The Elbert County tribune., 1913-07-04
1ze
CIVIL WAR
FIFTY YEARS AGO
THIS WEEK

lheic WaS cOme uButiue utdT tndl CITY,
but Meads began to move to the rear
of the Confederate army through the
passes of South mountain and Lee,
seeing he must stake the campaign on
a battle, began concentrating at Get
tysburg. The Confederates burned
the great bridge over the Susquehanna
near Columbia. Several companies of
the Philadelphia Custom House regi-
ment were captured. Lieut.. Col.
Sickles and twenty men of the Twen-
tieth Pennsylvania were made prison
ers at Wrightsville, Pa.
Governor Tod issued an urgent ap-
for the defense of their state.
June 2s, 1868.
marched southwardly from Carlisle
toward Gettysburg. and Longstreet and
A. p. Hill eastwardly from Chambers
burg.
Colonel Pierce's Federal cavalry de-
feated cavalry force under Colonel
lmboden at McConnellsburg.
Stuart's Confederate cavalry made
almost the entire circuit of the city
of Washington, nearly within range Of
the forts.
President Lincoln agreed to revoke
the Vallandingham sentence on GER
tain conditions, to which the Ohio
Democratic committee was not en-
powered to consent. and the latter
asked time to consult with the cop
perheads" OF New York.
Five barrels of lint, scraped by the
ladies of Mannheim, Germany, and do
nased to the Union army, were re-
ceived at Washington.
June 80, 1868.
Meade's right was near Gettysburg
and Pleasanton, perceivingN the impor-
tance of the place. occupied it, antici-
pating the Confederates. Meade occu-
pied Hanover and York, thus cutting
Lees lines in two.
Buford with a force of Federal cav
airy occupied McPherson's ridge, be-
yond Cemetery ridge, west of Gettys-
burg.
General Couch took his forces
across the Susquehanna to the south
bank.
The people of Baltimore were
thrown into a panic by a report that
Stuart was about to raid that city.
The army of the Cumberland under
General Rosecrans, having forced
Bragg south of the Duck river, con-
centrated at Manchester, Tenn.
Admiral Foote was buried at New
Haven, Conn.,. with very imposing
ceremonies.
July I, 1868.
The battle of Gettysburg began with
an attack by Heth's division of Hills
Confederate corps on Buford's posi-
ton. Though outnumbered. Buford
held his ground for two hours until
the arrival of General Reynolds at
the head of the First corps of the
Federal army, which was REINFORCED
about p. m. by the Eleventh corps
under General Howard, the Federal
troops now occupying ground north as
well as west of Gettysburg. Early in
the afternoon General Ewell arrived
with his corps and took command on
the Confederate side, and about
p. m. the Confederates drove the Fed
erals from the field and occupied tho
ground. The Federals under Hancock,
who had superseded Howard by
Meade's orders, about 3 80 p. m. took
up strong position on Cemetery
Ridge and Culp's hill, which they
quickly fortified. Both sides had lost
heavily in killed and wounded, and
the Confederates had taken a large
number of prisoners. The Federals
sustained their severest loss in the
death of General Reynolds, who was
killed by Confederate sharpshooter
early in the afternon.
July 2, 1868.
Nearly the whole of each army now
being in the field, the battle was re-
sumed. lee Disregarding the advice
Of Longstreet, who wished to maneu-
yer the Federal army out of its po-
sition and get between 1t and Wash
ington. After a fierce conflict the
Federals were forced to fall back on
their main line along Cemetery Ridge.
The Confederates, however, were un-
able to carry Round Top and Little
Round Top, the points of greatest
strategic value on the Federal left.
During the engagement the Federal
Generals Weed and Hazlett were
killed. Vincent mortally wounded and
Sickles lost his leg. On each side
the losses were exceedingly heavy.
Late in the afternoon. after an artil-
lery duel lasting an hour. Early and
johnson led their divisions against
the Federal right. Early attacked
Cemetery Hill with great vigor, over
running Wiedrich's Eleventh corps
and Ricketts, reserve batteries. but
was finally driven back. Johnson
found Culp's Hill less strongly de-
Tended and secured substantial foot
hold there which he held over night.