Meantime, Gen. Ewell, with Gen. Jenkins’s cavalry, etc., penetrated Maryland, and Pennsylvania as far as Chambersburg.
On the 24th, Lt.-Gens. Longstreet and Hill marched to the Potomac, the former crossing at Williamsport and the latter at Shepherdstown, uniting at Hagerstown, Md., advancing into Pennsylvania, and encamping near Chambersburg on the 27th.
Ewell’s corps advanced as far as York and Carlisle, to keep the enemy out of the mountains, and to keep our communications open.
Gen. Imboden destroyed all the important bridges of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from Martinsburg to Cumberland, damaging the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
Preparations were made to march upon Harrisburg, when information was received of the approach of the army of the enemy, menacing communications with the Potomac, necessitating a concentration of our army at Gettysburg.
Hill became engaged with a superior force of the enemy on the 1st July, but Ewell, coming up by the Harrisburg road, participated in the engagement, and the enemy were driven through Gettysburg with heavy loss, including about 5000 prisoners and several pieces of artillery.
The enemy retired to a high range of hills, south and east of the town.
On the 2d, Gen. Ewell occupied the left, Gen. Hill the Center, and Gen. Longstreet the right.
Longstreet got possession of the enemy’s position in front of his corps after a severe struggle; Ewell also carried some strong positions. The battle ceased at dark.
The next day, 3d July, our batteries were moved forward to the positions we had gained, and it was determined to renew the attack.