The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, August 06, 1913, Page PAGE THREE, Image 3
THE RE-UNION AT GETTYSBURG
Capt. J. T. Duckett, of Clinton, has1
sent to The Advertiser a copy of the \
Western Democrat, published at Hen
derson\llle, N. C, containing an ac
count of the rc-unlon of the Blue and
the Gray at Gettysburg, written by
Capt. J. W. Wofford, who is remem
bered by many of the old soldiers -of
this county. The Advertiser Itakes
pleasure in publishing this account of'
the re-union so that many of the old
soldiers who did not attend may have!
the pleasure of joln-lng with the young* '
er people in getting a glimpse of the
scene from a distance. The account
is as follows:
To the Margret Hayes Chapter,
13. D. C.
Having manifested so much interest
in aiding veterans to attend the great
Reunion recently Held at Gettysburg,
it was thought that this report of the
trip should be made to your Chapter.
The delegation from this county, a
Jolly good humored and congenial
crowd, consisted of the following vet
erans: J. P. Johnson, J. Hi West, J.
T. Williams, J. Harper Johnson and
J. W. Wofford. Tickets were furnished
a majority of them by your chapter.
We left here on Sunday preceding
the Reunion, and passed in Virginia
several towns that were familiar to
us during the war, viz: Orange, Oul
pepper Court House. Brandy station,
Manasses near where the two battles,
first and second Manasses, were
fought. In one or the other we each
participated. In a few miles we cross
the historic Pull Run, we see Arling
ton in the distance, the house of Gen
eral Lee. We soon reach Washington
and after a short stay we take a spec
ial for Gettysburg and ride most of
the way on the great Pennsylvania
Railroad. It surpasses In speed and
comfort any road that we had ever
rode on. About 4 p. m. on Sunday we
arrived at Gettysburg. We come to
a halt in the town, (the road runs
through the town.) Instantly two or
more boy scouts enter the coach.
"Keep your seats, gentlemen, don't
move from your seats until we come
for you." Slowly the train moves out
on a spur about 1 1-12 miles to the
camp. We alight and get together by
States and march about one half mile,
guided by the scouts, to that part of
the camp assigned to North Carolina,
and take possession of a large, com
modious tent sufficient for eight per
sons, equipped with a cot, two blank-'
ots, two sheets, and two wash pans.'
This the tent equipment. Wo look
around: 'tis a city of tents and covers
about thirty acres; at night lit up by
large electric lights, It Is a sight to
behold. The Roy Scouts, of which
there are two thousand, are In evi
dence everywhere to look after the
welfare of veterans and are kind and
couro.eous In Imparting information
concerning the cant]) and appurten
ances. Half past six. the supper bell
clangs and we repair to the kitchen
at the head of the street, and are fur-I
nisbed with a half gallon tin cup, a
large tin plate, knife, fork and spoon,
and pass by the large receptacles for
the food, and are dished out the pro
pared meal in abundance. Palling
back a few paces to the dining table,
you take your seat.
The next day a regular stream of
veterans from every section of the
country pour out from the trains like
bees from a hive, until It Is estimated
that aO.OOP veterans are In acmp.
They told us that 4,000 of the very best
cooks and waiters were employed In
the camp. They certainly knew how
to cook as no complaint was heard
about ill-prepared good. The ar
rangements were so complete that the
whole army of veterans could be serv
ed in one hour. The sanitary ar
rangements are perfect, no foul
smells, no flies; kitchen and streets
neat; medical arrangements could not
he better; a veteran prostrated by
heat or taken suddenly sick. In less
than ten minutes, he Is on a comforta
ble cot In a hospital and receives
treatment. Three artesian wells are In
the camp affording over a million gal
lons dally, and piped along every.
street in camp, double faucets about
r>0 yards apart, and too water foun
tains bubbling lip about the same dis
tance. The kitchen or meal kits were
given to all veterans and highly prlz- j
od by them as souvenirs. The tents
are of the very best and did not leak
a particle. So much for the camp.
Now, how did we put In our time?
Early in the morning we scattered,
some to the ground fought over the
first day, some to the second and some
to the third. Of course, that part
where a man fought was the place he
wanted to see first. Markers wero
placed and it was an easy matter to
identify and trace the movements
made by the different commands, to
visit the springs and branches where
we got our water Just fifty years
ago today. How it brought up old
recollections, the places whore the
fight wa.3 botest, and whore brave
comrades fell. Then after tramping
in the hot sun, a return to camp is
made and much said about what was
?een through the day, telling tales,
?racking Jokes and being boys again,
?isiting the big tent and smaller ones,
listening to speeches and music.
While resting in the shade on a grassy
mound where Sickles had formed his
advance line, la conversation with a
.cry intelligent Federal soldier who
had fought there, he was asked this
question, "This seems to b-.> a good
line, why did you leave it?"
"Just simply to keep from being an
nihilated. They got about two thirds
of us anyway," he replied, with a gtlm
smile.
The next day we visited the more
Important points of the Hold, such as
High Water .Mark. National Cemetery,
Pennsylvania Monument that cost
$150,000, the headquarters of I.ee and
Mead ami many others. The -bird day
was Bpent very much like the other
two in the mean time visiting other
camps, hunting up old comrades, some
of whom we had not seen since the
close of the war. The fourth was Wil
son Day, and of course, we all who
could, went, and at night the great Uro
works on top of little Round Top was
visible to all parts of the Held and
witnessed by thousands and thousands
who same by railroad, auto and car
riage.
I met two who fought Kershaw's I
line of battle on the second, when the j
following conversation took place:
"Comrade, did you lluht here *'
"Yes."
"Where?"
"Just where we are standing. By
jingo, we fought right there," pointing
to a monument about thirty yards dis
tant. Another gripping of hands and
on we go. Such scene* as these were
taking place constantly, l verily be
lieve this Reunion will clinch the sen
timent that has been prevailing to a
more or less extent for some t!mo, to
give from the National Treasury a
pension to Confederate soldiers. When
sounded, 1 believe that 49 out of 50
of t!ie old Federal soldiers would en
dorse it.
By tlie way, Judge Clark, whom
many of us wanted to go to the United
States Senate on this platform in the
last election, visited our tent twice
while in camp and stated that he was
still lighting for the measure and that
he "ouid stop off in Washington and
ih?ke them up a little. 1 think la a
short time the matter will be tested
and pensions granted, some wiseacres
to the contrary notwithstanding. There
ire some among us well to do, who are
too proud to accept it, and It hurts
our cause forgetting the many poor
old fellows and their who.-, who would
be glad to gen it.
Not a word was said in all the
Bpeechcs or conversations that was In
the least offensive or jarring to the
most sensitive persons. Surely har
mony prevailed.
It is useless for me to attempt to
(h-scribe this great battlefield. Suffice
It to say, it is ground beyond concep
tion, the beauty of Its natural scenery,
enhanced now by upward of ">00 taste
ful and elegant monuments marking
the positions occupied by troops. There
is no spot in tho world oonneeted with
more memorable events than the
thirty-five Bquare miles of ground
which witnessed tho terrible conflict
between the Federal and Confederate
troops on the first, second and third
of July, 18?:{. There Is but one Gettys
burg and it is without doubt the most
picturesque and interesting point in
America for either the soldier or cltl
ven to visit. Thousands from the old
world visit It annually. Quite a num
ber of hotels and boarding houses have
sprung up to entertain thorn.
Gettysburg, during-the battle, con
tained about 1200 Inhabitants Now it
numbers upward of 5,000. The lines
of battle are marked by fine macadam
roads and where a battery of artillery
stood during the battle, there now'
stands two cannon pointing as they
did then. All the woods and open
fields are kept as they were tiien.
What I have written contain- hut a
brief outline of a description <>f the
present camp and battlefield. What
good results are to follow till: great
gathering of the Blue and Gay. as I
see it -it wipes out the last vestige
of sectionalism and cement t the
North and South as nothing els. could
do, If you could have heard their
great bands amid the Confe lernte
camps play Dixie and other old war
time pieces and listen to some Of their
host orators and feel the vise-like
grip of their hands, and listen to tbeit
hearty greetings, "How are you, old:
comrade, so giad to see you so glad
you accepted our invitation to come Up
hpre so we could see you. You thoughl
you were right and like 'rue Ameri
cans as you are. you fought and
fought valiantly for that right, and
gave us enough. Wo wanted no more.
God bless you, old comrade."
All of this endorsing the sentiment
expressed by President Lincoln, (as
he stood upon the rock wall when he
went to Gettysburg on the occasion of,
laying the corner stone at the Fed
eral cemetery.. '"There were no
slouches out there, (pointing towards
the Confederate position,) ami i am
glad to be the countryman of those
soldiers who assailed these heights."
Wherever you went upon the Held
you were met by old Federal soldiers
and upon seeing your "Cross of Holi
er," you had to stop and talk with
them. Close 10 50,000 soldiers were
killed and wounded In this battle,
more than the combined losses In the
\merlcan Revolution and Mexican war.
Almost all writers on Gettysburg
have BOmothlPg to say about who wflh
to blame on our side. 1 have always
held to this that Longstreet was the
cause of Lee' failure on the third day
by not coming to time on the second
day. if you believe Fitz. Lee. Pendle*
ton. Early, Wilcox or Gen. Ix>ng, then
Longstreet was ordered to open the
battle very early in the day. Tl is ho
did not do until about the middle of
the afternoon and then as Hood's bat
talllons of gray are moving down upon
Little Round Top, Gen. Warren grasps
the situation and rushes troops on the
summit in sufficient numbers tc hold
It. How easy was it to take It In our
possession any time in the 'ort noon I
and with It In otir possoslon all tho
strongholds of Mead's lines would!
have been destroyed and he would
have been forced to have waged the
light somewhere else, where positions
would have been more favorable to
our side. Any one standing upon
Round Ton can see this for himself.
Warren's statue Is standing on a
large boulder on top of little Round
Top, visible for a long distance. Many
monuments are yet to be erected on
the field. Arrangements are being
made to erect an equestrian statue of
Gen. Lee just across the road on
Cemetery Ridge in front of where
stands that of Gen. Meade.
Well, the war was Anally ended. We
did not win. 1 am glad we didn't.
We are now a reunited country, strong
In every respect that goes to make up
a mighty nation, with no superior >H0
the face of the earth, slavery abolish
ed. Without the war, that would have
boon done any way; it was tottering
011 its last legs when the war came.
Was Leo's army whipped at Gettys
burg? I do not believe now, neither
did 1 then, that the army was a whip
ped army, but more of a drawn hat
tie. The lirst day they were driven
back through the town of Gettysburg
with two corporals literally torn to
pieces, to a position on Cemetery
Ridgo. On the second. Sickles with
his command, takes a position way
out in front of where Mendo had told
him. Greely says Sickles was spoil
ing for a tight and didn't believe
Meade was. Sickles was driven hack
by MoLaws and Hood's divisions with
heavy losses to the enemy. So in the
first and second both sides agree that
we go! the best of It. anil on the third,
that by the prestlve of the day's light
ing, Lee thought he could break, the
centre and rout the whole army and
the assault was made by Pickett's di
vision and a few other brigades, about
one-eighth or ninth of his fortes, and
failed to accomplish the leslrcd re
sult. Having pretty well exhausted
his heavy ammunition, ho thought It j
prudent to withdraw. The balance of
the army was in splendid condllon.
The army remains there another day,
no assault was made upon them, they
surely did not consider then that our
army was badly defeated. Our army
quietly withdrew without baggage
and ammunition back to and near the
river and find it too swollen to cross ,
and there formed our line of battle,
threw down the gauntlet and awaited
their coming for several days. They
never came. I read recently an arti
cle from one close to Gen. Meade. In
which he says there was about that
time a council of war held, The corps
commanders with but one exception
Insisted on following up and renewing
the battle while the river was high.
Meade would not consent to give the
order and pressed for his reasons
said this: "1 have Just read a copy of
a communication to President i>.i\is
from Gen. Lee in which he -ays that
he has the situation well in hau l and
can repell any attack made upoh him.
'IjOO never makes any mlsreprc* r.ta
.ions.' "
The morals of the army was good, j
the position was good, their spirits
were high, they were hungry and mad
and my impression then and now was
that if Meade had given battle i.<
would have got a licking long to be re
membered. Lee cross' s the river and;
back In Virginia he soon send.) his i
first corps, Longstreet, to reinforce
Bragg at Chickamauga, and with the
other part of his army he confront;!
and holds back the victorious Feder
al army, so-called, till the ComitiQ of
Grant a; Wilderness. Tills lo n I
look like a much defeated army The
true lOUKon for falling back aftt.r mo
third d;:y was simply this: V int of
heavy ammunition. It had boon pret
ty well exhausted the last day and
the risk was too great to stay '.here
without It. Now, really is there no: a
little bit too much gush about the
meat turning point, the high water
mark,*' ami the great victory at Gettys
burg, the "back bone of the rebellion
broken." etc.
Grant surely didn't believe all this
talk after his conflict with Lee's army
at Wilderness. Spottsyl vania. Deep
Hottom, Petersburg and other place*
It was In the west, not In the east the
sapping process began and the cud
Came for the want of bread.
1 have written this because it Is his
tory.
We return to our homes after the
great Reunion glad that we went and
those who did not go mtssod by far
the greatest occasion of Its kind that
the world has ever seen since its cre
ation.
Krinarkill.!.- ( im- of l>>-outer).
"I was attacked with dysentery
about July l.*>th. ami used the doctor's
wodlctno au?i other retuedtes with no
roltof, only netting worse all the (lino.
1 was unable to <h> anything anil my
weight dropped from 146 to 125 |H>unds
1 suffered for about two months when
l was advised to use Chamberlain's
Colli". Cholera an.I Diarrhoea Uemedy.
I uson iHii bottles of it ami It gave
mo permanent relief." writes H. w.
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