July 3, 1863, The New York Herald
DESPATCH OF MR. F.G. CHAPMAN.
BALTIMORE, July 2, 1863.
About half-past nine o’clock yesterday morning, as the First army corps passed through Gettysburg, on its way northward, its advance encountered the enemy’s skirmishers, posted in by streets and out of the way places. These were quickly dislodged by our skirmishers, and the column proceeded. When our advance reached a point about half a mile north of the town it came upon the enemy under General Buhil, commanding the right of General A. P. Hill’s corps.
General Reynolds was immediately notified, and he rode to the front, where he found the advance of the two armies engaging each other, principally upon the right of the road. The fight at first was almost entirely an infantry engagement, as the nature of the ground was such as to preclude the use of artillery upon either side. General Reynolds, seeing that he could not use his artillery to advantage, rode out to an eminence a short distance from the road to find a place to plant a battery, when he received a volley from some sharpshooters posted in a thicket close at hand. His horse became unmanageable, wheeled and reared, and at the same time a ball struck the General in the back of the neck, passing downward, severing the spinal column, and killing him instantly.
His forces fought on and succeeded in driving the enemy before them a short distance, until the rebels reached the cover of their main body. Here the full force of the enemy was discovered, and our men fell back to the line of their first encounter, and word was sent back to the Second, Third and Eleventh corps to come up.
Upon the fall of General Reynolds, Gen. Doubleday assumed command of the First corps and directed affairs until the arrival of Gen. Howard, of the Eleventh, who relieved him. The Eleventh corps was the first to arrive, then the Second and Third corps in order.
When the reinforcements had arrived and arrangements had been perfected, the whole column moved forward, and soon were hotly engaged.
Our forces succeeded in dislodging the enemy and remained masters of the field, but did not essay any further advance.
Skirmishing was kept up all day, and until after ten oin the evening.
General Reynolds’ body arrived here at ten o’clock this morning, and was embalmed by James E. Weaver, at whose place I viewed it this afternoon. The left side of the face and neck are much disfigured by his fall after being shot. His remains were taken to the residence of his sister, Mrs. Gildersleeve, and will be conveyed to Philadelphia for interment to-night.
It is also reported that Brigadier General Paul was killed yesterday.
We took a large number of prisoners and lost but few. Our losses in killed and wounded are not heavy.
The secessionists here are jubilant over the affair, and claim it as a victory.