essarily bring them in
contact, and a fight or retreat was inevitable.

Reynolds had the true spirit of a soldier. He was a Pennsylvanian,
and, inflamed at seeing the devastation of his native State, was
most desirous of getting at the enemy as soon as possible. I speak
from my own knowledge, for I was his second in command, and he told
me at Poolesville soon after crossing the river, that it was
necessary to attack the enemy at once, to prevent his plundering
the whole State. As he had great confidence in his men, it was
not difficult to divine what his decision would be. He determined
to advance and hold Gettysburg. He directed the Eleventh Corps to
come up as a support to the First, and he recommended, but did not
order, the Third Corps to do the same.

Buford, with two of his cavalry brigades, reached the place that
night, but not without considerable difficulty. He left Fountaindale
Gap early in the morning and attempted to move directly to his
destination, but he came upon Pettigrew's brigade of Hill's corps,
and was obliged to fall back to the mountains again. Later in the
day he succeeded, by going around by way of Emmetsburg. Before
evening set in, he had thrown out his pickets almost to Cashtown
and Hunterstown, posting Gamble's brigade across the Chambersburg
pike, and Devin's brigade across the Mummasburg road, his main body
being about a mile west of the town.

While these great movements were going on, some minor affairs showed
great gallantry on the part of partisan officers. Captain Ulric
Dahlgren made a raid upon the rebel communications, capturing some
guns and prisoners, and gaining very important information which
will be referred to hereafter.

The two armies now about to contest on the perilous ridges of
Gettysburg the possession of the Northern States, and the ultimate
triumph of freedom or slavery, were in numbers as follows, according
to the estimate made by the Count of Paris, who is an impartial
observer, and who has made a close study of the question:

_The Army of the Potomac under General Meade_, 82,00 men and 300
guns.

_The Army of Northern Virginia under General Lee_, 73,500 men and
190 guns.

Stuart had 11,100 cavalry and 16 guns.

Pleasonton had about the same number of cavalry, and 27 guns.

CHAPTER IV.
THE FIRST DAY OF THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG, WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1863.

On the morning of the 1st of July, General Buford, as stated, held
the ridges to the we