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[679] steel becomes general; the two columns force and repel each other with desperate fury, without achieving any decided success. Hampton, who has joined his brigade, is seriously wounded; a large number of officers of both armies fall around him. At length the Federals fall back, but they thus unmask their artillery, which compels the Southerners to beat a still more speedy retreat. The ground so stubbornly disputed is abandoned by both parties.1 The Unionists have lost 736 men, of whom 112 are killed, 289 wounded, and 335 taken prisoners: Custer's brigade has suffered the most. They have, however, accomplished their object and frustrated the plan of their adversaries. By their first attack, and subsequently by their vigorous resistance, they have interrupted Stuart's flank movement. The latter, it is true, watches till evening to hear the sound of the cannon which is to announce the defeat of the enemy. He still hopes to be able to strike the Westminster road in the midst of the flying Federals; but night at length comes to dissipate this pleasing dream. He withdraws to the York road, for it is no longer an object with him to destroy shattered battalions or to achieve a victory, but rather to cover the retreat of a decimated army and long columns of wounded men. In fact, when the sun sets over this bloody field for the third time the decree of the God of armies has been irrevocably pronounced. The Confederates feel themselves conquered; therefore, such must be the case. Their heroic efforts and the enormous losses of their adversaries have not sufficed to secure victory to them. The positions which the Federals have so well defended are in a strategic point of view only of secondary importance; but it having been rendered necessary for Lee to attack the Army of the Potomac on the spot where he met it, these positions have acquired a fortuitous value by enabling it to defend itself with advantage. In order to drive this army completely vanquished
1 In the official reports of Generals Pleasonton, Gregg, and Custer it is stated that the Union cavalry remained masters of the field of the engagement, while General Stuart claims in his report that they were driven from it. A detailed account of this brilliant engagement is given by Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel William Brooke-Rawle in The Right Flank at Gettysburg. That writer, who was present, asserts that the Confederates were driven back beyond the Rummel farm-buildings, which in the beginning of the fight had been in their possession, and that the position was held by the Unionists until the end.—Ed.
Philadelphia, Jos. H. Coates and co., 1883.
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