We publish, at the request of his friends, the following extracts from an
excellent letter written by a young man from Bethany, a member of the 105th,
who took part in the terrible and bloody battles of Gettysburg:
 

 Dear Father: 

We are now back upon the sacred soil of Virginia, having been in three different States since the 16th of last month. The rebels have got enough of fighting on Pennsylvania soil, and they have gone back to Virginia, howling like whipped dogs.  I don't think they will stop before they get to Richmond. I tell you, father, the rebel army was never so completely whipped since the rebellion broke out, as it is at this present day; and it was never before so soundly thrashed as it was a the battle of Gettysburg. I wished you could have been there on the morning of the fourth of July, to walk over those fields with me and see the rebel dead and wounded that covered the field for miles around. Never shall I forget that morning, though I should live to be a hundred years old. I counted twenty-nine dead rebels on a spot of ground not over ten rods square, and I
helped to bury twelve of them in one grave. I think they must have met with a charge of grape and canister when they were charging our batteries, for
they were nearly all struck in the head. 

 I will now try to give you some of the particulars of the engagement on the first day:
We were marching quietly along on the morning of the first, with Maj. Gen. Reynolds at the advance of our corps, when, all at once, we were startled by
the report of five or six cannons, which sounded as if they were four or five miles distant; and then the report came along the lines that Gen. Reynolds was killed by a sharpshooter only about a mile ahead.-We all knew then that the enemy were close at hand; and in a few minutes we were in sight of the rebel line of battle. The 1st division of our corps immediately formed into line of battle and pushed forward, driving in the rebel skirmishers. Our division marched right along and formed a line on the right of the 1st division, and then we charged up through a piece of woods, yelling like tigers, and completely routed the rebels' first line of battle and captured 500 prisoners-four of which I took myself.  So, I think I paid them off pretty well for taking me at Bull run.  We then pushed forward about twenty rods and commenced firing on the rebels' second line of battle, but we did not remain there long, for the rebels had some heavy batteries on a hill about a half a mile from us, and they gave us a "right smart" shelling, as they call it, and we were ordered to fall back under cover of a hill, which we did in good order.  

Our corps and the 11th corps were the only troops engaged in the first day's battle. I supposed you have read that a portion of the 11th are not
distinguished any too well for the fighting qualities. Some of them are afflicted with the cannon fever, as we soldiers call it, and will run when
hard pressed. The 11th formed the right and left wings and our corps formed the center. The 11th fought well about an hour, but then they began to give way, and our corps had to bear the brunt of the fighting until we were finally obliged to fall back to the south of the town, which we did in
pretty good order. We took up a position on Cemetery Hill and held it, and the remainder of our army arrived that night, and the next morning we went
into it in right good earnest, whipping the rebels at every point and paying them up well for what they gained the first day. The hardest fighting was on
the third day, when the rebels charged our center, but were repulsed with terrible slaughter. We captured 45 stands of colors and 12,000 prisoners. On
the next morning when we awoke the rebels were gone, hide and hair; and if they stop before they get to Richmond, I will be mistaken. We crossed the
river on a pontoon bridge at Berlin, Md., on the 18th, and have been marching ever since, but have not caught up with the rebels yet.
  Vicksburg and Port Hudson are taken; and if we have as good luck here in Virginia as we had in Pennsylvania, I think the rebellion will be ended
before long. We have had some hard times since we went into Maryland and Pennsylvania; but if we can put down this rebellion, I am willing to endure a great deal more. I have great hopes of this war being ended soon; for such victories as we gained in Pennsylvania and Gen. Grant gained at Vicksburg, tell fearfully on the rebels.