cannon, the Union army three hundred and seventy. It is probable that the Confederate army numbered not far from seventy-five thousand, the Union army about eighty thousand.

While the cavalry of General Buford were unsaddling their horses in the grove around the Lutheran Theological Seminary on the last

night of June, there was another scene far away across the Atlantic in the great hall of the House of Commons, where Mr. Roebuck was delivering a speech favoring the recognition of the Confederate States as a nation by England.(") These his words: "We should acknowledge the South because they have won their freedom, and because it is for our interest. It is not Richmond that is now in peril, but Washington; and

if there be terrors anywhere it is in the minds of the merchants of New York [cheers]."

Far into the night the discussion went on. Nearly all the speakers believed that the Southern States would gain their independence; the people of the South had their sympathies, but the time had not come for decisive action; it would be better for England to wait a little and see what would come from the invasion of Pennsylvania.

Off the coast of Brazil, in South America, in the great highway of commerce, where the ships of all nations were furrowing the Atlantic, the Alabama was waiting for her prey, lighting the ocean with burning vessels, sweeping the commerce of the United States from the seas, securing the carrying trade of the world to the merchants, ship-builders, and sailors of Great Britain.

The armies of France are in the city of Mexico, and Louis Napoleon is preparing a throne for Maximilian of Austria. If the impending battle shall result in defeat to the Union army, what attitude will Great Britain and France assume towards the United States? Will they not recognize the Confederacy as a nation? We approach a great turningpoint in the history of our country.

IT

CHAPTER XI.

AN UNEXPECTED BATTLE.

T is a beautiful grove of oak and hickory crowning the ridge upon which stands the Lutheran Theological Seminary, three-fourths of a mile west of the village of Gettysburg. Going north-west along the Chambersburg turnpike from the ridge, we come to Mr. McPherson's farmhouse and large barn. Passing this we descend to Willoughby Run and the toll-gate; crossing the run, ascending a gentle slope a quarter of a mile, and we are at the tavern of Mr. Herr.

By the side of the turnpike, a few rods north, is an unfinished railroad, with a cut through Seminary Ridge nearly twenty feet deep, and there is an embankment partly completed across Willoughby Run.

We look over a beautiful country-broad and fertile fields which, on the midsummer days of 1863, were waving with wheat ripe for the reaper, or clover waiting for the mower.

Through the night couriers were coming and going over all the roads around Gettysburg. The pickets of Buford's cavalry were along Willoughby Run. General Buford, from the cupola of the seminary, looking westward, could see the glimmering camp-fires of A. P. Hill's corps in

the fields of Cashtown. General Buford had but two brigades-Gamble's and Devin's-less than three thousand men, with only one battery of artil lery, A, Second United States, Captain Tidball, commanded by Lieutenant Calef. He had been ordered to hold Gettysburg, and he placed Gamble's brigade south of the turnpike and Devin's north of it, secreting the horses in the woods, and deploying the men as infantry, resolving to make Willoughby Run his line of defence. He was very sure that the Confederates would advance from Cashtown and attack him in the morning. He sent his videttes out to Marsh Creek, nearly two miles, and had pickets on all the roads, and sent messengers to General Reynolds, of the First Corps, who was seven miles south, also on Marsh Run-the same stream—and a messenger to Taneytown, informing General Meade that he was confronted by the Confederates.(')

Before the sun appeared above the eastern horizon the troops of Heth's division of A. P. Hill's corps of Confederates were awakened by the morning drum-beat.() They ate their breakfast and filed into the turnpike, and began their march eastward towards Gettysburg. At Marsh Run they came upon Buford's videttes, who fell back to Willoughby Run.

It was eight o'clock, and the sun's rays were glinting from the spires of the town, when a cavalryman came riding down the hill past Herr's Tavern, informing Buford that the Confederates were coming.(3) A few moments later and Marye's battery from Fredericksburg, Virginia, belonging to Pegram's battalion of artillery, came to a halt in front of the tavern. The Confederates could see men in blue uniforms in the fields east of Willoughby Run. The cannoneers jumped from their limbers, wheeled their cannon, and sent a shell whirring across the stream.

A moment later Lieutenant Rodes, commanding two guns of Calef's battery in the road on the crest of the ridge north of McPherson's house, gave an order to fire, and a shell went flying westward towards Herr's Tavern. The great battle had begun. No one had selected the ground. Buford had been directed to hold Gettysburg, and was obeying. Heth had been ordered to advance to Gettysburg, and was also obeying orders. General Lee, when in Fredericksburg, before setting out to invade Pennsylvania, had determined to fight a defensive battle, but the conflict had begun of itself upon ground which no one had selected; so in war events shape themselves, overturning well-laid plans.

Calef placed the centre section, two guns, under Sergeant Newman, in the field south of the turnpike, and sent Lieutenant Pugel, with the other two cannon, through McPherson's woods, farther south, and the cannonade opened vigorously.

General Heth directed General Archer, with his brigade, to file into the field south of the tavern, and General Davis to deploy between the turnpike and the railroad on the north. The Confederates descended the slope towards Willoughby Run, when suddenly from the grove, from fence and thicket, there came a volley of musketry which arrested their advance. The fire was so determined that General Heth believed he was confronted by a column of infantry.

General Heth sent word to General Hill that he had encountered a strong force, and Hill ordered General Pender to advance. While that division was on its way from Cashtown the cannonade went on between Calef's six guns and seventeen Confederate cannon, accompanied by a

The view is on the Chambersburg turnpike, from the spot where Calef's battery stood. The figure is pointing to Herr's Tavern, beyond Willoughby Run, where the Confederate battery was planted. Archer's brigade deployed in the fields to the left of the tavern, Davis's to the right. At eleven o'clock and during the afternoon the battle raged in the fields to the right and left of the figure.

rattling fire of musketry along Willoughby Run.(5) From the cupola of the seminary General Buford looks down upon the scene, casting anxions glances over the green fields southward. He sees a group of horsemen coming up the Emmettsburg road, and still farther away the sunlight glints from gun-barrel and bayonet. The foremost horseman is General Reynolds, followed by his staff, and the dark column is Wadsworth's division. Buford has already sent a cavalryman to guide them. They leave the turnpike at Mr. Codori's house and turn north-west across the fields. General Reynolds hastens to the seminary and shakes hands with Buford. Last evening he was sad and dejected, as if weighed down with a sense of great responsibility, or of a premonition that his life-work was almost ended; but now every sense is quickened. He ascends the stairs to the cupola and sweeps the landscape with his glass. Northward is a beau