Abigail Elizabeth Reynolds, War Correspondent, New York World
July 15, 1863
Washington City
According to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, the Confederate Army returned to Virginia, through Maryland, following their defeat in Gettysburg this past week. Several skirmishes have occurred in and around Hagerstown, Funkstown and Williamsport Maryland. The Confederate Calvary has been harassed by Federals in pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. Reports indicate that the majority of Lee’s army was held in check at the banks of the Potomac River in Williamsport Maryland, unable to ford the river due to the high amounts of rainfall over the past several days and the swollen river conditions.
Union forces reportedly engaged Confederates in withdraw on July 4th and 5th near Fairfield and Monterrey Springs Pennsylvania. Several additional Federal losses were reported on the Union Calvary with several fighting men wounded and reported prisoner of the Confederates.
On July 6, Federal units once again launched an attack on the Confederate positions near Hagerstown Maryland. Reports indicate that as soon as the attack was commenced, the Federals once again retreated, fearing additional losses. Reports are that Federal loses were as high as ten to one against the Confederates.
From July 7 until July 13, cannonading and small skirmishes continued throughout the region with Confederate forces pinned against the swollen Potomac in Williamsport.
If the Union Calvary could have kept the Confederates in check, perhaps General George Meade would have been able to advance his infantry troops towards Williamsport and again engage the defeated Confederate Army, ending the bloody conflict that has been ripping at the heart of the Nation. However, General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia have escaped back into Virginia and the south, thus slipping the hounds of the Federal Army, to fight another day.
General Meade has not yet given an answer to Secretary Stanton as to his slow response to the Confederate withdraw. It appears that the will of the Union Generals to fight and win this war has once again been challenged.
