rmish line and advanced against the one they threw out to meet
him. At 10 P.M. he withdrew and took post on the Baltimore pike
where it crosses Cress Run, near Rock Creek. By so doing he guarded
the right and rear of the army from any demonstration by Stuart's
cavalry.

At night a council of war was held, in which it was unanimously
voted to stay and fight it out. Meade was displeased with the
result, and although he acquiesced in the decision, he said angrily,
"Have it your own way, gentlemen, but Gettysburg is no place to
fight a battle in." The fact that a portion of the enemy actually
prolonged our line on the right and that our centre had been pierced
during the day, made him feel far from confident. He thought it
better to retreat with what he had, than run the risk of losing
all.*

[* Since the above was written, the discussion has been renewed in
the public prints as to whether General Meade did or did not intend
to leave the field. So far as the drawing up of an order of retreat
is concerned, it ws undoubtedly right and proper to do so, for it
is the duty of a general to be prepared for every emergency. It
is easy to criticise, and say what should have been done, after a
battle has been fought, after the position of troops is all laid
down on the maps, and the plans of every commander explained in
official reports; but amid the doubt and confusion of actual combat,
where there has been great loss of men and material, it is not
always so easy to decide. On the night of the 2d the state of
affairs was disheartening. In the combats of the preceding days,
the First, Third, and Eleventh Corps had been almost annihilated;
the Fifth Corps and a great part of the Second were shattered, and
only the Sixth Corps and Twelfth Corps were comparatively fresh.
It was possible therefore that the enemy might gain some great
success the next day, which would stimulate them to extra exertions,
and diminish the spirit of our men in the same proportion. In such
a case it was not improbable that the army might be destroyed as
an organization, and there is a vast difference between a _destroyed_
army and a _defeated_ army. By retiring while it was yet in his
power to do so, General Meade felt that he would assure the safety
of our principal cities, for the enemy were too exhausted to pursue;
and being out of ammunition, and far from their base of supplies,
were not in a condition to do much further damage, or act very