I was awoke at daylight by Moses complaining that his
valuable trunk, containing much public money, had been stolen from our tent whilst
we slept. After a search it was found in a wood hard by, broken open and minus
the money. Dr Barksdale had been robbed in the same manner exactly. This is
evidently the work of those rascally stragglers, who shirk going under fire,
plunder the natives, and will hereafter swagger as the heroes of Gettysburg.
Lawley, the Austrian, and I, walked up to the front about
eight o'clock, and on our way we met General Longstreet, who was in a high
state of amusement and good-humour. A flag of truce had just come over from the
enemy, and its bearer announced among other things that “General Longstreet was
wounded, and a prisoner, but would be taken care of.” General Longstreet sent
back word that he was extremely grateful, but that, being neither wounded nor a
prisoner, he was quite able to take care of himself. The iron endurance of
General Longstreet is most extraordinary: he seems to require neither food nor
sleep. Most of his Staff now fall fast asleep directly they get off their
horses, they are so exhausted from the last three days' work.
Whilst Lawley went to headquarters on business, I sat down
and had a long talk with General Pendleton (the parson), chief of artillery. He
told me the exact number of guns in action yesterday. He said that the
universal opinion is in favour of the 12-pounder Napoleon guns as the best and
simplest sort of ordnance for field purposes* Nearly all the artillery with
this army has either been captured from the enemy or cast from old 6-pounders
taken at the early part of the war.
At 10 A.M. Lawley returned from headquarters, bringing the
news that the army is to commence moving in the direction of Virginia this
evening. This step is imperative from want of ammunition. But it was hoped that
the enemy might attack during the day, especially as this is the 4th July, and
it was calculated that there was still ammunition for one day's fighting. The
ordnance train had already commenced moving back towards Cashtown, and Ewell's
immense train of plunder had been proceeding towards Hagerstown by the
Fairfield road ever since an early hour this morning.
Johnson's division had evacuated during the night the
position it had gained yesterday. It appears that for a time it was actually in
possession of the cemetery, but had been forced to retire from thence from want
of support by Pender's division, which had been retarded by that officer's
wound. The whole of our left was therefore thrown back considerably.
At 1 P.M. the rain began to descend in torrents, and we took
refuge in the hovel of an ignorant Pennsylvanian boor. The cottage was full of
soldiers, none of whom had the slightest idea of the contemplated retreat, and
all were talking of Washington and Baltimore with the greatest confidence.
At 2 P.M. we walked to General Longstreet's camp, which had
been removed to a place three miles distant, on the Fairfield road. General
Longstreet talked to me for a long time about the battle. He said the mistake
they had made was in not concentrating the army more, and making the attack
yesterday with 30,000 men instead of 15,000. The advance had been in three
lines, and the troops of Hill's corps who gave way were young soldiers, who had
never been under fire before. He thought the enemy would have attacked had the
guns been withdrawn. Had they done so at that particular moment immediately
after the repulse, it would have been awkward; but in that case he had given
orders for the advance of Hood's division and M'Laws's on the right. I think,
after all, that General Meade was right not to advance — his men would never
have stood the tremendous fire of artillery they would have been exposed to. Rather
over 7000 Yankees were captured during the three days; — 3500 took the parole;
the remainder were now being marched to Richmond, escorted by the remains of
Pickett's division. It is impossible to avoid seeing that the cause of this
check to the Confederates lies in the utter contempt felt for the enemy by all
ranks.
Waggons, horses, mules, and cattle captured in Pennsylvania,
the solid advantages of this campaign, have been passing slowly along this road
(Fairfield) all day: those taken by Ewell are particularly admired. So
interminable was this train that it soon became evident that we should not be
able to start till late at night. As soon as it became dark we all lay round a
big fire, and I heard reports coming in from the different generals that the
enemy was retiring, and had been doing so all day long. M'Laws reported
nothing in his front but cavalry videttes. But this, of course, could make no
difference to General Lee's plans: ammunition he must have — he had failed to
capture it from the enemy (according to precedent); and as his communications
with Virginia were intercepted, he was compelled to fall back towards
Winchester, and draw his supplies from thence. General Milroy had kindly left
an ample stock at that town when he made his precipitate exit some weeks ago.
The army was also encumbered with an enormous waggon-train, the spoils of
Pennsylvania, which it is highly desirable to get safely over the Potomac.
Shortly after 9 P.M. the rain began to descend in torrents.
Lawley and I luckily got into the doctors' covered buggy, and began to get
slowly under way a little after midnight.
_______________
* The Napoleon 12-pounders are smooth-bore brass guns, with
chambers, very light, and with long range. They were invented or recommended by
Louis Napoleon years ago. A large number are being cast at Augusta and
elsewhere.
SOURCE: Sir Arthur James Lyon Fremantle, Three
Months in the Southern States: April-June, 1863, p. 278-83
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