The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-05-29
MEMORIES OF THE DAY,
RECOuEC1|ONS Of PAST

close to Willoughby's Run, was at.
tackled by General Hills leading divis-
ion, under General Henry Heth, then
.on its way to Gettysburg. Believing
that General Reynolds force would
hasten toward him on hearing the
noise of the conflict. General Buford
disputed the advance, and handled
his force SO ably during the ensuing
hour, that his lines were found to have
been forced back but short distance
toward the ridge by the time Wads-
worth's leading division of the First
corps approached the scene. The
fight became general, fierce and fur
ious. On the Fourth General Lee
abandoned all idea of renewing the
conflict, and sent back his sick and
wounded, as well as his wagon trains
and stores, by the way of Chambers
burg and Hagerstown roads, and made
preparations to retreat across the
Potomac, broken in heart and military
spirit and strength.
A very lively engagement was com
menced at about the time Kirkpatrick
was attacking Longstreet, and charge
latter charge was made during the
afternoon, without any noticeable
progress, on either side, until part of
the Third Pennsylvania cavalry made
a flank movement, which SO checked
the confederates as to enable Cen
eral Custer to bring up the First
4 ip1,t rrp,, ~
! Custer led charge in which McIn-
! tosh and all of his officers took part,
j and with the aid of horse artillery
| succeeded in driving off from the
| field, the confederate cavalry, led by
Generals Wade Hampton and Fitz-
1 hugh Lee
! The days engagement then came
to an end, and then it was that Gen
eral Lee on the Fourth abandoned all
idea of renewing the conflict. Moth
reconnaissance in force, made in the
evening and during the prevalence of
a heavy rainstorm, by the cavalry and
by part of General Birney's force, in
the direction of Fairfield, where 4
short engagement took place with one
lof Lees retreating columns. General
Sedgwick's troops, whose position
had been taken by General Couch S
body of about 1000 men, under
/ General w. F. (Baldy) Smith, fol
lowed the confederates on the fifth as
!, far as Fairfield Pass of South Noun
tain, and, with the aid of General
Kirkpatrick's cavalry, harrassed Gen
4 eral Early's rear guard, without, how.
ever, bringing on an engagement.
The confederates had so much the
lead of the federals, by reason of de
lay which had forcibly taken place in
ilreorganizing the latter, after the
three days battle, that it was not
deemed possible to make an adyant.
ageous pursuit. General Lee was
/ therefore enabled to cross into vir-
ginia between the thirteenth and four
/ teenth, some of HISTORIES crossing on
Iimprovised bridges at Falling Waters,
General Ewell fording the river at
! Williamsport.
4 Before crossing the river on the
hastily erected bridges, General Hill S
rear guard was attacked by a small
troop under General Fitzpatrick, who
retired after capturing about 1,500
prisoners, and killing about as many
as he lost himself, about 125 men.
Major Webb, who led the body taken
from the Sixth Michigan regiment,
was killed; and Pettigrew, who COM
manded the rear guard and was
wounded on the third, received adj
ditional wounds, from which he died
shortly after the engagement.
i The total federal casualties in this
campaign as reported at the time were
Iput at 23,1S6 and the confederate loss
at 22,72S killed. wounded and missing.
Among the prominent officers who
suffered in this memorable contest
were Major General Daniel Butter
field, General Meade's chief of staff.
wounded; Brigadier General G. K
! Warren, chief engineer, wounded: Ma
jor General John F. Reynolds, of the
first division, first corps, killed, July
/; Major General Abner Doubleday,
wounded; Major General Winfield S.
Hancock, second corps. wounded; Ma
ior General Daniel E. Sickles, third
corps, wounded; Major General David
lib. Birney, third corps, wounded;
Brigadier General James Barnes, first
division. fifth corps, wounded. Briga.
der General Francis G. Barlow, com
manding first division, eleventh corps,
wounded; Brigadier General R. o.
, Tyler, commanding artillery reserve
wounded There was a long list of
officers below the rank of brigadier
general who fell in this bloody con
,flict. 1t is memorable battle and in