The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-25
THE GETTYSBURG REUNION


The reunion of the officers of both contend
ing armies for the ostensible purpose of loca-
ting exactly the position of the various corps,
divisions, and regiments upon the field of
Gettysburg does not promise to be very
great success. The first meeting was held
yesterday, and the occasion was chiefly re-
markable for the absence of most of the Off
GERS who signally distinguished themselves
during the battle. Since the invitations to
attend the reunion were issued, letters de-
clining have been received from prominent
officers on both sides, who pleaded various
excuses, and General Lee and other of the
Rebel leaders supplemented their re-
fusals by expressing their disapproba-
ton of the whole proceeding as cal
culated to keep alive memories that
ought to be allowed to pass away. 1t is asig-
GERS were in attendance, and while other mo-
tives than delcacy and good taste probably
prevented most of their comrades from put
ting in an appearance, the fact that they pre-
ferred not to come is rather to their credit
than otherwise. The plea put in by General
Lee, however, is one that will scarcely be
admitted by Union soldiers or the loyal people
of the country. The battlefield of Gettys-
burg represents to the Rebels the death blow
of their hopes, and they would gladly forget
it if forgetfulness were possible. We are
perfectly willing to cultivate cordial relations
with the people of the South, and to allow the
bitterness and heart burnings occasioned by
the war to die away, and it depends upon the
Southern people themselves to say how
soon bygones shall be bygones, at least so
far as our social and political relations are
| concerned, but if General Lee or any other
ex-Rebel expects that the scenes of the war
will be forgotten; that the battle-felds where
the great contest was fought out will leave
any other than hallowed memories for the
loyal people of the nation, they are mistaken.
We can forgive those who attempted to
destroy the nation, if they show disposition
to become good and patriotic citizens for the
future, but it is impossible to forget
either the Rebellion, or the men
who originated and carried it on.
As for this reunion, it had a smack of
humbug about it from the beginning, and
just as the great sea serpent regularly put in
borhood of the seaside watering places foI
the benefit of the hotel proprieters, so we may
expect that there will be an attempt to make
capital out of the Gettysburg battle-ground
by getting up some sort of an excitement tc
attract visitors who fail to be enticed by the
fabulous virtues of a certain mineral spring
that, by a singular coincidence, was disco
vered upon the field of battle, and which was
Immediately appropriated by joint stocl
company for the benefit of humanity in gene
raj, and themselves in particular.
The most prominent portions of the battle
field are already known with sufficient accu
racy, and unless all the officers and all thu
men of both armies could be gathered to
gether, it is not likely that any additional in
formation of Importance could be elected b,
the meeting of few officers like that now il
progress. OF course, no particular harm i
done by such reunions, and in all probabilit
next summer some other device will b
adopted to bring Gettysburg into motto
by means of the soldiers. Such reunion
have their use, too, in advertising candidate
for Office, and it is important with more thai
one of the participants just now to b
f kept prominently before the public
, What is to be deprecated is the al
y tempt to give a national importanc
to an occasion that is of very little nationa
q interest or value, and that seems principal
! designed to benefit the pockets of few ind
viduals.