---STORIES---

LINCOLN'S GETTYSBURG ADDRESS
BATTLES OF GETTYSBURG
INHUMANITY AND POLTROONERY OF THE REBEL SURGEONS
A HERO GONE (A tribute to Gen John Reynolds)
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT (A firsthand account of the 3 days

 

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

"Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth."

 

Battles of Gettysburg

Our usually quiet and unpretending little town of Gettysburg has become historic. During the last two weeks, scenes have been enacted here that beggar all description. War has been raging all around us in its most horrid form. Two mighty armies have passed through our county and the bloodiest fight of the war has taken place in our midst.

For some time past it has been evident that a great battle must come off in our state, and perhaps in or near our county, but no one supposed that Gettysburg would be the place selected.

On Sunday week our advance got here and began scouring the country.

On Monday Hill's Division of the Rebel Army was reported near Cashtown and on Tuesday morning their pickets made their appearance on "Seminary Ridge" but as soon as they got sight of our Cavalry force they went back several miles toward Cashtown. During Tuesday our Cavalry forces continued to scour the country and at night about 8,000 of them encamped north west of the town under the command of General Buford.

This was the evening before the great battle commenced and as nearly as could be ascertained the disposition of the two opposing forces then was as follows:

Four of our Army Corps were between this and Emmitsburg-the nearest one at least five miles from Gettysburg-the remainder of our Army was some distance in the rear of these four Corps. On the Rebel side Hill's Corps was on Marsh Creek between this and Cashtown. Longstreet's Corps, was encamped about 8 miles in Hill's rear-and Ewell was at Heidlersburg, 10 miles from Gettysburg.

On Wednesday morning early our scouts reported Hill advancing on the Chambersburg Pike and by 10 o'clock long lines of Rebel Infantry made their appearance about 2 miles from town and immediately after their batteries opened on our Cavalry advance sent out to check them.

In about half an hour after this our Infantry (the 1st Army Corps) was seen advancing on the Emmitsburg Road and by marching across the fields behind the town, they succeeded in forming a line of battle beyond the "Seminary Ridge" and immediately in front of the enemy. About an hour after this the 11th Army Corps came up and marching through the town took position on our right, nearly parallel with the Harrisburg Road. In this position our men maintained their ground until between 2 and 3 o'clock pm when Ewell's force coming up the Harrisburg Road completely flanked them and after a determined resistance and severe fighting for nearly an hour, the 11th broke and fled in some disorder through town, taking a position on "Cemetery Hill," nearby south of us, where they made a stand and from which the rebels did not attempt during that evening to drive them. Thus affairs stood on Wednesday evening; the rebels having possession of all the town, except a few homes on the extreme end of Baltimore street. On Thursday morning it was found that we had taken position on "Wolf Hill: and the hill this side of it on our right,"Cemetery Hill," for our centre, and our left extending from "Cemetery Hill' along a rocky ridge nearly to "Round Top." At which base all of our forces could be marched in easily and laced in advantageous positions. Thursday and Friday was occupied by Gen. Lee in fruitless attempts to break through these lines of defense.

The strength of his whole army was put forth, desperate charges were made repeatedly by the enemy, but all in vain, for our brave men stood manfully to the work before them and each time the rebels were compelled to fall back to their old positions with fearful loss. During these two days (Thursday and Friday) the rear of the artillery and the rattle of musketry was awful beyond all description. Artillery officers of both sides say that the artillery firing was by far the heaviest of the war, that neither Malvern Hill norAntietam equaled it.

On Friday evening the rebels finding it utterly out of the question to dislodge our forces and having lost heavily in killed, wounded and prisoners, concluded that they had better skedaddle and as usual they did this in a very secret and expeditious manner.

On Saturday morning our advance came into town-but the rebels had all left except a few stragglers and those of their wounded in too bad a condition to move. However, they planted their batteries on Seminary Ridge to cover their retreat and the sharpshooters kept up a constant firing in the streets during the day, so that it was not till Sunday morning that we were positively satisfied that the enemy had left for parts unknown.

The loss in killed and wounded on both sides has been fearful, the rebel loss being considerably in excess of ours, owing to the fact that on Thursday and Friday they fought against the advantages of naturally strong positions. The aggregate loss is estimated at 40,000.

Both sides took prisoners, but from all the information we could get we got several thousand more than we lost. All in all, the battle of Gettysburg was the grandest fight of the war. Our men never fought better and the rebels never were more desperate. The result is a repulsed and discomfited enemy.

It is true many gallant officers and brave men have fallen in this battle. It is true that our town and county has suffered terribly. It is true that houses and barns have been burned-fences torn down and crops destroyed all over the country-and yet we have much to be thankful for. The invader has been driven from our state, severely punished for his temerity, and we can once more breathe freely. The brave Army of the Potomac deserves and will receive our heartfelt thanks, our everlasting gratitude.
Compiler, July 1863

INHUMANITY AND POLTROONERY OF THE REBEL SURGEONS

The infamy and cowardice of the Rebel surgeons in deserting the men of their army wounded at the battle of Gettysburg is without parallel in the war. In every battle in which fortune has been adverse to our arms and our wounded have been temporarily left within the Rebel lines, the brave and self denying surgeons of the regiments have either remained with the fallen or have immediately applied for peace within the Rebel lines, that they might be cared for. But the Rebels left lying on the field many thousands of their wounded - Dr. Veliom reports the number at ten-thousand-and-one with them neither surgeons, stores nor nurses but literally abandoned them to their fate. These men complained bitterly of the cruelty of their surgeons in thus forsaking them, but bore up patiently under their sufferings for many days until they could be attended to by some of our own surgeons most of whom had at once to hasten forward with their own regiments to other fields.

We published yesterday a thrilling letter from the battle field written on Thursday last, six days after the close of the contest, which stated that there were hundreds of the Rebel wounded not then reached-that hundreds of them it had been found impossible even to cover and they lay in the woods with broken limbs and torn bodies drenched in the rain, some having been even drowned in the floods which rose around them. Of course everything possibly was being done for them, and doctors, wounddressers and nurses were arriving. We were not prepared for, and could not have foreseen the flight of all the Rebel surgeons. It will long be remembered to their disgrace both by the unfortunate Rebels and by the whole country.- N. Y. Times
Adams Sentinel, July 1863.

 

A HERO GONE

 

Pennsylvania is called upon to mourn the loss of one of her truest and bravest sons. Major General John F. Reynolds was killed in the battle at Gettysburg on Wednesday 1st inst., while gallantly fighting at the head of his command. General Reynolds was a brave and accomplished officer. He was born in Lancaster in 1820. He graduated at West Point in 1841, and entering the third artillery, soon took a high position in the army. In the Mexican war he won considerable distinction on account of his bravery, and passed through the bloody battles of Monterey and Buens Vista. Ever since the breaking out of the present civil war he has been in active service, and in every position in which he was placed he distinguished himself by his coolness, his courage, and his ability. As an officer he was greatly beloved; and the many friends who now weep at his loss, will bear willing testimony to his many excellent qualities of head and heart. Pennsylvania will do honor to his memory. His name will be fondly cherished as one of her noblest sons. Yielding up his life in the cause of his country he loved as well, he has proven himself a herb; and the future historian will inscribe upon the records of the times no brighter name than of Major-General John F. Reynolds.
Compiler, July 1863

 

GRAPHIC ACCOUNT

  • One of the best and most graphic accounts of the invasion and the late repulse, which we have seen is the following, from the pen of Mr. Cooke, the special correspondent of The Age:

 

The Battle of Gettysburg will be one of the longest remembered of all the battles of this war. It was sanguinary and desperate. Both armies had good positions and what is most anomalous in war both occupied such advantageous ground that neither could drive the other away. At different times during the battle each commanding general contemplated a retreat. One made it, but the other did not. Both Lee and Meads wished to act on the defensive, but misapprehensions made each attack at different times, and both attacks were defeated. Poor Reynolds lost his life when driven back from his advance on Cashtown; and Barksdale fell as Longstreet's Grand Division was repulsed in their fierce attack upon the Cemetery.

 

THE BATTLEFIELD

 

On Wednesday morning, July 1, Gen. Reynolds, with twenty five thousand men, the advance of the Federal army, approached Gettysburg from the southeast and began the great battle. The field upon which it was fought was a peculiar one. The South Mountain, a long ridge several miles west of Gettysburg, is the great land mark, and the most prominent spot near the town is the hill upon which stood the unfortunate famous cemetery. Gettysburg is situated in a valley. Two ridges, a mile apart, paralleled to each other, are on each side of the valley. It and the ridges are all curves, the concavity being towards the east. It was upon these ridges that the battle was fought, the combatants advancing and retreating through the town and across the valley above and below it. There is but one stream of water on the field - a narrow swampy one, a mile south of Gettysburg, which runs zigzag down the valley towards the Monocacy. The lines of battle formed by the two unions were upon these ridges and resemble two horseshoes, one inside of the other.

 

THE BATTLE

 

In all the contest, except the opening one, the enemy attacked. On Wednesday morning General Reynolds, with the Federal advance approached the town from the southeast. He passed through and out on the west side, toward Chambersburg. He marched several miles, was met by the enemy in stronger force, and after a slight contest was compelled to retire. The enemy pushed him very hard, and he came into the town on a run, his troops going along every available road, and running out of the east side, closely followed by the enemy. One of his brigades came along the "Tape worm" with a Confederate brigade on each side of it. All three were abreast running as hard as they could - the two outside ones pouring a heavy fire into the centre out of which men dropped, killed or wounded, at almost every footstep.
This Federal brigade in running that terrible gauntlet lost half of its men. General Reynolds was killed and Gettysburg was lost: but the Federal troops succeeded in mounting Cemetery Hill, and the enemy ceased pursuing. At night the enemy encamped in the town and the federal troops on the hill.
 
During Wednesday night and Thursday morning the two armies were concentrating on the two ridges, which were to be next day's lines of battle, and by noon on Thursday each general had a force of eighty thousand men at his disposal. Then began the great artillery contest, the infantry on both side crouching behind fences and trees and in rifle pits. The Federal soldiers in the Cemetery laid many of the tombstones on the ground to prevent injury, so that many escaped. There was but little infantry fighting on Thursday and neither party made much impression upon the other. The Confederates in the town erected barricades and had their sharpshooters posted in every available spot, picking off Federal soldiers on the hills to the north of the cemetery. The cannonade was fierce and incessant, the shell from both sides flew over and into the devoted town. Beyond killing and wounding breaking trees and shattering houses and making an awful noise, however, this cannonades had but little effect on the result of the battle. Both sides fought with great ferocity, and neither could drive the other out of position.
On Friday night, fearing that the enemy had flanking parties which might turn his rear, General Meads had serious intentions of retreating and he called a council of war. The advice of some generals however, and the capture of his courier, with dispatches from Richmond, from which it was learned that the enemy would receive no reinforcements made him decide to remain.
On Friday morning General Lee did not desire to make the attack. He saw the superiority of the Federal position, and wished to entice them out of it, and down into the valley. With this design he withdrew all of his sharpshooters and infantry from Gettysburg. The deserted town lay there a very tempting bait, but General Meads's men hid quietly behind the fences and trees and tanks upon the hills. They could look down into the streets and see everything which was in progress. They saw the enemy march out and retire to the seminary, but made no advance, and the Confederate gained nothing by the movement. A parting salute of musketry, however, from a knoll north of the cemetery, accelerated the Confederate retreat. For some time the town had scarcely no soldiers in it. Scores of dead and wounded men and horses - with broken wagons, bricks, stones, timber, torn clothing and abandoned accountrements, lay here. The frightened inhabitants peered out of their windows to see what the armies were doing to cause such a lull, and almost afraid of their own shadows, they hastened away and crouched in corners and cellars at the sound of every shot or shell.
General Lee's evacuation had no effect. Meads was neither to be enticed into the town nor into the valley. Enough dead bodies lay in the fields and streets to give him warning of what happened to poor Reynolds two days before, and he wisely determined to stay where he was and let events shape themselves. The enemy soon became impatient. They could wait no longer; and after much solicitation from his subordinates, General Lee permitted General Longstreet to send his grand division on a charge upon the cemetery. The Federal soldiers was on the alert. They were hid behind their embankments, some kneeling and some flat on the ground. The Confederate artillery opened. It was a fierce cannonade as the one a day before, but instead of being spread all over the line, every shell was thrown at the cemetery. Experienced soldiers soon devined what was coming, and in every portion of the Federal line the cannon were directed towards the valley in front of the cemetery. All were ready. Amid the furious fire from the Confederate cannon scarcely a Federal shot was heard. The artillerists implements in hand crouched in the little ditches dug behind their cannon. With arms loaded, the infantry awaited the charge.
It soon came. From the woods of short grubby timber and the rocks near the seminary there rose a yell. It was a long, loud unremitting, hideous screech from thousands of voices. At the yell the Federal cannon opened. Soon the enemy's columns emerged from the woods. They came on a push down the hill waving their arms and still screeching. They climbed the fences and rushed along each one.
Compiler, July 1863

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