108 . 



ARMY OPERATIONS. 



drive from our soil every vestige of the presence of 

 the invader. 



It is right and proper that we should, on suitable 

 occasions, return our grateful thanks to the Almighty 

 Disposer of events that, in the goodness of His provi- 

 dence, He has thought fit to give victory to the cause 

 of the just. 



By command of Major-General MEADE. 



S. WILLIAMS, A. A. General. 



On the same day, President Lincoln issued 

 the following announcement : 



"WASHINGTON, D. C., July 4to, 186310 A. M. 

 The President of the United States announces to 

 the country, that the news from the Army of the Poto- 

 mac, up to 10 o'clock P. M., of the 3d, is such as to 

 cover the army with the highest honor to promise 

 great success to the cause of the Union and to claim 

 the condolence of all for the many gallant fallen ; and 

 that for this he especially desires that on this day, 

 " He whose will, not ours, should ever be done," be 

 everywhere remembered and reverenced with the pro- 

 foundest gratitude. 



(Signed) ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 



On Saturday, the 4th, Gen. Swell's division 

 was withdrawn from its position in the town 

 and the hills southeast of it, and placed behind 

 the defences on the Seminary ridge, and both 

 armies were engaged, with strong working par- 

 ties, in burying their dead and taking care of the 

 wounded. The morning was hazy, and from 

 noon until night the rain fell in torrents. During 

 the whole day the enemy sent forward such of 

 their wounded as could bear removal, toward 

 Hagerstown. Late in the afternoon their ar- 

 tillery and wagon trains also commenced mov- 

 ing in the same direction. At dark their 

 whole army was put in motion, taking the 

 road to Fairfield, and crossing South Mountain 

 at Waterloo Gap. The position of Gen. Meade's 

 army was now looked upon by the enemy as 

 almost impregnable. The fighting for three 

 days had nearly exhausted the ammunition of 

 the Confederate army. 



On Monday, the 6th, Gen. Lee reached Ha- 

 gerstown, and took position with his army. On 

 Tuesday the advance of Gen. Meade reached 

 Funktown, six miles south of Hagerstown. 



Meanwhile, Gen. Couch, who was in com- 

 mand of this department, had proceeded to or- 

 ganize the raw troops which had been called 

 out, as they came in. His nucleus for this pro- 

 visional army was the troops from New York. 

 The first division organized was put under the 

 command of Gen. W. F.'Smith, and placed op- 

 posite Harrisburg, to resist an attack. Upon 

 the retreat of the enemy from the neighbor- 

 hood of that place, Gen. Smith immediately 

 followed them with about six thousand men, a 

 small number of cavalry, and two batteries of 

 artillery. He advanced to Carlisle, where ho 

 was met by "W. H. F. Lee, who expected to find 

 Gen. Ewcll there, and attacked with artillery. 

 Gen. Smith was so strongly posted, that Lee 

 soon retired and Gen. Smith followed. Mean- 

 time, Gen. Couch organized another division, 

 and placed it under the command of Maj.-Gen. 

 Dana. Before this was on its way, Gen. Couch 

 moved his headquarters to Chambersburg, to 



superintend the entire movement. Gen. Smith, 

 with his troops shoeless and living upon the 

 country, joined the Army of the Potomac; and 

 Gen. Dana pushed forward, and had reached 

 Greencastle when Gen. Lee crossed the Poto- 

 mac. Other reenforcements were sent to Gen. 

 Meade. The entire Federal loss at Gettysburg 

 was 2,834 killed, 13,790 wounded, and 6,643 

 missing. That of the enemy was larger : 4,500 

 of his dead were buried by the Union soldiers, 

 26,500 wounded fell into their hands, and 13,- 

 621 prisoners were taken ; also three guns, for- 

 ty-one standards, and 24,978 small arms. 



Meanwhile, Gen. Lee's forces fell back to- 

 ward the river at Williamspprt. On the llth, 

 Gen. Lee issued the following address to his 

 troops : 



General Order No. 16. 



HlADQUARTBBS ARMY OF NORTHERN VlBGIJJIA. ) 



July llth, 1863. } 



After the long and trying marches, endured with 

 the fortitude that has ever characterized the soldiers of 

 the Army of Northern Virginia, you have penetrated 

 to the country of our enemies, and recalled to the de- 

 fences of their own soil, those who are engaged in the 

 invasion of ours. You have fought a fierce and san- 

 guinary battle, which, if not attended with the suc- 

 cess that has hitherto crowned your efforts, was marked 

 by the same heroic spirit that has commanded the re- 

 spect of your enemies, the gratitude of your country, 

 and the admiration of mankind. 



Once more you are called upon to meet the enemy, 

 from whom you have torn so many field names that 

 will never die. Once more the eyes of your country- 

 men are turned upon you, and again do wives and sis- 

 ters, fathers and mothers, and helpless children lean 

 for defence on your strong arms and brave hearts. 

 Let every soldier remember, that on his courage and 

 fidelity depends all that makes life worth having the 

 freedom of his country, the honor of his people, and 

 the security of his home. Let each heart grow strong 

 in the remembrance of our glorious past, and in the 

 thought of the inestimable blessings for which we 

 contend ; and, invoking the assistance of that higher 

 Power, which has so signally blessed our former ef- 

 forts, let us go forth in confidence to secure the peace 

 and safety of our country. Soldiers, your old enemy 

 is before you. Win from him honor worthy of your 

 right cause, worthy of your comrades dead on so many 

 illustrious fields. 



E. E. LEE, General Commanding. 



The pursuit by Gen. Meade is thus stated in 

 his report : " The 5th and 6th of July were 

 employed in succoring the wounded and bury- 

 ing the dead. Major-Gen. Sedgwick, command- 

 ing the sixth corps, having pushed the pursuit 

 of the enemy as far as the Fairfield pass and 

 the mountains, and reporting that the pass was 

 very strong one in which a small force of the 

 enemy could hold in check and delay for a con- 

 siderable time any pursuing force I deter- 

 mined to follow the enemy by a flank move- 

 ment, and accordingly, leaving Mclntosh's 

 brigade of cavalry and Neil's brigade of infan- 

 try to continue harassing the enemy, I put the 

 army in motion for Middletown, and orders 

 were immediately sent to Major-Gen. French, 

 wi* Frederick, to reoccupy Harper's Ferry, and 

 send a force to occupy Turner's Pass, in South 

 Mountain. I subsequently ascertained that 

 Major-Gen. French had not only anticipated 



