounding
like incessant peals Of thunder. Our ears
served as witnesses OF the drift of the
battle; for steadily the noise came nearer.
and the Southern yell could be more and
more distinctly heard. So critical was the
case that. in order to reinforce the left.
Meade stripped his lines wherever it
seemed safe to do so, and with us the
safety border was overpassed, for all but
one brigade Of the Twelfth Corps was hur-