The National tribune., 1902-07-24
"Yo'UNs HAVE BEEN RIGHT KIND 10
WE'UNSo HE SAID

The various corps Of the Army Of the
Potomac were within easy supporting dis
tance of such movement, and Hooker,
confident of its feasibility, accompanied
Slocum's column to Knoxville, within three
miles of Harper's Ferry. But there he re-
ceived message from Gen. Halleck that
Erench's garrison must not be taken away.
In vain did he urge that the troops were
useless there under the present or any
probable disposition of the enemy's forces;
in vain he set forth the Importance of saw
ing the loyal States from the devastation
of war; in vain he met the terrors with
which the Washington people were con-
stantiy filled lest the army should leave
their city uncovered to the enemy's as
sauits, but the plea that vigorous ag-
gressiye movement upon Lees rear would
be the most effective of parties against the
Confederate thrust upon the Capital
Hookers requests were peremptorily re-
fused, and under such an exhibition of OBJ
vious lack of confidence in his fitness to
deal with the emergency of the invasion,
he asked to be relieved Of the command of
the army.
MEADE SUCCEEDS HOOKER.
The Twelfth Corps turned its back upon
Harpers Ferry and moved with the rest of
the army northeastward toward Frederick.
As we bivouacked at this city, we heard
that Meade had succeeded Hooker as COM
mander OF the Army OF the Potomac. And
If may be mentioned incidentally, as throw
ing some light upon the motives for
thwarting Hooker's well-conceiyed plan,
that Meade was straightway granted per
mission to do as he would with the Har-
pers Ferry garrison, and was also placed
in command OF the scattered detachments
distributed through Maryland, which, un-
der divers preteXts, had been kept from
Hooker's control.
Two features of our march through
Frederick come to me with vivid impress
sion, VIZ: the enthusiasm Of the people as
we passed through their streets, with such
| cheering and displays of the American flag
as our men had not witnessed since the
days when they marched from home; and
the general drunkenness of the army
know nothing Of the sobriety of the Off
GERS; certainly those of my acquaintance
had too much anxiety to get their men
safely out of the town to stop for apy
hllanty. But abundant whisky, sold on
every hand, despite the vigilance of the
Provost-Guard, thrust upon the men by
well-meaning citizens, put into the midst
OF our companies as We marched and
drank before we could break the bottles.
which we did most promptly and inexora,
/ bly,, threatened general decentralization of
| the rank and file, and did leave hundreds
ing in the streets, lying in the ruts in
perilous proximity TO artillery wheels, or
snoring by the roadsides far beyond the
town.
OPENING OF THE BATTLE.
| We were sauntering slowly through Lit
| tlestown on the morning of Wednesday,
July j. We halted in mid-forenoon at the
group Of houses called Two Taverns, five
/ miles southeast of I,pttyShurp and ,.n our
dinners leisurely. The sound of guns must
have been largely cut off from our ears by
intervening hills, for ii was afternoon be-
fore the artillery became so demonstrative
as 10 demand our presence. But, rs we
now knew, Buford's cavalry had met the
/ advance Of the Confederate General Hill
at ~ clock, mile and half northeast
OF the town of Gettysburg. He had been
/ speedily reinforced by Rcynolds's First
I Corps. this commander being killed almost
| as soon as he entered the fight; at ! D. m.
( Howard had brought up the Eleventh
/ Corps 10 meet the swelling numbers of the
| enemy, from the first largely superior to
the Union forces; at p. m. the days bat
lie was practically done. The First Corps
had been worn out; the Eleventh Corps
\ had been crushed and driven peIl-mcll
through the streets of Gettysburg; of the
! l6,OOo Union troops engaged through the
day, scarcely 5000 remained in condition
| TO rally about n brigade of Steinwehr's
Division, which held the abrupt hight upon
the southern edge of the town, since known
TO fame as Cemetery Hill.
These alarming facts came to us in fras-
ments as we pushed toward the firing.
Groups of frightened women and children.
on their way to safe shelter, met us with
impioring eyes; men hurrying away with
their household goods in carts reported dis
aster to our army and the death OF