Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-11-11
The Dead Hero OF Gettysburr.

An eye witness OF the battle OF Gettysburg
has some very distinct recollections of the late
Major General George Gordon Meade in con-
neeiion with that mOmentOus conflict. Called
from the position of a corps commander TO COM
mand one hundred thousand troops only three
days before he met the hosts of Lee on the
heights Of Gettysburg, his sOldierly intellect
graSped the necessities of the situation at a
glance, and without an hours delay the several
columns o. the grand old Army of the Potomac
moved forward by different routes from Fred
eTlek towards the Pennsylvania line. Three
days after, on the 1st of July, 1868, the column
IN advance, under General Reynolds, struck
the enemy just south Of Gettysburg.
The Subsequent ambuscade of our advance
guard and the death Of General REYNOLDS are
matters OF history. On the day following, the
2d Of July, the enemy massed on the right of
their line and hurled themselves with wild i'm
Tetuosity against General sickles' 81 corps on
our left, with what result history also tells The
following day, the 81, however, witnessed the
last and most desperate effort of General Lee
and what was really the great battle OF Get.
tysbuTg, which for obvious reasons was the
decisive conflict Of the war. a single mis-
take on the part OF the commanding gea-
eral OF the Army OF the Potomac, a single
error Ofiud gment in the disposition of his troops
and history would probably have recorded our
defeat at Gettysburg; the invasion of the north
by the army of Virginia, and the failure of the
attempt TO save the Union. The demeanor of
Gen. Meade, however. was calm and soldier
Ike. He slept but few minutes on the night
CT the Sd OF July for he knew that the great
struggle was TO come on the morrow, and he
could Lot rest until every disposition to meet
the enemy had been made. Having placed his
army in an almost impregnable position along
Gettysburg heights he waited the coming on
slaUgbt. At one O'Clock on the afternoon of the
Sd OF July single signal gun sounded
from the confederate lines across the
beautiful valley, and General Meade
was in the saddle at once for he well knew its
meaning. An interval of three or four seconds
only elapsed and two hundred confederate can
non belched forth their deadly messengers and
the peaceful hills trembled as from an earth
quake shock. During the whole of this terrible
contest the valor displayed BY Gem Meade was
OF the most lofty and daring kind. Mounted ON
powerful horse and with sword unsheathed he
rode along Gen. Hancock g line where the bat
tie ragged widest, giving orders az calmly as if
on dress parade. The air around him was
literally white with smoke puffs from bursting
Shell, and minnie balls whistled as thick as hail.
Through all he preserved an unimpass.oned
demesnor, save when some recreant soldier or
officer broke from the Union lines and ran To-
wards the rear. Where so momentous a stake
was depending on the result, he could not
Calmly witness such exhibitions of cowardice,
and, plunging spurs in his charger, he would
dash after them with drawn sword, and, check
ing them in their career, would excitedly ask for
some evidence of wounds. If the latter could
be shown lie allowed the men to 90 the rear; but
II not, he drove back the dastsrds at the point
OF his sword, and forced them to resume their
places beside their drawer comrades To the pro-
Vost guards stretched behind our battle line he
gave the most imperative orders. f." If stragglers
can't show their wounds shoot them; towards
INST be made to fight" The result of this was
fiat there were but few stragglers, and probably
ID &c discipline and order were noticeable az
q 'tysburg than on any other battlefield of the
rar. Several times did our lines waver and
Sci back before tie impetuOus charges of the
81 my; but Gen. Meade was always present In
p -on, cheering on the blue coats and entreatiny
i.rm TO Tepel the assaults and regain their
''mer position. The bard fought field was won,
IA TO Gen. Meade was mainly due the credit
'i -sving the country from a defeat, which would
-btless have been full Of disastrous conse-
geyEces.