THE TWO ARMIES ON EVE OF BATTLE.

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As we are now upon the eve of battle, the two great armies having been brought almost face to face, it will be well to recapitulate the positions occupied by each.

Positions occupied by the Confederate army on the night of Tuesday, June 30th:

The divisions of Heth and Pender, of Hill's Corps, were at Marsh Creek, four miles west of Gettysburg, on the Chambersburg road, and Anderson's division of the same corps was four miles further west on the same road, at Cashtown. The divisions of McLaws and Hood of Longstreet's Corps were about Fayetteville and Greenwood, sixteen miles from Gettysburg, on the Chambersburg pike, and Pickett's division of the same corps was in the neighborhood of Chambersburg. Early and Rodes of Ewell's Corps were at Heidlersburg, ten miles north of Gettysburg, and Johnson's division of this corps was at Greenwood. Jenkins' cavalry was below Carlisle; the brigades of Jones and Robertson were about Shippensburg; Imboden at Mercersburg, and Stuart somewhere north-west of York.

Positions occupied by the Federal army on the night of Tuesday, June 30th:

The First Corps, under General Reynolds, was at Marsh Creek, between Emmittsburg and Gettysburg, and four miles from the last named place; the Eleventh Corps, General Howard, was at Emmittsburg, ten miles from Gettysburg; the Third Corps, General Sickles, was at Bridgeport, twelve miles from Gettysburg; the Twelfth Corps, General Slocum, was at Littlestown, ten miles; the Second Corps, General Hancock, was at Uniontown, twenty miles; the Fifth Corps, General Sykes, was at Union Mills, six

teen miles; and the Sixth Corps, General Sedgwick, was at Manchester, twenty-seven miles. Gregg's cavalry division was at Manchester; Kilpatrick's at IIanover; and the brigades of Gamble and Devin, of Buford's division, were about one mile and a half west of Gettysburg, on the Chambersburg road. This vast fan was now about to be closed, and as the Confederate army, in its concentration, was swung to the right and closed upon its right support, the Federal army was to be swung to the left, and close upon its left. The point of contact between the two great opposing forces was Gettysburg, and the parts which would first come in contact were, Reynolds upon the Federal left, and Heth upon the Confederate right. The reader will do well to watch in the coming details the times and places where the various parts of these two great hosts came into collision.

CHAPTER VI.

THE FIRST DAY OF THE BATTLE AT GETTYSBURG

DAY, JULY 1ST, 1863.

WEDNES

N the morning of Wednesday, July 1st, Heth's division of Hill's Corps advanced from Marsh Creek upon Gettysburg. General Buford, as stated in the previous chapter, held the ridges west of the town with the cavalry brigades of Generals Gamble and Devin. About half-past nine o'clock these men appeared in front of Buford's videttes, and skirmishing commenced on the farm of Hon. Edward McPherson, and thus the series of battles t Gett sburg began.

The object of this advance by General Heth is this stated by Colonel W. II. Taylor, General Lee's & 1tant - general, in Annals of the War, page 307: "Instr tions had been sent to General Heth to ascertain what force was at Gettysburg, and, if he found infantry opposed to him, to report the fact immediately, without forcing an engagement." General Buford, however, was aware of the presence of the enemy in his front, and had prepared for them by dismounting a large part of his force and placing them in line. His batteries also had been planted at commanding points.

THE FIRST ENCOUNTER.

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As soon as General Heth found himself in the presence of Buford's dismounted cavalry, he formed his men in line of battle, with Archer's and Davis' brigades in front, and Pettigrew's and Brockenborough's in the rear. Unaware that any Federal infantry were near, Heth sent word to General Hill at Cashtown that the advance of his division had encountered the enemy's cavalry near Gettysburg.

At an early hour in the morning General Reynolds received a dispatch from General Buford, informing him of the proximity of the Confederates, at which he set out at once to his assistance with the nearest division—that of Wadsworth, leaving General Doubleday, his second in command, to draw in the pickets, assemble the artillery and the remainder of the corps, and follow after as soon as possible. He also dispatched a courier to General Howard at Emmittsburg, ordering him to advance to the front as rapidly as he could. This order reached General Howard

NOTE. Pennsylvania College, a view from which is illustrated on the -opposite page, fronts south, and the elevation to the right is Seminary Ridge, upon which, extending about three miles south, the Confederate line was placed during the second and third days' engagements. This view shows where the battle of the first day commenced. It extended down below the theological seminary, which is seen upon the ridge, and northward and eastward for about a mile and a half. Reynolds' Grove, in which that general was killed, is seen near the seminary. The road leading westward, by which the main body of the Confederates came-the Chambersburg road--passes up over Seminary Ridge, as is shown.

There are two roads entering Gettysburg from the west-the one from Chambersburg, and the other from Fairfield and Monterey Pass, which comes in somewhat diagonally from the south-west. Both these roads are intersected by ridges running north and south. That one nearest the town turns somewhat toward the east, and is called Seminary Ridge, because on it a Lutheran theological seminary is located. Between this ridge and another one farther west, a small stream of water, called Willoughby's Run, passes. The battle in the forepart of this day was fought principally upon these heights on both sides of the stream. In the afternoon, when Howard's Corps came up, the line was extended around north and north-east of the town.