Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 7.
Frank Moore, Ed.

An assault was made with great firmness, directed principally against the point occupied by the Second corps, and was repelled with equal firmness by the troops of that corps, supported by Doubleday's division and Stannard's brigade of the First corps. During this assault both Major-General Hancock, commanding the left centre, and Brigadier-General Gibson, commanding the Second corps, were severely wounded.

This terminated the battle, the enemy retiring to his lines, leaving the field strewed with his dead and wounded, and numerous prisoners in our hands.

Buford's division of cavalry, after its arduous service at Gettysburgh, on the first, was, on the second, sent to Westminster to refit and guard our trains. Kilpatrick's division, that on the twenty-ninth, thirtieth, and first had been successfully engaging the enemy's cavalry, was, on the third, sent out on our extreme left, on the Emmetsburgh road, where good service was rendered in assaulting the enemy's line and occupying his attention.

At the same time General Gregg was engaged with the enemy on our extreme right, having passed across the Baltimore pike and Bonaughtown roads, and boldly attacked the enemy's left and rear.

On the morning of the fourth the reconnoissances developed that the enemy had drawn back his left flank, but maintained his position in front of our left, apparently assuming a new line parallel to the mountain.

On the morning of the fifth it was ascertained that the enemy was in full retreat by the Fairfield and Cashtown roads. The Sixth corps was immediately sent in pursuit on the Fairfield road, and the cavalry on the Cashtown road, and by Emmetsburgh and Monterey passes.

The fifth and sixth of July were employed in succoring the wounded and burying the dead.

Major-General Sedgwick, commanding the Sixth corps, having pushed on in pursuit of the enemy as far as Fairfield Pass in the mountains, and reporting that pass as very strong, and one in which a small force of the enemy could hold in check and delay for a considerable time any pursuing force, I determined to follow the enemy by a flank movement, and accordingly leaving McIntosh brigade of cavalry and Neill's brigade of infantry to continue harassing the enemy, I put the army in motion for Middletown, Maryland.

Orders were immediately sent to Major-General French, at Frederick, to reoccupy Harper's Ferry, and to send a force to occupy Turner's Pass, in South-Mountain. I subsequently ascertained that Major-General French had not only anticipated these orders in part, but had pushed his cavalry force to Williamsport and Falling Waters, where they destroyed the enemy's ponton-bridge and captured its guard. Buford was at the same time sent to Williamsport and Hagerstown.

The duty above assigned to the cavalry was most successfully accomplished, the enemy being greatly harassed, his trains destroyed, and many captures in guns and prisoners made. After halting a day at Middletown to procure necessary supplies and to bring up trains, the army moved through South-Mountain, and by the twelfth of July. was in front of the enemy, who occupied a strong position on the heights of Marsh Run, in advance of Williamsport.

In taking this position, several skirmishes and affairs had been had with the enemy, principally by cavalry, from the Eleventh and Sixth corps.

The thirteenth was occupied in making reconnoissances of the enemy's position and preparations for attack, but on advancing on the morning of the fourteenth, it was ascertained he had retired the night previous by a bridge at Falling Waters and a ford at Williamsport.

The cavalry in pursuit overtook the rear-guard at Falling Waters, capturing two guns and numerous prisoners.

Previous to the retreat of the enemy, Gregg's division of cavalry had crossed at Harper's Ferry, and coming up with the rear of the enemy at Charlestown and Shepherdstown, had a spirited contest, in which the enemy were driven to Martinsburgh and Winchester, and pressed and harassed in his retreat.

Pursuit was resumed by a flank movement of the army, crossing the Potomac at Berlin, and moving down Loudon Valley. Cavalry were immediately pushed into several passes of the Blue Ridge, and having learned from scouts of the withdrawal of the confederate army from the lower valley of the Shenandoah, the Third corps, Major-General French in advance, was moved into Manassas Gap, in the hope of being able to intercept a portion of the enemy.

The possession of the gap was disputed so successfully as to enable the rear-guard to withdraw by way of Strasburgh, the confederate army retiring to the Rapid-Ann. Position was taken with this army on the line of the Rappahannock, and the campaign terminated about the close of July.

The result of the campaign may be briefly stated in the defeat of the enemy at Gettysburgh, their compulsory evacuation of Pennsylvania and Maryland, and withdrawal from the upper valley of the Shenandoah, and the capture of three guns, forty-one standards, and thirteen thousand six hundred and twenty-one prisoners. Twenty-four thousand nine hundred and seventy-eight small arms were collected on the battle-field.

Our own losses were very severe, amounting, as will be seen by the accompanying return, to two thousand eight hundred and thirty-four killed, thirteen thousand seven hundred and nine wounded, and six thousand six hundred and forty-three missing--in all twenty-three thousand one hundred and eighty-six.

It is impossible, in a report of this nature, to enumerate all the instances of gallantry and good conduct which distinguished our success on the hard-fought field of Gettysburgh. The reports of corps commanders and their subordinates, herewith submitted, will furnish all information upon this subject.

I will only add my tribute to the heroic bravery