New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-02

fated Army, and Salvation for the I'M
periled Country!
1t were folly for one unaided man.
leaving the ground within few hours
after the battle has died fitfully out, TO
undertake a minute detail OF the opera
tons on all parts Of the field l dare
only attempt the merest outline Of i5s
leading features.-then off for Cincln-
natl by the speediest routes.
/ have been unable even 10 learn all
! sought concerning the part some of
our own Ohio regiments bore-of indi-
vidual brigades and regiments and
batteries can in the main say nothing.
But what one man, not entirely unfa-
miliar with such scenes before couid see
passing over the ground before during
and after the fight | saw; for the rest
must trust TO such credible state
ments by the actors as l have been
able to collect.
The Battlefield.
Whoever would carry in his mind
sample map Of the great battles az
Thursday and Friday. the I'd and Sd, 1t
Gettysburg. has but to conceive
broad capital A bisected by another
line drawn from the top and equiiis-
tant from each side. These three
straight lines meeting at the top OF the
latter are the three roads along which
our army advanced and between ana
on which lay the battlefield. The juno
Ton of the lines is Gettysburg. The
middle line, running nearly north anu
south is the road to Taneytown. the
right hand lines, running southeast, is
the Baltimore pike. That on the left
is the Emmetsburg road.
Almost at the junction OF the lines
and resting on the left hand side Of the
Baltimore pike is the key TO the whole
position-Cer- terry Hill This consu-
tutes our extreme front. lies just south
of Gettysburg Heights, overlooks and
completely commands the town, the Ell
tire valley 10 right and left, the whole
space over which the rebels advanced
to attack our center, and the portion
Of the woods from which the rebel lines
on their center debouched.
Standing on this hill and facing
north toward the town YOU have, just
across the Baltimore pike. another NIL
almost as high and crowned Ike the
Cemetery. with batteries that rake the
center front. Farther to the right ana
rear the country Is broken into a series
of short, billowy ridges. every summit
Of which affords a location for bat
terry. Through these passes the little
valley of Rock Creek, crossing the Bal
timore turnpike couple OF miles or so
from town, and thus affording good
covered way for a rebel movement to
attempt (by passing down the valley
from the woods beyond this range OF
hins) to pierce our right wing and oen-
citrate 10 the rear Of our center.
On the left the hills are lower, afford
fewer eligible positions for batteries,
and are commanded by the heights on
the rebel side.
The space between these lines is roll
ing, and IN parts quite billy; partially
under cultivation. the rest lightly tim
bered; passable nearly everywhere for
infantry and cavalry in most parts for
artillery. also.
Our Line OF Battle.
The reader can now in an instant trace
for himself our line Of battle on the
bisected A. near the apex, the Gene
terry. Of course; batteries around the
crest; infantry in line Of battle down
the declevity. in the orchard and sweep
ing over the Taneytown road and up to
that to Emmetsburg.
Then along the stone fence which
skirts the hither side of the Emmets-
burg road for say half mile Then,
bending in from the road little, leav-
ing its possession 10 our skirmishers
alone, and so passing back for mile
and a half farther. in a line growing
more and more distant from the En-
metsburg road. and nearer that TO Tan
eytown. These are the lines OF Center
and Left. Beginning at the Cemetery
| IL,
Baltimore pike and along the range of
hills already described, in direction
that grows nearly parallel with the
pike, (at distance from It Of quarter
to a half mile) and down II couple
Of miles Measuring all its sinuosities,
the line must be about five miles long.
The Rebel Lines and Order Of Battle.
All the country fronting this remark
able. horse -shoe line is virtually In the
hands of the rebels. II will be seen
that their lines must be longer than
ours, and that in moving from one
point to another Of the field they are
compelled to make long dctours, while
our troops can be thrown from Left
to Right or from either TO Center, with
the utmost ease. and by the shortest
routes.
Take the crescent of the new moon,
elongate the horns a little, turn the
hollow side toward our positions, and
you have the general direction the reb-
els were compelled TO give their line OF
battle. AS was seen in Wednesdays
fight, Jackson's old corps. under Ewell.
formed their Left-opposite our Right;
while A. P. Hill held their Center, and
Longstreet who arrived early Thurs
day morning, their Right.
Our Order Of Battle.
IN our front the line NJ hattle IVA q