Westminster Md., July 5th. 1863.
    Editor Spy. The 3rd Brigade, Pa. Reserves left Upton's Hill on Thursday
afternoon, the 25th ult., and marched out the Alexandria and Leesburg
Turnpike six miles, where they met the 1st Brigade.  On Friday they went to
Edwards' Ferry below Balls Bluff, and crossed over the river and encamped at
the mouth of the Monocacy several miles beyond.  On Saturday marched to
within two miles of Frederick city.  Sunday marched north in the direction of
Uniontown.  Monday passed through Liberty and encamped one mile beyond
Uniontown.  On Tuesday marched to Hanover.  Wednesday to the battle field.
On Friday they participated in the great battle.  The Reserves again covered
themselves with glory.  Near sunset on that day the rebs drove a regiment of
regulars and some others from the ground in confusion.  Gen. Crawford hurried
up and arrived on the ground just as those troops were repulsed.  He seized a
Regimental flag and wrapped it around his body, and advancing, told the 1st
Brigade to follow him, they did so together with the 11th Regt from the 3rd
Brigade, and charged on the rebs and drove them in confusion for half a mile,
taking their colors and killing great numbers of them.
    The advanced position thus taken was determinedly held against all odds,
which enabled the whole army afterwards to gain ground which has been held.
Col. Fisher took four regiments up a cone shaped mountain driving in the
rebel pickets, and arrived at the summit before a brigade of them was able to
reach it although on the double quick.  In fifteen minutes the 3rd Brigade
had thrown up a stone fence, loop holed, and four feet high and one-fourth of
a mile long from which the Rebs, up to this time, have been unable to
dislodge them.
    the Reserves marched over one hundred miles.  In the 1st regiment is a
company raised by the Hon. E. M. Phenon from Gettysburg.  One young man was
killed on his father's farm, upon which most of the battle was fought.  His
father buried him on Saturday morning.  It was a noticeable feature in this
battle, that the Reserves took but few prisoners.  The ground over which they
made their splendid charge was strewn with dead Rebels, nearly all of whom
had bayonet wounds.  Whilst passing through a wood after the enemy some of
the Bucktails observed a rascal in a tree from which he killed, during the
day, eleven cannoniers.  Smoke was seen issuing from the tree whenever he
fired, but he managed to conceal his person.  He threw his gun down and
offered to cave but Bucktail couldn't see it in that light.  He remarked that
those who shot from trees he treated differently and shot him dead on the
spot.
    The conduct of the Reserves is the universal theme of conversation in the
army, all alike meet out to them in full praise.  On Saturday I passed over
the the ground upon which the left wing of the army fought. The slaughter was
terrible.  Our victory was decisive, the result of which in detail you
doubtless have before this.  On the evening of the day of the battle the
period for which a Vermont Regiment enlisted, expired late in the afternoon;
it charged a battery and took five guns from the enemy and brought them away.
    The 2nd Brigade of the reserves is at Alexandra, Va.  The loss of life in
the 3rd brigade is trifling; owing entirely to the rapid movement of the
troops under the lead of Col. Fisher, who secured the crest of the hill
before the rebs. who were endeavoring to reach it first.
 
                   Orderly.