in effecting this object, battle was forced upon him—­not by General Meade, but by simple stress of circumstances.  The Federal commander had formed the same intention as that of his adversary—­to accept, and not deliver, battle—­and did not propose to fight near Gettysburg.  He was, rather, looking backward to a strong position in the direction of Westminster, when suddenly the head of his column became engaged near Gettysburg, and this determined every thing.

A few words are necessary to convey to the reader some idea of the character of the ground.  Gettysburg is a town, nestling down in a valley, with so many roads centring in the place that, if a circle were drawn around it to represent the circumference of a wheel, the roads would resemble the spokes.  A short distance south of the town is a ridge of considerable height, which runs north and south, bending eastward in the vicinity of Gettysburg, and describing a curve resembling a hook.  From a graveyard on this high ground it is called Cemetery Hill, or Ridge.  Opposite this ridge, looking westward, is a second and lower range called Seminary Ridge.  This extends also north and south, passing west of Gettysburg.  Still west of Seminary Ridge are other still lower ranges, between which flows a small stream called Willoughby Run; and beyond these, distant about ten miles, rise the blue heights of the South Mountain.

Across the South Mountain, by way of the village of Cashtown, Lee, on the morning of the 1st of July, was moving steadily toward Gettysburg, when Hill, holding the front, suddenly encountered the head of the enemy’s column in the vicinity of Willoughby Run.  This consisted of General Buford’s cavalry division, which had pushed on in advance of General Reynolds’s infantry corps, the foremost infantry of the Federal army, and now, almost before it was aware of Hill’s presence, became engaged with him.  General Buford posted his horse-artillery to meet Hill’s attack, but it soon became obvious that the Federal cavalry could not stand before the Southern infantry fire, and General Reynolds, at about ten in the morning, hastening forward, reached the field.  An engagement immediately took place between the foremost infantry divisions of Hill and Reynolds.  A brigade of Hill’s, from Mississippi, drove back a Federal brigade, seizing upon its artillery; but, in return, Archer’s brigade was nearly surrounded, and several hundred of the men captured.  Almost immediately after this incident the Federal forces sustained a serious loss; General Reynolds—­one of the most trusted and energetic lieutenants of General Meade—­was mortally wounded while disposing his men for action, and borne from the field.  The Federal troops continued, however, to fight with gallantry.  Some of the men were heard exclaiming, “We have come to stay!” in reference to which, one of their officers afterward said, “And a very large portion of them never left that ground."[1]

[Footnote 1:  General Doubleday:  Report of Committee on the Conduct of the War, Part I., p. 307.]