THE RETREAT FROM GETTYSBURG.
feed your animals ; then ford the river, and do not halt again till you reach Winchester, where I will again communicate ־with you.” . . .
NARRATIVE NOTES.
THE RETREAT.
Tlie next day, July 4th, General Lee drew hack his flanks and at evening began his retreat by two routes — the main body on the direct road to Williamsport through the mountains, the other via Chambersburg, the latter including the immense train of the wounded.
THE UNION CAVALRY IN PURSUIT.
Gregg’s division (except Huey’s brigade) was sent in pursuit by way of Chambersburg, but the enemy had too much the start to render the chase effective.
Kilpatrick, however, got in front of the main body on the direct route and, after a midnight battle at Monterey, fought during a terrific thunder-storm,succeeded in making sad havoc of Ewell’s trains.
Buford’s division of cavalry, aided by that of Kilpatrick, came near capturing Williamsport, defended by Imboden, with all of the Confederate trains, and the fresh ammunition so much needed by Lee, which had been galloping from Winchester almost without an escort, to meet him.
The opportune arrival of Stuart’s cavalry, backed by infantry, forced Buford and Kilpatrick to fail back.
LEE REACHES WILLIAMSPORT.
Leo concentrated his army in the vicinity of Williamsport, but as French had destroyed his pontoon bridge, and as the Potomac had risen, he was unable to cross. He therefore fortified his position.
Meade did not follow Lee directly, but went around by way of Frederick. After considerable delay the Union army again confronted that of Lee, and were about — under orders from President Lincoln — to make an attack, when Lee slipped away on the night of July 14tli to the Virginia side of the Potomac.
This ended the campaign of Gettysburg.
The Union loss was 3072 killed, 14,497 wounded, 5434 missing = Total, 23,003.
The Confederate loss was 2592 killed, 12,709 wounded, 5150 missing — Total, 20,451.
his reflections, I said no more. After perhaps a minute or two, he suddenly straightened up to his full height, and turning to me with more animation and excitement of manner than I had ever seen in him before, for he was a man of wonderful equanimity, he said in a voice tremulous with emotion:
“I never saw troops behave more magnificently than Pickett’s division of Virginians did to-day in that grand charge upon the enemy. And if they had been supported as they were to have been,—-but, for some reason not yet fully explained to me, were not,— we would have held the position and the day would have been ours.” After a moment’s pause he added in a loud voice, in a tone almost of agony, “Too bad! Too bad! Он! too bad ! ”
I shall never forget his language, his manner, and his appearance of mental suffering. In a few moments all emotion was suppressed, and he spoke feelingly of several of his fallen and trusted officers; among others of Brigadier-Generals Armi-stead, Garnett, and Kemper, of Pickett’s division. He invited me into his tent, and as soon as we were seated he remarked:
“ We must now return to Virginia. As many of our poor wounded as possible must be taken home. I have sent for you because your men and horses are fresh and in good condition, to guard and conduct our train back to Virginia. The duty will be arduous, responsible, and dangerous, for I am afraid you will be harassed by the enemy’s cavalry. How many men have you?”
“About 2100 effective present, and all well mounted, including MeClanahan’s six-gun battery of horse-artillery.”
“ I can spare you as much artillery as you require,” he said, “ but no other troops, as I shall need all I have to return safely by a different and shorter route than yours. The batteries are generally short of ammunition, but you will probably meet a supply I have ordered from Winchester to Williamsport.
Nearly all the transportation and the care of all the wounded will be intrusted to you. You will re cross the mountain by the Chambersburg road, and then proceed to Williamsport by any route you deem best, and without a halt till you reach the river. Rest there long enough to 210
mon wall-tent, exposed to view Generals Lee and Hill seated on camp-stools with a map spread upon their knees. Dismounting, I approached on foot. After exchanging the ordinary salutations General Lee directed me to go back to his headquarters and wait for him. I did so, but he did not make his appearance until about 1 o’clock, when he came riding alone, at a slow walk, and evidently wrapped in profound thought.
When he arrived there was not even a sentinel on duty at his tent, and no one of his staff was awake. The moon was high in the clear sky, and the silent scene was unusually vivid. As he approached and saw us lying on the grass under a tree, he spoke, reined in his jaded horse, and essayed to dismount. The effort to do so betrayed so much physical exhaustion that I hurriedly rose, and stepped forward to assist him, but before I reached his side he had succeeded in alighting, and threw his arm across the saddle to rest, and, fixing his eyes upon the ground, leaned in silence and almost motionless upon his equally weary horse,— the two forming a striking and never-to-be-forgotten group. The moon shone full upon his massive features, andrevealedan expression of sadness that I had never before seen upon his face. Awed by his appearance, I waited for him to speak until the silence became embarrassing, when, to break it and change the silent current of his thoughts, I ventured to remark, in a sympathetic tone, and in allusion to his great fatigue : “General, this has been a hard day on you.”
He looked up, and replied mournfully:
“Yes, it has been a sad, sad day to us,” and immediately lapsed into his thoughtful mood and attitude. Being unwilling again to intrude upon
cause of Southern independence of final defeat or victory on that great field.
It was a warm summer’s night; there were few camp-fires, and the weary soldiers were lying in groups on the luxuriant grass of the beautiful meadows, discussing the events of the day, speculating on the morrow, or watching that our horses did not straggle off while browsing. About 11 o’clock a horseman came to summon me to General Lee. I promptly mounted and, accompanied by Lieutenant George W. McPhail, an aide on my staff, and guided by the courier who brought the message, rode about two miles toward Gettysburg to where half a dozen small tents were pointed out, a little way from the roadside to our left, as General Lee’s headquarters for the night. On inquiry I found that he was not there, but had gone to the headquarters of General A. P. Hill, about half a mile nearer to Gettysburg. When we reached the place indicated, a single flickering candle, visible from the road through the open front of a com-
GOOD-BYE!
“ CARRY ME BACK TO OLE VIRGINNY.”