The work of shelling the town was at once commenced; and a perfect shower of grape, canister and shell was poured in upon it for three hours; at the end of that time the enemy’s fire slackened a little, and once more, at midnight, General Lee sent in a flag of truce, with a demand for surrender. General Smith indignantly refused; and the fire of the enemy recommenced, and was carried on without intermission for three hours. During this time severe skirmishing was kept up by the Union infantry, though no heavy reply of artillery was made to the enemy’s fire. Finally the rebels fired the cavalry barracks, and accidentally set on fire several buildings with shells. The town was very much injured and many people were killed, but the rebels were defeated in their object, and obliged to fall back the next day.
As the month of June drew towards its close all the movements that were made by both armies tended directly towards a great battle. On the 27th June, a skirmish took place at Skerrett’s Gap, in which the Union pickets were driven in, many of them being captured. On the 25th the town of McConnellsburg, a short time before pillaged by the enemy, and occupied by a body of rebels five thousand strong, under command of General Stuart, was attacked by a detachment of the First New York Cavalry. The Unionists drove in the rebel pickets, causing much alarm. The rebels made but very little resistance; and at nine o’clock of the following morning they evacuated the place, retiring towards Chambersburg, with the intention of reinforcing the rebel force which threatened Harrisburg. During the same day a destructive raid was made by a large body of Imboden’s men, through the lower part of Pennsylvania, in which they carried away with them every available article of every description of property.
They were not, however, at all points successful. A small body of cavalry—numbering forty or fifty men—under Captain Jones, entered McConnelsburg (which had been in possession of the National troops but a day or two), on a reconnoissance. Captain Jones had but just dismounted his horse, when one of his pickets hastened to him with the news that a body of the enemy were advancing, and close upon the town. “How many are there?” asked Captain Jones. “About a hundred,” was the reply. “Very well. I will fight them!” returned the intrepid officer. “Men, take your places!” The men mounted and leisurely rode down the street. The enemy, supposing it to be a retreat, were getting ready for pursuit, when the Unionists suddenly halted, turned, and faced them. The rebel leader sang out to his men,—“Charge—charge the damned Yankees!” But the rebels never moved. Captain Jones called out in a clear, firm voice, to his noble little band, “Charge!” and the order required no repetition. With a wild, triumphant cry, they sprang forward, sabre in hand, and drove the enemy like chaff before them. The sharp ring of carbines, the clang of sabres, and the ringing shouts of the triumphant pursuers, filled the air with the enthusiasm of the scene. At the edge of the town, the Union cavalry overtook the flying rebels, and dashing into their midst, a hand-to-hand struggle took place, in which the rebels were compelled to fight for their lives. The result was soon seen to be in favor of the Unionists; and when they returned to the town, they drove before them more prisoners than their own number. Two rebels were killed, one dangerously wounded, and three escaped; the rest were taken prisoners.
By this time the Union army, in readiness for the great fight, was impatient for it to begin. On the 28th sharp skirmishing took place at Wrightsville between the rebels and a small force of Union troops under Colonel Frick. The rebels attacked the Unionists in their rifle-pits, and were fiercely repulsed, until, overpowered by numbers, the Federals fled across the bridge over the Susquehanna river, near Columbia, which they set on fire in order to prevent the rebels from crossing in pursuit of them. On the same day the enemy took possession of the town of York, Pa. From all the cities threatened by the rebels the citizens were rapidly fleeing toward Philadelphia; although a very large number rallied bravely to the defence of their homes. The publication of many newspapers was suspended, the employees having all entered the ranks. The excitement increased every hour.
BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.
July 1–3, 1863.
General Meade, as soon as it was ascertained that the rebels were encamped within full view of Gettysburg, set about making the required changes in the positions of his own troops. On Tuesday, June 30th, General Buford was sent, with a cavalry force numbering six thousand, to make a reconnoissance on the Chambersburg road. They encamped there for the night. Two corps were sent towards the southwest, to a point about four miles from Gettysburg, where they also encamped for the night. These corps were the First, numbering about eight thousand men, under command of General Reynolds; and the Eleventh, numbering nearly fifteen thousand, under command of General Howard. Two corps of the rebel forces, under Generals Hill and Longstreet, and two divisions of Ewell’s corps, were encamped quite near to the town of Gettysburg. The town of Gettysburg, itself, lies at the head of a gently sloping valley, and forms the centre for roads running north, south, east, and west.
The Catoctin and the South Mountain run on either sides of the valley; and a short distance to the east of the town runs the stream of water called Rock creek. Near the town are two hills, known respectively as Round Top, and Little Round Top, and on the former General Meade posted the extreme left of his line. To the northwest of this position, also on a slight eminence, General Lee had posted his men, forming a circular line of several miles in extent, and almost hemming in the patriot troops. On the morning of the following day a body of cavalry, under General Buford, was sent forward for reconnoitring purposes, and became engaged with the rebel advance immediately. General Reynolds followed, with his entire corps, and plunged into the thickest of the fight at the first sound of battle; the odds, however, were fearful—eight thousand against twenty thousand—and General Reynolds sent an urgent message to General Howard, to send forward reinforcements. But not till one o’clock did the Eleventh corps arrive to the assistance of the hard-pressed men, who still stood their ground like a rock, and fiercely drove back the advancing rebel hosts. General Reynolds riding up and down the line in front of his men, urging them on with look and word, fell a victim to his own dauntless bravery, being shot through the head by a rebel sharpshooter.
At last came two divisions of the Eleventh corps, under Schurtz and Barlow. Eager to retrieve their reputation, so tarnished at Chancellorsville, they formed bravely on the right, and stayed the faltering line, for the first time beginning to waver. The remaining division of the Eleventh corps, under General Steinwehr, was sent to occupy a point called Cemetery Hill, on the south side of the town.
