The ground on which the battle was fought, is familiar to many
thousands. A few words will describe it. Cemetery Ridge, where General
Meade had taken up his position, is a range of hills running northward
toward Gettysburg, within a mile of which place it bends off to the
right, terminating in a lofty and rock-bound crest.
This crest was Meade's right. His line stretched away southward then,
and ended at Round Top Hill, the southern extremity of the range, about
four miles distant. From one end to the other of the extensive range,
bayonets glistened, and the muzzles of cannon grinned defiance.
Opposite the Cemetery Range was a lower line of hills, called Seminary
Range. Upon this Lee was posted, Ewell holding his left, A. P. Hill his
centre, and Longstreet his right.
Between the two armies stretched a valley, waving with grain and dotted
with fruit-trees, through which ran the Emmettsburg road, on the
western side of a small stream. The golden grain waved gently; the
limpid water lapsed away beneath grass and flowers; the birds were
singing; the sun was shining--it was the strangest of all scenes for a
bloody conflict.
I rode along the line of battle, and curiously scanned the features of
the landscape. There is a frightful interest connected with ground
which is soon going to become the arena of a great combat.
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