Year: 1863

] .4-.r


F-1 Correspondents of the New York Hera'd.1 =


NEAR GETTYSBURG, JnIy 2-9 p. NJ


General Reynolds, it seems more ana


more clear, fought rashiy on Wednesday


and very probably against the wishes O


the commander of the army; yet his bat
tie, which lostus many men. gave us full
information OF the whereabouts of tht
enemys main body, and committed the
enemy to the position north of Gettys


burg or perhaps led him to believe thai
we had greater force in his front than
we then had, and so made him fear to
make any such considerable movement
as would be necessary to take up a new
| position in presence of this army. All
Gettysburg all the good roads in this part
! OF the country converge. All other
roads, except those that meet here, are
mere by-ways for the use of the neigh
-borhood, narrow and soon Gu, up. and
thus rendered unfit for the movement of
an army. Northward from Gettysburg
run roads to Harrisburg, and southwark
from it run three good roads, the prin-
/ clpal and best of which is the Baltimore
turnpike. For any movement toward its
own border, therefore, the possession of
these roads which run to the south was
necessary to the southern army. and
these roads once in our possession the,
position Of the Southern army became
critical; for should Lee attempt to re-
treat by any other roads than these, we
should have shorter line to any point
on his route, and could consequently hit
hlm wherever we might choose; while if
he should fight US without these roads
and win, he would win but a little more
than way to get out, and if decisiyelv
beaten his defeat would be very disas-
trous


General Meade, therefore, began from
the first to mass his forces in such
manner as would enable him to hold
these roads to the best advantage. South
OF the town the country is generally
hilly; but there are three hills that de-
serve especial mention, as they form the
points on which our line is drawn
Cemetery Hill, in the Southern edge of
the town; a nameless hill half a mile to
the east of Cemetery Hill, and Sugar
Loaf Hill, directly south of Cemetery
Hit and about two miles distant from it.
Between Cemetery Hill and Sugar Loaf
HIll the country is open and level, and
our men eqlr iper ipertIhheetery HIIT to the name
less one; we faced to the north, and be-
tween the latter and SaaaEs Lnaf I1.ia's;|sI
and its peculiarity was that, practically,
it had no hanks; for in case of necessity
the extreme right and left would meet
on the turnpike. Our line from Gene
terry Hill to the right was on rocky
ridge, very thickly wooded; and here,
during The early part of the day, some
defenses were constructed under the dl-
rection of Generals Williams and Geary,
of the twelfth Corps, which was posted at
this place. Though many of those who
helped to construct these defenses
thought that they would, like countless
others, amount to very little when the
fight came, they proved eventually to be
of the utmost value r.. -i&--.l


General Steinwehr occupied Cemetery
Hill, which commands the town, while
the fight ragged on Wednesday, and at
the close of that days battle the rem
nants of the First and Eleventh Corps
were posted there and little down the
line to the right and left, and there they
remained on Thursday at the commence
ment of the second battle. On the open
country to our left lay the Second and
Third Corps, and the Fifth was so mass
ed as to fill up the third line. The sixth
was put next to the Fifth whep it came
up. -.


On Cemetery Hill we had several bat
teries, and, indeed, every point that could
possibly command fire was crowned
with a battery; for, in addition to the
guns regularly attached to the corps, we
had up the reserve artillery. Through
ont the wide extent OF the fields inelosed
within our lines ambulances and ammu-


milton trains were parked everywhere,
! and i. proved that they were all under


fire. for the field of fire of the rebel guns


opposite our right met that of the rebel


guns opposite our left in this inclosed


space, and shells exploded everywhere,


and round shot whistled throns the air


in every direction.


After what had taken place on Wed


nesday, and with the knowledge of the


force that had come up, there was good


reason to believe, and all in camp did
| believe, IDaL Iue I'D hOuiO NC uoAClCO Al


with the noise of battle. Day broke in


quiet, however, and breakfast was taker
at ease. Now and then there were little
disputes between the enemy's pickets ant


ours in the streets of the town, for We
held part and they part, and sometlmes


pun in one of our batteries would senC


an experimenta she'll toward the enemy


lines The enemy through all this KEEP
marvelously shy with his artillery, ant
did not fire shot, which it was though
indicated that heavy ammunition wa


scarce in the rebel camp. l4-9 ,3-
. During all the early part of the da
very little was known in respect to tn
= enemys movements, but it was though
!; to be clearly made out that he was mas
ing his forces on our extreme right.
view of this, additional preparations wer


made to meet whatever might come i
\ that atdirection. But there were some VII
n thought from the first that the mov'


ments of the enemy, toward our rigf


we're made only for show, and to dli
I tract attention from, more importar
points; for such was the nature OF tn
T. country that, bad the enemy really wlsl
ed TO mass his forces there, he could hay
q "a done it without making a man visible
~ All day mere or less picket firing ha
st taken place on our left, and it becan
&hr0 i