The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-04-07

heavy cost. Sumner crossed the stream
! with his corps and gained possession OF
the land about the church. At this point
! two fresh divisions were brought over
/ from the Confederates' right and were
thrust into a gap in Summers line. A
sharp encounter ensued in which | re-
ceived a wound.
The fighting went on in this way al
day. Burnside crossed the stream and,
doing brave work, took the Confederate
battery commanding Sharpsburg, but
| which was recaplured by Lees force
under Hill. Here ended the battle, which
proved victory for the Union. Do not
worry about me, for the doctor said that
l will be all right in few weeks if keep
quiet, etc. Your boy,
Another letter describes briefly the
great and decisive battle of Gettysburg
I GETTYSBURG, VA, July 3, 1868.
My dear Mother: l have witnessed
and taken part in the greatest battle of
the war, so far, the battle of Gettysburg.
We, under Meade, took the defensive,
and occupied Cemetery Ridge, while Lee
took Seminary as his stronghold and
made bold attacks upon our TANKS. He
had about seventy-three thousand, five
hundred men, and Meade about eighty
two thousand, while the cavalry of each
side numbered about eleven thousand,
and each had more cannon than they
could use.
centrated at the outskirts of the village,
where sharp encounter between Hooker
and Archer took place.
Tho caoorI 5ox, 1uifrocca6 tho firbt for
Little Round Top between Weeds bri-
gade of New York and Hoods of Texas,
which proved to our success. Sickles,
thinking to occupy more advantageous
ground, instead of remaining in line took
position on hill running diagonally to
the Ridges, and by so doing exposed
himself by forming salient angle, for
there was nothing on which to rest his
left flank. Because of this the success
of the second day was turned. By heavy
fighting Lee drove the salient back to its
former position in the ranks, but accom-
plished nothing else. Another assault
was made that day at dusk by two Con
federate brigades led by Louisiana Tigers;
but they could not stand the terrific fire
of grape and canister. Of the seventeen
hundred Tigers, twelve hundred were
struck down, and the organization was
never heard of again.
The third day Lee executed his final
charge. He opened fire upon the left
centre of our army with all his artillery.
Our men, not much harmed by his firing,
being fiat on the ground behind what
protection they could tind-kept up a
steady reply for two hours, when they
stopped to cool their guns. Lee suppos-
ed the artillery exhausted and sent four
teen thousand of his best men to attack
the place The men had to cross a mile
of open country under heavy fire. AS
they drew nearer the batteries used
grape and canister so effectually that the
line soon melted away, causing another
victory for the Union.
Your affectionate son,
HARRY.
Next, | will take this extract from a
letter describing the battle of Chicka-
manga, which ranks next to Gettysburg
in destructiveness.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, Sept. q, 1863.
Dear Mother: l will briefly describe
the battle of Chickamauga in my short
period off picket duty.
The battle of the 10Th began at ten
o'clock in the forenoon and lasted all
day. Our army, under General Rose
Grams, numbered about fifty-tive thou
sand men, and Bragg's, after the arrival
of Longstreet, about seventy thousand.
The general direction of the lines of bat
tie was with the National troops facing
the southeast and the Confederates
facing the northwest, on the banks of
the Chickamauga, which name is said to
signify "River of Death. The heaviest
fighting of the day was between Gen.
Thomas and Gen. Polk who fought with
courage and persistence. Regiments and
brigades were shattered and many pris-
oners were taken on both Sides Thomas
line was forced back, but he gained his
first position again before nightfall and
the day closed with the situation practi-
cally unchanged.
The morning of the Goth found both
lines corrected and prepared for a renew
al of the struggle. Fighting began at
about ten o'clock between the above
named Generals Thomas was reenforc-
ed, so he was enabled to hold the essen
tial positions of the ground, but the CEN
tire of the line was weak, and, because
of a miswritten order by an aide, which
directed Gen. Wood to reinforce Rey-
nolds. This he did, leaving a breach in
the line. Gen. Longstreet, seeing the
gap, Immediately marched his six divis-
ions into it, cutting the National army in
halves. Speedily defeat came upon both
divisions, putting them in confusion. The
divisions retreated and joined at Chatta-
nooga before the Confederates arrived
there, and, therefore, the Confederates
didn't win their point. The National loss
in the two days battle: killed, wounded
and missing, was sixteen thousand, three
hundred and thirty six; while that of the
Confederates was about twenty-one thou
sand, etc. With love,
HARRY.