Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-04-26
ne ''ste,n1 Id.-as GettysburI

NE @Beeon1 Id"at GeitysbEl
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.4re sgh the beautiful and
psctsses4 Valley Of the Shenandoah,
across tie sacred soil Of our own Mary
land. over the fertile fields and verdan,
plains oftAe land Of Penn, EweIPs Corps,
shout eleven O'Clock. In the night OF che
f,Tyt of July. 1863; formed in line Of bat
". ss1 ~ ep0ntts afns i'd isost Of Cup Z
Hill. Though the long and tedious
goufS IL 5OtS1j6g K<xt " TIE l16d.
psoeseAsaiaznsmeass from tlye enc
my's Ere. BY the friendly woods that
skistA4 lAssshaln 81 nock creek, the
seeos1 Nnryoksd ssslsi onstkeis arms,
ths01s The terrific csanoasdei Of that
day, anil 3dte fintise. 4ftemooa. wheu
thecsdss eszne ID charge. Whist mo-
nentg eo6oso wereif what fesyiAle sus-
Peassts Thsaplsmn coustessnee, the
6sdly faieueil of s6rUther end friend,
and IL Whispered messages ef love, to
y dsless by the survivors to those
et home. -too eloqueo1ly. told cf 6loody
work 6sfure.ahsm. q The clear, command
ing voice Of the kalghtly Herbert rings
out upon the dir, s.foswsrd," and tSe
brave Maryland boys began their marcl,
- defeat and deaths Moving with the
precision md measured tread Of disci-
pliaed soldicry, the battalion marched
dosn the DECLINE and out into the open
6ci6. end the charge IVES fairly begun.
Rssching the banks, Iof Rock Creek,
-theysfor the 6rst tune. received the ter
'ri6c IRE Of the enemy, MISSED IN force
on the Opposite ttsidss With achee,
that only Confedsr,tese could give, the
line plunged into the swollen current
crossed and drove the enemy, broken
and 'discomfted, upon his breastworks.
Continuing the charge, with oil the -.
susance Of suecess. they were, ne yer.
less, compelled TO pause, % tterrific.snd
deadly was the FIRE IT the reserve force
within point blsak range OF the enc.
my's position Herbert, GoIdsborougl
and Thomas had already fallen, while
gaiishly leading their men in the
ehsrge:a Brown and Duvall, and a hosi
ofothers ofthe rank and Gle, had bitten
the dust, and we're lying all around us;
webb and Owens and others had been
carried from 9the' field, wounded unto
death; but never, for a moment, did
those gallant spirits waver. Charged
by regiment oftheir own troops in the
rear. whilst they were thus engaging
the enemy in front, they moved not
but fought on that ll1of death, till the
God IL mercy and pity hung the curtain
Of his night around them, and shielded
with the mantle of darkness, the men
who were too brave to seek shelter fol
themselves. Reforming their line and
renewing the charge, they dashed the
abattis away. and the works were theirs,
But, fearful as this was, the worst was
yet to come, and sacrifices were vet to
be made. Holding the works they had
50 dearly purchased, during the night,
the morning OF the third found them en-
gagged in preparations for another move.
ment, winch, even at this distance oI
thirteen long years,'l tresnbie to think
Of. Moving by the left flank, our Bri-
gadc, commanded BY that model soldier,
Gen Stewart. formed AZ right angles to
the works they had carried, aud pre-
pared for another end final assault oil
the enemy's position. Immediately in
their front, on the mountain side,
the Overwhelming numbers Of the
Toe, about ifteen thousand strong, wa.
rnassed in echelon: on their flank heavy
batteries .enfiladed their ranks. To
meet this force. our little Brigade OF
nine hundred, advanced to the charge
As soon as they emerged from behind
the rocks. under the cover Of which
they had formed, and debouchcd in the
open plain. the most murderous fire To
which men were ever subjected, greeted
them. But, on and on that line 81 brave
and gallant men pressed, closing up the
fearful gaps as fast as they were made:
to the very point Of the eEemy's works;
again were those beautiful coiors of silk
and gold, the handiwork Of the fair and
noble daughters Or Baltimore, all torn
by shot and Shell. cut down, only to be
raised again, and finally to fall almost
within the Very lines OF the enemy
But moment more, and the torn,
broken, reeling and shattered fragme nts
Of what had been the pride and boast
OF even that army OF veterans, sought
the friendly cover Of the works from
behind which they had Just emerged,
and but too well p-ociaims. the dread
ful fate Of that day. Here II was that we
Saw the gallant Murray fsll, surrounded
BY scores Of his company, who devoted
10 him in life, in death were not to be
separated, and here also Tell to rise no
more. our Igleharts ana Morrison's, our
Cush,ngs and Wrightsons, and hosts Of
others.
Truly, indeed, then, was this the bill
of death, and there was no more pre-
cious blood ever shed III the cause 81
truth and justice, than that which on
that fatal day, flowed 50 freely from
The vein. Of Maryiand'. sons. Not the
six hundred, better deserved the need
OF immortal renown. than these brave
heroes of Getty sburg. and never did the
angel OF death even respat Balaklays
q ghos.lier harvest. than on those bloody
heights. The history OF the world is.
indeed, lum,nops with the heroic deeds
Of those who. ia every age and cline.
have offered up their lives in defence
of their solemn and honest convictions
Of right and duty, But upon no spot Of