The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1863-08-13
FOUR DAYS ON THE BATTLEFIELD
OF GETTYSBURG.
BY REV. L. W. HUTTEn.
From the PHILADELPHIA Press.

St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, New
street, in the presence of very large
audience, the pastor, Rev. e. W. Hut
ter, delivered an interesting account ot
what he had witnessed during four days
service on the battle fields of Gettysburg
and vicinity. He said that in company
witE seven others he had reached Get
tysburg, in the way sinners get to heav-
en-, Through much trlbula,ion," the
party having first gone to Harrisburg
with fifty two boxes of stores for the sick
and wounded, with all of which they had
been obliged to return to Philadelphia,
and from hence to Gettysburg via Balti-
more and Hanover junction.
The Rev. speaker said he had no de-
sire unnecessarily to excite the sensibili-
ties Of the audience by any attempt to
present graphic delineation Of the hor-
rible scenes he had witnessed. TO be
realized, however, in the remotest de-
gree, these horrors must be seen. Hear
ing of them only at distance, or reading
of them in the newspapers, men accus.
tom themselves to regard war as little
more than splendid game, proclama
ton, two contending armies, battle, a
defeat, and victory. But the case is
altered when war is broug ght to our doors
Then to eXagerate its horrors, there can
exist no temptation. TO the realty Of
the frightful scenes in and around Get
tyst"rg 10 paint Of fiction or dep h of
coIoring could approach. A fortnight
ago th" sun had shune on no lower spot
than Gettysburg Now its frui,fulness
and happiness are, for the present, gone :.
Through those streets, on / over those
fertile fields, two ravaging armies have
passed, confronting each other not to
draw closer the bond Of brotherhood, but
to renounce it, and hcw each other down
with murderous weapons. Oh, what
scene those hospi;al.tents furnish -
Thousands Of stalwart men wetering in
blood. their bodies mang!ed, their limbs
shattered, and from many almost every
vestigc of the human form and counte
nance departed ! Humanity shudders
at the scene, and Pity draws over it a
veil.
1t is the concurrent testimony of all
the people Of Gettysburg, that when the
rebel army first entered the town, they
were confident aud defiant beyond meas
ure. Gen. Early was heard more than
once in the streets to cxc'aim: "Wait a
day or two and we will show you what
rebels can do. We have a small job on
hand that will take US only a few hours
to attend to, viz: to despatch the rem
n,nt Of Joe Hooker broken down army.
That done, then hurrah boys. Then
Baltimore is ours. Washington is ours.
II rrsburg and Lancaster fall into our
hands, aud Philadelphia becomes our
headquarters Then We will make the
Quakers howl! Then Philadelphia her,
self pays our share of the expense of the
War; and in case of failure, we shall fire
the four corners, and reduce it to ashes"
Such was the general braggadocia tone of
the rebels. Said the redoubtable Barks
dale: " We never have been whipp d.
and never can nor will be-" And no one
who was an eye witness to their inperi-
Gus insolence can for moment doubt
that, had they been successful, HHudei-
phia this day would eria only IN name,
and Lhobod uould be uritten on the
rery door posts Of the nation! Under
God, we owe our salvation to the brave
Army of the Potomac! For these noble
men, then, how is it possible, in our
efforts to relieve their suffering, to
transcend the bounds of moderation p
1t was that brave army, with their ac-
complished General, that made dash in
the reckoning, and taught the insolent
braggarts that "there's many slip 'twixt
the cup and the lip"
1t is doubted whether Thermopylp or
Marathon elected Dobler deeds of daring
than did the battle of Gettysburg To
both sides it was patent that it was for
life or death. Had the 6ght continued
where it was begun, on Seminary Hill.
~ "ou'u "a'o luo''.ou'y Iusuneu III ,ne
success of the rebels for two reasons ::
First, the advantage to them of position:
and secondly, the Seminary, filled with
our wounded, being between the forces.
Before our side could dislodge the enemy
we would have to slay our own noble
wounded. But by most dextrous and
soldierly movement, Gen. Meade, by an
apparent and wavering and retirement of
his army, transferred the main battle to
Cemetery Hill, on the other side of the
town. where the most extensive and for.
m!dable breastw works had been thrown IN,
Aud here the shot and shell fell thick
and fast as hail. Here the forest trees
are swept as by storm. The rebels
fought with the desperation of fends,
but they were confronted by our brave
legions, who moved them down as the
scythc levels the grass
II war has its horrors, it also has its
nob'er and better developments. Having
mingled freely among the wounded,
passed from tent to tent, profering them
refreshments. and conversing with them.
the speaker was much impressed with
the heroic fortitudr of these brave men.
From the Union soldiers, not a murmur