HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF POTOMAC, NEAR GETTYSBURG

July 4. GENERAL ORDERS NO. 68.

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          The Commanding General, in behalf the country, thanks the Army of the Potomac for the glorious result of the recent operations. Our enemy, superior in numbers, and flushed with the pride of a successful invasion, attempted to overcome or destroy this army. Baffled and defeated be has now withdrawn from the contest. The privations and fatigues the army has endured, and the heroic courage and gallantry it displayed, will be matters of history to be ever remembered. Our task is not yet accomplished, and the Commanding General looks to the army for greater efforts to drive from our soil every vestige of the presence of the invader. It is right and proper that we should, on suitable occasions, return our grateful thanks to the Almighty Disposer of events, that, in the goodness of His providence He has thought at to give victory to the cause of the just. By command of (Signed.) Maj.-Gen. MEADE. S. WILLIAMS, A.A.G.

 

WASHINGTON, Monday, July 6 -- 10 P.M.

          The army news centreing from all points today gives assurances of the greatest successes additional to those already achieved. Our forces are pressing from many different directions to cut off LEE's retreat, and cooperating with Gen. MEADE. The victory is not only glorious, -- it will be decisive. The Potomac is swelling rapidly from last night's rains. Gen. STONEMAN has been ordered immediately to join the Army of the Potomac, to take a cavalry command. He has left to-night.

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WASHINGTON, Monday, July 6.

          Our whole army is in motion, and the highest hopes are entertained that but a small portion of Gen. LEE's army will be able to reach Virginia. WASHINGTON, Monday, July 6. The Intelligencer has just issued an extra announcing that the victory at Gettysburgh was decisive, and adding that Gen. Lax la fortifying at New Man's Cut, on the South Mountain (Pennsylvania), in order to cover his inglorious retreat. NEAR GETTYSBURG, Sunday, July 5. The rebels have retreated toward the Potomac. Their skirmishers were drawn in last night, and a small cavalry force, probably their rear-guard, passed through Emmettsburgh this morning about daylight Our troops have been engaged all day in burying the dead, relieving the wounded and collecting small arms, many thousands of which belonged to the rebels. The rebel pontoon bridge at Dam No. 4 has been destroyed by ear cavalry almost unopposed, and our cavalry, at the last advices, had gone up to Williamsport to destroy the two bridges there. Other preparations are in progress to intercept Gen. LEE's passage of the Potomac, and our army is already in motion. So much time, however, has elapsed since Gen. LEE commenced to withdraw his forces from oar front, his advance may hare reached Williamsport in time to cross before we can prevent it. Gen. LEE, yesterday, paroled about two thousand federal prisoners. They were received by Gen. COUGH. It to not true, as stated, that Gen. LONGSTREET was captured and died within our lines. Gen. HUNT, Chief of artillery, was not wounded. Both of these last reports were apparently well authenticated and fully believed. CREAGERSTOWN, Md., Monday, July 6. It is reported here by officers that on Saturday afternoon our cavalry under KILPATRICK intercepted a retreating train of rebel wagons, guarded by JONES' Brigade of cavalry, infantry and artillery, near Monterey, on the Hagerstown and Gettysburg road. He captured 200 prisoners, including 200 wounded officers. He also took 150 wagons and two guns. The wagons were destroyed. The rebels were completely surprised and usable to make any serious resistance. Firing was heard in the direction of the enemy's retreating column yesterday afternoon. It was probably caused by our cavalry and flying batteries pressing on the enemy's rear.

 

BALTIMORE, Friday, July 6.

          The following has been posted at headquarters: "Advices from the array up to 3 P.M. on Sunday state that Gen. MEADE's headquarters were at Cregierstown last night, and were to be at Frederick to-day. Gen. MEADE has telegraphed that LEE's army is retreating." BALTMORE, Friday, July 6. Brig.-Gen. H. HAUPT, having the direction of the Communicating corps, reached here at midnight last night, and had an interview with Gen. SCHENCK. Up to 1 o'clock on Sunday, when Gen. HAUPT left the headquarters of Gen MEADE, the enemy was fleeing. MEADE's headquarters were at Creagerstown, Md., some fifteen miles north of Frederick, and today he is no doubt at Frederick. Gen. HALLECK is in possession of several recent dispatches from Gen. MEADE, and from their tone declares that LEE has suffered a disastrous defeat PHILADELPHIA, Monday, July 6.

 

The following telegram has been received from the Governor: HARRISBURGH, Sunday, July 5, 1863.

Col. R. Biddle Roberts, Philadelphia:

          The army commanded by Gen. COUCH is advancing in force, and is likely to render important service. We should push troops forward, and there should be no delay. Gen. COUCH has telegraphed Gen. DANA to that effect. The State is responding with so much generosity, that we cannot afford further delay in the city. I am satisfied that the rebel army is in our power, if we can act promptly and vigorously. Much may depend on the strength of Cocoa's army. The crossing of the Potomac prepared by the enemy is destroyed, and he is short of ammunition. Send forward companies mustered into service to-day and to-morrow. We must make up 40, 000 men. Be prompt, and make everything yield to the presence of troops here.

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A.G. CURTIN. HARRISBURG, Monday, July 6.

          Gen. COUCH has pushed all his effective force to cooperate with and join the Army of the Potomac, and is, by order of Gen. MEADE, paining the regiments forward as rapidly as they are organized. The country may rest assured that he is doing all in his power. His advance is already in contact with the enemy, and aiding in the glorious result. LEE, so far as known, holds all the passes in the South Mountain leading into the Cumberland Valley from Gettysburg. This is done for the purpose of removing his trains, now rapidly pushing for Virginia. The mountain is full of disorganized troops from LEE's army, and they are arriving within our lines every hour. The troops under Gen. PIERCE, formerly MILROY's command, arrived yesterday at Chambersburg, and pushed on to Greencastle, where they captured five hundred prisoners, two wagons loaded with plunder, and three pieces of artillery. The prisoners were stragglers, making their way to the Potomac in company with wagon trains. A dispatch from near Chambersburg this morning says that heavy firing is heard in the direction of Hagerstown. It is believed that Gen. FRENCH has made an attack in that vicinity on the trains moving toward Virginia. Gen. CAMERON left this morning in company with a number of Surgeons for Gettysburg. There is no further news from the Army of the Potomac. The Pennsylvania Railroad has resumed business. All passengers and freight trains are running to-day as usual. The road was not injured at any point by the rebels

 

HANOVER, Penn., Sunday, July 5.

There was a cavalry fight to-day four miles south of Gettysburg, between our forces and the rear of LEE's army, which is now supposed to be on the retreat to Hagerstown. Our cavalry continue to bring in large numbers of rebel prisoners. FERDERRICK, Md., Monday, July 6. A spy named WM. RICHARDSON, about 50 years old, was hung this morning. He was captured yesterday at Oxford, Md., but it appears that he had been previously captured, but bad made his escape. It is reported he admitted the charge, and said that he had been in the business a long time. It is also said that important communications between LEE and EWELL were found on his person. From the Baltimore American, July 6. From parties who left the battle-field at 12 o'clock, on Saturday morning, we gather the following particulars of the flight of the enemy: The enemy is in full retreat, demoralized and almost disorganized, leaving in our bands his many thousands of killed and wounded. The battle of Friday was the most terrible to the enemy; of the three days' conflict, and his repulse so complete and disastrous, that Gem. MEADE and the leading officers pr[???] to be [???] and de[???] deadly [???] than that made on our [???]by LONGSTREET. It was a death struggle on the [???] of the enemy to break our [???] a half-dozen times during the afternoon [???] which they were as often repulsed and driven back with a loss of life unparalled by say previous battle in which they had come in conflict with the grand old Army of the Potomac. Offices who have been taken prisoners, admit that the loss of the enemy of those in high command, if fully equal, if not greater, than we have sustained, but refuse to give the names of those who have fallen. The men all felt that they had whipped the enemy, and the Joy was great The shouts of victory could be heard for many miles when the enemy retreated, and was kept up to a late hour of the night. A shout in one division was reechoed from the next, and so went the rounds of the field, and was renewed as fresh evidence of victory reached them. During the evening a flag of truce arrived from Gen. LEE, proposing, in his hypocritical manner, a truce of forty-eight hours as a measure of humanity, to afford time to bury the dead and attend to the wounded. It was evident that the enemy must at once retreat, and the proposition was regarded by Gen. MEADE as a mere rose to obtain time to push forward his trains toward the river and secure a line of escape. The proposition was promptly rejected, and an advance immediately ordered on the town of Gettysburg, The enemy slowly retired before our cavalry and infantry, and by midnight we were in full possession of the town and the battle field without opposition. During the night scouts arrived reporting that the enemy was rapidly retreating by the Greencastle road toward Hagerstown, and preparations were at once made for a pursuit at daylight. Cavalry were also sent out to harass the enemy, and at daylight a vigorous attack was made on the enemy's rearguard, which in vain attempted to check the pursuit of the fleeing army. The distance from Gettysburg to the Potomac is fully forty miles, and with the assistance of Gen, FRENON and the old garrison of Harper's Ferry, numbering about fifteen thousand men, including most of the Maryland regiments, who are understood to be properly posted to check his flight, we have strong hopes of being able to so operate on the fleeing rebel columns as to send it across the Potomac a demoralized and disorganized mob. Major-Gen. HANCOCK is regarded as the greatest hero of Friday's battle. His corps met the terrible assaults of the enemy without flinching, and though they lost heavily, it fought nobly. When he fell severely wounded, the effect on his men was to give them renewed determination to conquer, and when they learned that their wounded commander was still watching them, and directing their movements, they fought like demons, and drove back the enemy when be renewed the assault with the vigor of fresh troops, sending him back to his lines in such a crippled condition that all attempts to rally them again were futile. Up to 12 o'clock on Saturday night the sounds of cannon could be heard in the distance as our pursuing columns attacked the enemy's rear, and thousands of prisoners and straggling rebels were coming toward Gettysburg with captured wagons and cannon. In short, there was every evidence that our victory was as decisive as it was glorious -- that the enemy was in disorganized flight, getting back to Virginia as rapidly as his worn out limbs and shattered horse flesh could carry him. Whether he will make another stand on the road is yet to be ascertained. The advance of Gen. COUCH from Harrisburg was expected to be at Chambersburg on Saturday, close enough to join in punishing the well-whipped rebels on their way to the river. In the town of Gettysburg, when we drove the enemy out of it on Friday night, we captured a large number of Federal prisoners, reported by some as high as fifteen hundred, many of whom were wounded. There are also several thousand wounded rebels, every house being filled with them. A Harrisburg dispatch says: "A large force of troops from Pennsylvania, New-York and New-Jersey, is moving on the rebel flank. Their escape is almost impossible. Everything indicates that they are terribly cut up. They cannot keep the prisoners they have taken from us. One thousand arrived here to-day, having been paroled; two thousand more have arrived within Gen. SMITH's lines, and fifteen hundred more are expected. These men all understand that their parole is not binding, their cases bring covered by General Order No. 200, published on Saturday. So far as Information has been received here, our loss in prisoners was 4,500. "The mountains are filled with rebel deserters, who are hourly arriving within our lines. No estimate can be made of their numbers. It is very large. "Gen. COUCH's troops, under the command of Gens. SMITH and PIRROR, are moving to the front, and are efficiently cooperating with Gen. MEADE.

 

TRENTON, Monday, July 6.

One hundred guns were fired to-day in honor of the Federal victory ever the rebels. The people are rejoicing greatly. Cal. KARGE's cavalry is filling up. A company of infantry will probably leave for Harrisburg to-morrow evening.

 

THE GREAT VICTORY; Gen. Meade's Order of Thanks to the Army. THE FLIGHT OF THE REBELS. Lee Reported Fortifying at Newman's Cut, to Protect His Retreat, The Entire Army of the Potomac in Motion. Gen. Couch Moving Down from Harrisburg. Lee's Retreat Cut Off at the Potomac. Gen. Meade's Headquarters at Frederick Yesterday. Rebel Train and Nine Hundred Prisoners Captured by Kilpatrick.

 

ADDRESS OF GEN. MEADE TO HIS ARMY. THE VICTORY TO BE DECISIVE. OUR WHOLE ARMY IN MOTION. LEE FORTIFYING NEWMAN'S CUT. TELEGRAMS FROM GETTYSBURG. TELEGRAMS FROM CREAGERSTOWN TELEGRAMS FROM BALTIMORE. IMPORTANT DISPATCH FROM GOV. CURTIN TELEGRAMS FROM HARRISBURG. TELEGRAM FROM HANOVER, PENN. TELEGRAM FROM FREDERICK, MD. FLIGHT OF THE ENEMY. A FORGE ON THE REBEL FLANK. REJOICING AT TRENTON.

 

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF POTOMAC, NEAR GETTYSBURG, July 4.

GENERAL ORDERS NO. 68.

          The Commanding General, in behalf the country, thanks the Army of the Potomac for the glorious result of the recent operations. Our enemy, superior in numbers, and flushed with the pride of a successful invasion, attempted to overcome or destroy this army. Baffled and defeated be has now withdrawn from the contest. The privations and fatigues the army has endured, and the heroic courage and gallantry it displayed, will be matters of history to be ever remembered.

          Our task is not yet accomplished, and the Commanding General looks to the army for greater efforts to drive from our soil every vestige of the presence of the invader.

          It is right and proper that we should, on suitable occasions, return our grateful thanks to the Almighty Disposer of events, that, in the goodness of His providence He has thought at to give victory to the cause of the just.

By command of (Signed.) Maj.-Gen. MEADE. S. WILLIAMS, A.A.G.

 

WASHINGTON, Monday, July 6 -- 10 P.M.

  

          The army news centreing from all points today gives assurances of the greatest successes additional to those already achieved. Our forces are pressing from many different directions to cut off LEE's retreat, and cooperating with Gen. MEADE. The victory is not only glorious, -- it will be decisive. The Potomac is swelling rapidly from last night's rains. Gen. STONEMAN has been ordered immediately to join the Army of the Potomac, to take a cavalry command. He has left to-night.

 

WASHINGTON, Monday, July 6.

           Our whole army is in motion, and the highest hopes are entertained that but a small portion of Gen. LEE's army will be able to reach Virginia.

 

WASHINGTON, Monday, July 6.

          The Intelligencer has just issued an extra announcing that the victory at Gettysburg was decisive, and adding that Gen. Lax la fortifying at New Man's Cut, on the South Mountain (Pennsylvania), in order to cover his inglorious retreat.

 

NEAR GETTYSBURG, Sunday, July 5.

          The rebels have retreated toward the Potomac.

          Their skirmishers were drawn in last night, and a small cavalry force, probably their rear-guard, passed through Emmettsburg this morning about daylight. Our troops have been engaged all day in burying the dead, relieving the wounded and collecting small arms, many thousands of which belonged to the rebels.

          The rebel pontoon bridge at Dam No. 4 has been destroyed by ear cavalry almost unopposed, and our cavalry, at the last advices, had gone up to Williamsport to destroy the two bridges there.

          Other preparations are in progress to intercept Gen. LEE's passage of the Potomac, and our army is already in motion.

          So much time, however, has elapsed since Gen. LEE commenced to withdraw his forces from oar front, his advance may hare reached Williamsport in time to cross before we can prevent it.

          Gen. LEE, yesterday, paroled about two thousand federal prisoners. They were received by Gen. COUGH.

          It to not true, as stated, that Gen. LONGSTREET was captured and died within our lines.

          Gen. HUNT, Chief of artillery, was not wounded.

          Both of these last reports were apparently well authenticated and fully believed.

 

CREAGERSTOWN, Md., Monday, July 6.

          It is reported here by officers that on Saturday afternoon our cavalry under KILPATRICK intercepted a retreating train of rebel wagons, guarded by JONES' Brigade of cavalry, infantry and artillery, near Monterey, on the Hagerstown and Gettysburgh road. He captured 200 prisoners, including 200 wounded officers. He also took 150 wagons and two guns. The wagons were destroyed.

          The rebels were completely surprised and usable to make any serious resistance.

          Firing was heard in the direction of the enemy's retreating column yesterday afternoon.

          It was probably caused by our cavalry and flying batteries pressing on the enemy's rear.

 

BALTIMORE, Friday, July 6.

           The following has been posted at headquarters:

          "Advices from the array up to 3 P.M. on Sunday state that Gen. MEADE's headquarters were at Cregierstown last night, and were to be at Frederick to-day.Gen. MEADE has telegraphed that LEE's army is retreating."

 

BALTMORE, Friday, July 6.

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Brig.-Gen. H. HAUPT, having the direction of the Communicating corps, reached here at midnight last night, and had an interview with Gen. SCHENCK.Up to 1 o'clock on Sunday, when Gen. HAUPT left the headquarters of Gen MEADE, the enemy was fleeing. MEADE's headquarters were at Creagerstown, Md., some fifteen miles north of Frederick, and today he is no doubt at Frederick.Gen. HALLECK is in possession of several recent dispatches from Gen. MEADE, and from their tone declares that LEE has suffered a disastrous defeat

 

PHILADELPHIA, Monday, July 6.

The following telegram has been received from the Governor:

HARRISBURG, Sunday, July 5, 1863.

Col. R. Biddle Roberts, Philadelphia:

The army commanded by Gen. COUCH is advancing in force, and is likely to render important service. We should push troops forward, and there should be no delay. Gen. COUCH has telegraphed Gen. DANA to that effect. The State is responding with so much generosity, that we cannot afford further delay in the city. I am satisfied that the rebel army is in our power, if we can act promptly and vigorously. Much may depend on the strength of Cocoa's army. The crossing of the Potomac prepared by the enemy is destroyed, and he is short of ammunition. Send forward companies mustered into service to-day and to-morrow. We must make up 40, 000 men. Be prompt, and make everything yield to the presence of troops here.

 

A.G. CURTIN.

HARRISBURG, Monday, July 6.

          Gen. COUCH has pushed all his effective force to cooperate with and join the Army of the Potomac, and is, by order of Gen. MEADE, paining the regiments forward as rapidly as they are organized. The country may rest assured that he is doing all in his power. His advance is already in contact with the enemy, and aiding in the glorious result.

          LEE, so far as known, holds all the passes in the South Mountain leading into the Cumberland Valley from Gettysburg. This is done for the purpose of removing his trains, now rapidly pushing for Virginia.

          The mountain is full of disorganized troops from LEE's army, and they are arriving within our lines every hour.

          The troops under Gen. PIERCE, formerly MILROY's command, arrived yesterday at Chambersburg, and pushed on to Greencastle, where they captured five hundred prisoners, two wagons loaded with plunder, and three pieces of artillery. The prisoners were stragglers, making their way to the Potomac in company with wagon trains.

          A dispatch from near Chambersburg this morning says that heavy firing is heard in the direction of Hagerstown. It is believed that Gen. FRENCH has made an attack in that vicinity on the trains moving toward Virginia.

          Gen. CAMERON left this morning in company with a number of Surgeons for Gettysburg.

          There is no further news from the Army of the Potomac.

          The Pennsylvania Railroad has resumed business. All passengers and freight trains are running to-day as usual.

          The road was not injured at any point by the rebels

 

HANOVER, Penn., Sunday, July 5.

          There was a cavalry fight to-day four miles south of Gettysburg, between our forces and the rear of LEE's army, which is now supposed to be on the retreat to Hagerstown.

          Our cavalry continue to bring in large numbers of rebel prisoners.

 

FERDRRICK, Md., Monday, July 6.

          A spy named WM. RICHARDSON, about 50 years old, was hung this morning. He was captured yesterday at Oxford, Md., but it appears that he had been previously captured, but bad made his escape. It is reported he admitted the charge, and said that he had been in the business a long time. It is also said that important communications between LEE and EWELL were found on his person.

 

From the Baltimore American, July 6.

          From parties who left the battle-field at 12 o'clock, on Saturday morning, we gather the following particulars of the flight of the enemy:The enemy is in full retreat, demoralized and almost disorganized, leaving in our bands his many thousands of killed and wounded.

          The battle of Friday was the most terrible to the enemy; of the three days' conflict, and his repulse so complete and disastrous, that Gem. MEADE and the leading officers pr[???] to be [???] and de[???] deadly [???] than that made on our [???]by LONGSTREET. It was a death struggle on the [???] of the enemy to break our [???] a half-dozen times during the afternoon [???] which they were as often repulsed and driven back with a loss of life unparalled by say previous battle in which they had come in conflict with the grand old Army of the Potomac. Offices who have been taken prisoners, admit that the loss of the enemy of those in high command, if fully equal, if not greater, than we have sustained, but refuse to give the names of those who have fallen.

          The men all felt that they had whipped the enemy, and the Joy was great The shouts of victory could be heard for many miles when the enemy retreated, and was kept up to a late hour of the night. A shout in one division was reechoed from the next, and so went the rounds of the field, and was renewed as fresh evidence of victory reached them.

          During the evening a flag of truce arrived from Gen. LEE, proposing, in his hypocritical manner, a truce of forty-eight hours as a measure of humanity, to afford time to bury the dead and attend to the wounded. It was evident that the enemy must at once retreat, and the proposition was regarded by Gen. MEADE as a mere rose to obtain time to push forward his trains toward the river and secure a line of escape. The proposition was promptly rejected, and an advance immediately ordered on the town of Gettysburg, The enemy slowly retired before our cavalry and infantry, and by midnight we were in full possession of the town and the battle field without opposition.

          During the night scouts arrived reporting that the enemy was rapidly retreating by the Greencastle road toward Hagerstown, and preparations were at once made for a pursuit at daylight. Cavalry were also sent out to harass the enemy, and at daylight a vigorous attack was made on the enemy's rearguard, which in vain attempted to check the pursuit of the fleeing army.

          The distance from Gettysburg to the Potomac is fully forty miles, and with the assistance of Gen, FRENON and the old garrison of Harper's Ferry, numbering about fifteen thousand men, including most of the Maryland regiments, who are understood to be properly posted to check his flight, we have strong hopes of being able to so operate on the fleeing rebel columns as to send it across the Potomac a demoralized and disorganized mob.

          Major-Gen. HANCOCK is regarded as the greatest hero of Friday's battle. His corps met the terrible assaults of the enemy without flinching, and though they lost heavily, it fought nobly. When he fell severely wounded, the effect on his men was to give them renewed determination to conquer, and when they learned that their wounded commander was still watching them, and directing their movements, they fought like demons, and drove back the enemy when be renewed the assault with the vigor of fresh troops, sending him back to his lines in such a crippled condition that all attempts to rally them again were futile.

          Up to 12 o'clock on Saturday night the sounds of cannon could be heard in the distance as our pursuing columns attacked the enemy's rear, and thousands of prisoners and straggling rebels were coming toward Gettysburg with captured wagons and cannon. In short, there was every evidence that our victory was as decisive as it was glorious -- that the enemy was in disorganized flight, getting back to Virginia as rapidly as his worn out limbs and shattered horse flesh could carry him. Whether he will make another stand on the road is yet to be ascertained.

          The advance of Gen. COUCH from Harrisburg was expected to be at Chambersburg on Saturday, close enough to join in punishing the well-whipped rebels on their way to the river.

          In the town of Gettysburg, when we drove the enemy out of it on Friday night, we captured a large number of Federal prisoners, reported by some as high as fifteen hundred, many of whom were wounded. There are also several thousand wounded rebels, every house being filled with them.

          A Harrisburg dispatch says:

          "A large force of troops from Pennsylvania, New-York and New-Jersey, is moving on the rebel flank. Their escape is almost impossible.

          Everything indicates that they are terribly cut up. They cannot keep the prisoners they have taken from us. One thousand arrived here to-day, having been paroled; two thousand more have arrived within Gen. SMITH's lines, and fifteen hundred more are expected. These men all understand that their parole is not binding, their cases bring covered by General Order No. 200, published on Saturday. So far as Information has been received here, our loss in prisoners was 4,500.

          "The mountains are filled with rebel deserters, who are hourly arriving within our lines. No estimate can be made of their numbers. It is very large.

          "Gen. COUCH's troops, under the command of Gens. SMITH and PIRROR, are moving to the front, and are efficiently cooperating with Gen. MEADE.

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