We did not leave our camp till noon, as nearly all General
Hill's corps had to pass our quarters on its march towards Gettysburg. One
division of Ewell's also had to join in a little beyond Greenwood, and
Longstreet's corps had to bring up the rear. During the morning I made the
acquaintance of Colonel Walton, who used to command the well-known Washington
Artillery, but he is now chief of artillery to Longstreet's corps d’armée; he is a big man, ci-devant
auctioneer in New Orleans, and I understand he pines to return to his
hammer.
Soon after starting we got into a pass in the South
mountain, a continuation, I believe, of the Blue Ridge range, which is broken
by the Potomac at Harper's Ferry. The scenery through the pass is very fine.
The first troops, alongside of whom we rode, belonged to Johnson's division of
Ewell's corps. Among them I saw, for the first time, the celebrated “Stonewall”
Brigade, formerly commanded by Jackson. In appearance the men differ little
from other Confederate soldiers, except, perhaps, that the brigade contains more
elderly men and fewer boys. All (except, I think, one regiment) are Virginians.
As they have nearly always been on detached duty, few of them knew General
Longstreet, except by reputation. Numbers of them asked me whether the General
in front was Longstreet; and when I answered in the affirmative, many would run
on a hundred yards in order to take a good look at him. This I take to be an
immense compliment from any soldier on a long march.
At 2 P.M. firing became distinctly audible in our front, but
although it increased as we progressed, it did not seem to be very heavy. A spy
who was with us insisted upon there being “a pretty tidy bunch of blue-bellies
in or near Gettysburg,” and he declared that he was in their society three
days ago.
After passing Johnson's division, we came up to a Florida
Brigade, which is now in Hill's corps ; but as it had formerly served under
Longstreet, the men knew him well. Some of them (after the General had passed)
called out to their comrades, “Look out for work now, boys, for here's the old
bull-dog again.”
At 3 P.M. we began to meet wounded men coming to the rear,
and the number of these soon increased most rapidly, some hobbling alone,
others on stretchers carried by the ambulance corps, and others in the
ambulance waggons; many of the latter were stripped nearly naked, and displayed
very bad wounds. This spectacle, so revolting to a person unaccustomed to such
sights, produced no impression whatever upon the advancing troops, who
certainly go under fire with the most perfect nonchalance: they show no
enthusiasm or excitement, but the most complete indifference. This is the
effect of two years' almost uninterrupted fighting.
We now began to meet Yankee prisoners coming to the rear in
considerable numbers: many of them were wounded, but they seemed already to be
on excellent terms with their captors, with whom they had commenced swapping
canteens, tobacco, &c. Among them was a Pennsylvanian colonel, a miserable
object from a wound in his face. In answer to a question, I heard one of them
remark, with a laugh, “We're pretty nigh whipped already.” We next came to a
Confederate soldier carrying a Yankee colour, belonging, I think, to a
Pennsylvanian regiment, which he told us he had just captured.
At 4.30 P.m. we came in sight of Gettysburg and joined
General Lee and General Hill, who were on the top of one of the ridges which
form the peculiar feature of the country round Gettysburg. We could see the
enemy retreating up one of the opposite ridges, pursued by the Confederates
with loud yells. The position into which the enemy had been driven was
evidently a strong one. His right appeared to rest on a cemetery, on the top of
a high ridge to the right of Gettysburg, as we looked at it.
General Hill now came up and told me he had been very unwell
all day, and in fact he looks very delicate. He said he had had two of his
divisions engaged, and had driven the enemy four miles into his present
position, capturing a great many prisoners, some cannon, and some colours; he
said, however, that the Yankees had fought with a determination unusual to
them. He pointed out a railway cutting, in which they had made a good stand;
also, a field in the centre of which he had seen a man plant the regimental
colour, round which the regiment had fought for some time with much obstinacy,
and when at last it was obliged to retreat, the colour-bearer retired last of
all, turning round every now and then to shake his fist at the advancing
rebels. General Hill said he felt quite sorry when he saw this gallant Yankee
meet his doom.
General Ewell had come up at 3.30, on the enemy's right
(with part of his corps), and completed his discomfiture. General Reynolds, one
of the best Yankee generals, was reported killed. Whilst we were talking, a
message arrived from General Ewell, requesting Hill to press the enemy in the
front, whilst he performed the same operation on his right. The pressure was
accordingly applied in a mild degree, but the enemy were too strongly posted,
and it was too late in the evening for a regular attack. The town of Gettysburg
was now occupied by Ewell, and was full of Yankee dead and wounded. I climbed
up a tree in the most commanding place I could find, and could form a pretty
good general idea of the enemy's position, although, the tops of the ridges
being covered with pinewoods, it was very difficult to see anything of the
troops concealed in them. The firing ceased about dark, at which time I rode
back with General Longstreet and his Staff to his headquarters at Cashtown, a
little village eight miles from Gettysburg. At that time troops were pouring
along the road, and were being marched towards the position they are to occupy
to-morrow.
In the fight to-day nearly 6000 prisoners had been taken, and
10 guns. About 20,000 men must have been on the field on the Confederate side.
The enemy had two corps d’armée
engaged. All the prisoners belong, I think, to the 1st and 11th corps. This
day's work is called a “brisk little scurry,” and all anticipate a “big battle”
to-morrow.
I observed that the artillerymen in charge of the horses dig
themselves little holes like graves, throwing up the earth at the upper end.
They ensconce themselves in these holes when under fire.
At supper this evening, General Longstreet spoke of the
enemy's position as being “very formidable.” He also said that they would
doubtless intrench themselves strongly during the night* The Staff officers
spoke of the battle as a certainty, and the universal feeling in the army was
one of profound contempt for an enemy whom they have beaten so constantly, and
under so many disadvantages.
_______________
* I have the best reason for supposing that the fight came
off prematurely, and that neither Lee nor Longstreet intended that it should
have begun that day. I also think that their plans were deranged by the events
of the first.
SOURCE: Sir Arthur James Lyon Fremantle, Three
Months in the Southern States: April-June, 1863, p. 257-62
