Year: 1863

inthe air, and the men in excellent spir-


It's. Then the eDemy's artillery, so long


silent, began on our left at the pieces in


the held. ncturn our pieces on Gene


terry Hill opened those of the enemy
ln-tee field, brother batteries ofthe enemy


nearer our centre opened on those ON
Cemetery Hill; and so it went around
until our guns on the northern face of
the hill engaged the enemies batteries
two miles across the country on our right.


Ihe whole valley in which Gettysburg


hes was one immense network, with the
trace of shells from battery to battery.
Such concentration of FIRE on our


position naturally neeessitated some
movement of ambulances and ammunl-
ton wagons, and in ten minutes after
this extensive duel began-thc BaIeiaaoro-
turnpike was lined with vehicles in mo-
ton towards safer places All sorts of
shaky fellows also improved this eppor-
tnnlty to effect a slight skedaddle, and
soon the column of men in motion to-
ward the rear became more considerable
than the column of vehicles When men
once begin to go, each additional shell
that explodes in the air above them
makes them want to go faster, and, .ow-
ing to this peculiar constitution of the
human animal, a stampede down the
baltimore road was imminent, when a
line of men was established and every
fellow disposed to retire was forced to
the front.


By this shelling the Cemetery Hill was
cleaned. All day it had been occupied
BY lines of men, and there groups of off,
GERS gathered together, inspected the po-
sltion and canvassed the possibilities.
Many men sat upon the graves, leaned
against the tombstones, and recounted
their various mischances Orderlies
came and went necessarily, for there
Generals Howard and Steinwehr had
their headquarters. Altogether the City
of the Dead was a very lively place; but
very soon after the artillery fire became
warm, it was deserted by all but the
generals, whose headquarters were there
and the men necessary to hold the place.
p Meantime the musketry fire on our
left seemed to become every moment
more and more fierce. Already the
Third Corps had once been driven in
disorder from ground it had won, but,
rallied by Gen. Sickles in person, it had
again gone forward, and now held its
place With daSaaegga tor luis advance on
our left had developed that the enemys
force were in reality massed here; and -
-,-sA<-<-SzA--s6s,=-Ssy otnSi
wise have come when weawere not SO
we'll prepared to receive it


-IInrti pressed or its whole line, the
Third Corps called for support, and at
five P. NJ the Fifth Corps was marched
from its position on the Baltimore turn
pike, by a little cross road right across
to little hill Just north of Sugar-Loaf
Hill. and went into action on the left OF
the Third Corps. This advance devel-
oped still further the intention of the
enemy, which was to get round our LETT
flank, and so to get at the Emmettsburg
road and perhaps at our ammunition
wagons near it. AS the division of reg
ulars and Griffin division of the Fifth
Corps went forward, and before the IRE
had opened on their front, some ire
swept from their left down the line, and
Z the right brigade Of the division of regu-
lars was wheeled so as to face chat way.
No sooner had it done so than the fire in
front opened, which then came in the
- rear of the right brigade, and. threw it
into some confusion; but It was rallied
and went on again, and the line OF the
two divisions drove the enemy before 1t
until it had taken the position previously
occupied by one of the enemy's batteries


Here a fire was concentrated on
these two divisions from batteries far
ther to the rear, and at the same time
the enemy was reported on their lett
At once the line was ordered to retire,
and went back steadily to the crest of
the hill. The hill was not particularly
precipitous, but on the front it was very
rough and rocky, and the crest was COW
cred with growth of scrub oaks.


1t was half an hour before sunset, and
now came the final great attempt with
which the rebels usually endeaYor to
close up great engagements-th at


tempt which certainly has in the larger


number of instances been crowned with


success. Here, however, it met differ


eut fate. Two divisions, which proved


to be Anderson's and McLaws, of Long


streets corps, were formed for this great


a4tannt. and came forward in their


usual magnificent style They had ditfi-


cult ground to come over; but on they


came, over rocks and through the low


wood, until within fair distance, when
they made rush with all possible yells
|. rolled out in one. They did not keep
|. their line very even, but they were


scarcely less fmpetaous as a mass than
! they would have been in line They
killed men on the. crest of the hill, over


the crest, and men were even driven


we'll down on the other side, but these


rallied on those that held their places,


and bullets were poured into the rebel


mass by Tolleys. Checked, broken, and


beaten back by this one Titanic effort OF


the Fifth Corps, the attacking column


was scattered down the hill, and the bat-
tie was over ON the left, with the enemy


completely beaten.


! In twenty minutes after the heaFy


fight was over on our left, the last YES
tige of daylight was gone, and the moon
4 was so much enveloped in clouds that it


was scarcely possible to see at all just


in this impenetrable darkness the FIRE of
4 pickets began across on our right, and
/ in a little while swelled into a heavy
| continuous FIRE. This was at the post
| where the Twelfth Corps had been
| placed early in the day; but when the
| battle became doubtful on our lett, all


of the Twelfth Corps but one brigade
! = +bora The hrlraO6