THE FIRST DAY AT GETTYSBURG.

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0e cupation of the place, fell back skirmishing. Duffie sent two regimentsto their aid, and after a severe action, mainly with the 2d South Carolina ,^occupied the village. In this action Colonel Butler lost a leg, and hislieutenant-colonel, Hampton, was killed.

On Gregg’s arrival near Brandy Station the enemy appeared to be in large■force, with artillery, on and about Fleetwood Hill. He promptly ordered anattack; the hill was carried, and the two regiments sent by Stuart werefo'iven back. Buford now attacked vigorously and gained ground steadily,for Stuart had to reenforce his troops at Fleetwood from the church. In thestruggles that followed, the hill several times changed masters; but as Duffief lid not make his appearance, Gregg was finally overmatched and withdrew,leaving three of his guns, two of them disabled, in the enemy’s hands, nearlya U of their horses being killed and most of their cannoneers hors de combat.There were some demonstrations of pursuit, but the approach of Buford’sreserve brigade stopped them. Duffie finally came up and Gregg reportedfo Pleasonton, informing him of the approach of Confederate infantry from1-folpeper. Pleasonton, who had captured some important dispatches andorders, now considered his mission accomplished, and ordered a withdrawal°f his whole command. This was effected leisurely and without molestation.Gregg recrossed at Rappahannock Station, Buford at Beverly Ford, and atffiiiset the river again flowed between the opposing forces. Stuart reportsfos losses at 485, of whom 301 were killed or wounded. Pleasonton reportsai1 aggregate loss (exclusive of Duffle’s, which would not exceed 25) of 907,'whom 421 were killed or wounded. In nearly all the previous so-called. cavalry ” actions, the troops had fought as dismounted dragoons. This wash the main a true cavalry battle, and enabled the Federals to dispute the'hperiority hitherto claimed by, and conceded to, the Confederate cavalry. Infois respect the affair was an important one. It did not, however, delay Lee’sdesigns on the valley; he had already sent Imboden toward Cumberland todestroy the railroad and canal from that place to Martinsburg.

Milroy’s Federal division, about 9000 strong, occupied Winchester, withhcReynolds’s brigade in observation at Berryville. Kelley’s division of about10,000 men was at Harper’s Ferry , with a detachment of 1200 infantry and acattery under Colonel B. F. Smith at Martinsburg. O 11 the night of Junellth, Milroy received instructions to join Kelley, but, reporting that he couldOold Winchester, was authorized to remain there. Ewell, leaving BrandyRation June 10th, reached Cedarville via Chester Gap on the evening of the-Jh, whence he detached Jenkins and Rodes to capture McReynolds, who, dis-covering their approach, withdrew to Winchester. They then pushed on tofortinsburg, and on the 14th drove out the garrison. Smith’s infantry crossedle Potomac at Sliepherdstown, and made its way to Maryland Heights; hisa Gillery retreated by the Williamsport road, was pursued, and lost five guns.Meanwhile Ewell, with Early’s and Edward Johnson’s divisions, marched* r ect on Winchester. Arriving in the neighborhood on the evening of thefo, he ordered Early on the 14th to leave a brigade in observation on thes °Uth of the town, move his main force under cover of the hills to the north-