From General Lee's army.
Confederate account of the Batt's of Gettysburg--Gen. Lee Falls back in good order to Hagerstown — our army not to evacuate Maryland--ten thousand Yankees captured.A wounded officer of Wright's brigade, who arrived here yesterday evening, gives some highly interesting particulars of the battles of Gettysburg, which entirely changes the face of the news published from Northern sources. He left Gettysburg at 11 o'clock on Saturday morning. From his statement we gather the following particulars: ‘ In the fight of Wednesday and Thursday we whipped the enemy badly. On Friday the fight again commenced, being chiefly done by our centre, which was composed of Longstreet's corps and two divisions of Gen. A. P. Hill's corps. Neither the right nor left wing was seriously engaged. We drove the enemy back five miles to the heights, which he had fortified. In driving them this five miles we broke through two of their lines of battle formed to receive the onset of our troops, and finally charged them to the heights. Here our men were ordered to charge the heights, and the order being executed resulted in our repulse. On Friday night our wagon trains were ordered to fall back, and commenced going to the rear. It is supposed that our army fell back from want of provisions. There was no scarcity of ammunition, for there were many trains of ordnance out of which not a single cartridge or shell had been taken. Some of them were attacked by the enemy, but Imboden's cavalry successfully drove them off.--Those of our men who were slightly wounded and could walk were sent off Saturday about noon. Those who were severely wounded were left in hospitals near the battle- field. ’ In the fights of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, Gen. Lee took about 10,000 prisoners, who were promptly sent to the rear, and who, our informant thinks, will reach Virginia safely During the same time we lost about 4,000 prisoners and about 11,000 killed and wounded--making our loss 15,000 in all. The battle was the most furious that has taken place in this country, and the losses of the enemy in killed and wounded must exceed ours. In the charge upon them which drove them five miles, their loss, while flying before our troops was enormous. Wright's brigade suffered severely. One of the regiments which went into action with a Colonel, Lieut. Colonel, and five or six Captains came out in charge of a Second Lieutenant, the ranking officers having been either killed or wounded. Our informant says that our army fell back with the greatest deliberation and order — to use his expression--"splendidly." There was no demoralization. None of the officers have any idea that Gen. Lee intends to re-cross the Potomac, nor has that intention been even hinted at by the officers commanding corp.--It was generally and distinctly understood that the falling back was caused by the difficult in obtaining provisions through so long a line of communication as that from Gettysburg to Williamsport, and no one in the army believed that it was intended to evacuate Maryland. The men were in good spirits, and ready for another fight with the enemy. The Potomac, when our informant crossed, was very high. It is proper to state that the officer from whom the above information was obtained was a very intelligent, cool, and deliberate person, and one not likely to exaggerate any fact which he might have learned. We last night conversed with two wounded soldiers of Pickett's division, who left Gettysburg at 12 o'clock on Saturday. They report that Pickett's division was with Longstreet in the centre, on Friday, and participated in the charge upon the heights. The charge resulted in a repulse, but nothing else. The enemy did not leave his fortified heights to try a battle in the field again that day. Our two informants, who were wounded, went back to their tents on the same ground they had occupied the night before, and the next day at noon were sent off to Martinsburg. They report the loss in the division as very heavy. The 1st Va., in Kemper's brigade, and the 14th Va., in Armistead's brigade, suffered heavily. Col. J. Gregory Hodges, of the latter regiment, one of the best and bravest officers of the army, was reported by our informant to be killed or severely wounded. The 53d Va., also in Armistead's brigade, suffered heavily. The Captains of companies H. and K. (names not recollected) are reported killed. They say that in the falling back of our army there was no straggling, and that it was done in excellent order. Skirmishing was going on when they left at noon Saturday. We were informed in an authentic quarter late last night, that a gentleman had arrived in Richmond from Washington yesterday evening, who left the latter city on Sunday night. He reports that the news received there up to that time was decidedly unfavorable to the Federal arms, and that a deep and manifest feeling of despondency pervaded the whole community in consequence of the intelligence. Efforts were made to prevent the information received by the authorities from going to the public. Little confidence was felt in the ability of Meade's army to prevent Lee's advance on that city when he should attempt it, and much anxiety was felt for the safety of the city. No security was felt against its full. It was rumored during the afternoon of yesterday that a dispatch had been received by the President from Gen. Lee, stating that his army, in good order, had fallen back to Hagerstown. We inquired of the President of the truth of this report, and were assured that no such dispatch had been received by him. It is stated, however, that a dispatch was received, (by whom we could not learn,) from the commandant of the Post at Martinsburg, stating that the army had reached Hagerstown with a large number of prisoners, and that our forces were entrenching themselves on the hills around the town. A gentleman who lived all the early part of his life in Gettysburg makes the following statement, from which it will be seen how difficult it is to surround or cut off Gen. Lee: ‘ "Gettysburg lies Northeast of Baltimore 52 miles, 80 from Washington on the road through Frederick, which is Southeast from it a distance of 32 miles. There is a chain of mountains lying on the West of an within 8 miles of Gettysburg on the West, extending South through Frederick county. If Gen. Lee fell back towards the Potomac he had the advantage of these mountains, as a pursuing army would have to go around them southward through Frederick, or else be exposed to the narrow passes of these mountains." ’
