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December, 1862: Meade

JULY, 1863.

1, 2, 3-The battle of Gettysburg was fought between the forces of Meade and Lee. General Lee, with the flower of the Southern armies, conceived the idea of invading the North, and dictating peace in Philadelphia or New York. Crossing the Potomac, he occupied Chambersburg, Penn., on the 24th and 25th. General Meade followed closely, keeping on the east side of the Blue Ridge and South Mountains. On July 1, the Confederate advance was unexpectedly confronted by the Union cavalry at Gettysburg. Neither general had intended fighting there, Lee's purpose being not to fight at all, except on the defensive wherever compelled to, and Meade's intention being to fight at Pipe Creek, fifteen miles southeast of Gettysburg. The Union cavalry that accidently brought on the battle were acting as a screen for the army until Meade should arrive at the place planned. The engagement lasted three days, and was the bloodiest battle of the war. On the third day, Pickett made his memorable charge at the head of a splendid column of eighteen thousand men. A hundred cannon poured death into their ranks, while the rifle volleys smote them at every step. Yet they pushed on, reached the breast works, and bayoneted the Union men at their guns, and planted their battle-flags on the Union works. Here there was a hand-to-hand fight "so close that the exploding powder scorched their clothes." The Union troops converged at this decisive spot from all points, and the Confederates were finally driven back, decimated and panic-stricken. The Union loss during the three days was twentythree thousand, and the Confederate loss was greater. Lee re-crossed the Potomac closely followed by Meade and there was no more thought of an invasion of the North. At the very hour that Pickett's charge was repelled, Pemberton was surrendering Vicksburg to Grant.

4-Vicksburg, Miss., surrendered to General Grant. In this campaign against Vicksburg the Confederates fought five battles, lost ten thousand men killed and wounded, thirty-seven thousand prisoners, and a great quantity of munitions. The Mississippi was now opened, and the Confederacy cut in two. Vicksburg surrendered on the same day that Gettysburg was fought. It was the opinion of Grant, Sherman, Johnson and other eminent military authorities that the war should have ended then, as the Confederacy was thenceforward doomed. 13-16-A riot broke out in New York City on account of the draft. The poor regarded it as an injustice that those who could pay three hundred dollars should be exempt from the perils of the war, while they themselves were dragged from their families and homes. For three days and nights the city was the scene of violence and bloodshed. The city was fired in various places; a number of lives were lost; and negroes wherever found were hung from the lamp posts, and when seen on the ferryboats were thrown into the river. The late Archbishop Hughes, at the risk of his life, exercised a decisive part in putting an end to the riots.