Year: 1863

in our possession the position of the South
ern army become critical; for should Lee
attempt to retire by any other roads than
these, we should have shorter line to
any point on his route, and could conse-
quently hit him wherever we might choose;
he would win but little more than way
to get out, and if decisively beaten his de-
feat would be very disastrous.


Gen. Mead, therefore, began from the
first to mass his forces in such a 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 deserve especial men
tion, as they form the points on which our
line is drawn-Cemetery hill, in the south
ern edge of the town; nameless hill half
mile on the east of Cemetery hill, and
Sugar Loaf hill, directly south of Gene
terry hill and about two miles distant from
it. Between Cemetery hill and Sugar
Loaf hill the country is open and level,
and our men in that position faced direct
ly west from Cemetery hill to the name
less one; we faced to the north, and be-
tween the latter and Sugar Loaf hill you
looked to the southeast. Our position
was there somewhat irregular triangle,
and its popularity was that, practically, it
had no tianks, for in case Of necessity the
line could have swept around so that the
extreme right and left would meet on the
turnpike. Our line from Cemetery hill to
the right was on a rocky ridge, very thick
ly wooded; and here during the early part
of the day, some defences were construct
ed under the direction of Generals Will
Jams and Geary, of the twelfth corps,
which was posted at this place. Though
many of those who helped to construct
these defences thought that they would,
like countless others, amount to very little
when the fight came, they proved eventu-
ally to be of the utmost value.


Gen. Steinwehr occupied Cemetry Hill,
which commands the town, while the fight
ragged on Wednesday, and at the close of
that days battle, the remnants of the first
and eleventh corps were posted there and
little down the line to the right and left;
there they remained on Thursday at the
commencement of the second battle. On
the open country to the left lay the Sec
ond and third corps, and the fifth was so
massed as to fill up the third line. The
sixth was put near to the fifth when it
came up.


On Cemetry Hill we had several bate
ries, and, indeed, every point that could
possibly command fire was crowned
with battery; for, in addition to the
guns regularly attached to the corps, we
had up the reserve artillery. Throughout
the wide extent Of the fields enclosed with
in our lines, ambulances and ammunition
trains were parked everywhere and it
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 Oppo-
site our left in this enclosed space, and
shells exploded everywhere, and shot hust-
led through the air in every direction.


After what had taken place on We'd
nesday, and with the knowledge of the
force that had come up, there was good
reason to believe, and all in camp did be-
lieve, that the day would be ushered in
with The nose Of battle. Day broke in
quiet, however, and breakfast was taken
at ease. Now and then there were little
disputes between the enemy's pickets and
ours in the streets Of the town, for we
held part and they part, and sometimes q
| gun IN one OF Our batteries would send an
experimental shell towards the enemy s
| lines. The enemy through all this kept
marvelously shy with his artillery, and did
not fire shot, which it was thought indi-
| Gated that heavy ammunition was scarce
in the rebel camp.


During all the earlier part Of the day,
very little was known in respect to the
enemy's movements, but it was thought to
be clearly made out that he was massing
his forces on our extreme right In view
of this, additional preparations were made
to meet whatever might come in that di-
rectlon. But there were some who tho
from the iirst that the movements of the
enemy towards our right were made only
for show, and to detract attention from
more important points for such was the
nature of the country that, had the enc


my really wished to mass his forces there.
he could have done it without making q
man visible


All day more or less picket firing had
taken place on our lett, and it became
pretty sharp between two and three p. NJ.
Some movements were in progress behind
this fire, and to develop these Gen. Sickles
was ordered to advance with the whole
third corps. This advance brought on the
general engagement. Under cover Of a
fire from the eight brass pieces in battery
on the open field, the corps went forward
in line Of battle, corps and division and
brigade colors all in the air, and the men


in excellent spirits. Then the enemys ar
tillery, so long silent, began On our left at
the pieces in the field. In turn our pieces
On Cemetery hill opened Oh those Of the
enemy in the field; other batteries Of the
enemy nearer our center opened on those
Oh Cemetery ill, and so it went around
until our guns on the northern face of the
hill engaged the enemy's batteries two
miles across the country, on the right.
The whole valley in which Gettysburg lies
was one immense network, with the trace
of shells from battery to battery


SuchE concentration of fire on our po-
sition naturally necess:tated some move
ment of ambulances and ammunition wag-
ons. and in ten minutes after this extern
sive duel began the Baltimore turnpike
was lined with vehicles in motion toward
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