Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-07-10
A DEBT OF GRATITUDE.
In Remembrance of % Day schen GettUs-
burg SaUed Philadelphia.
John W. Forney's Progress.

American memory; among them the attack
upon the American flag in Charleston harbor
on the 10Th of April, 1861, the battle of Get
tysburg on the 1st, %, and Sd days of July,
1868, the fall of Richmond on the 9th day of
April, 1865, and the assassination of Abraham
Lincoln, on the 14th day of April, 1865. No
days in human history ever aroused a more
agonizing solicitude, or closed upon more
gigantic transactions, or opened a wider vista
of human possibilities. Each of these events
had strange and almost providentiai mean
ing. Each possessed the peculiar quality
of conquering in an instant millions of pre-
udices. The ball fired at the old flag from
Charleston consolidated the North and
struck down human slavery. The victory of
Gettysburg saved the second great city of
the union from flames. The fall of Rich
mond was the certain rise of the republic,
and the death of Lincoln consecrated his
great mission of forgiyness to all. When
we come to notice the annals of our civil
war, these four events, with the emancipa-
ton of the slaves on the first of January,
1868, will be to the historian like 80 many
planets, shedding light on all other objects,
and marshaling the way to the final duty
and lesson of the patriot. Each was revo-
luton in itself, affecting the remotest inter-
ests, and leaving all men in new condition
of thought and self examination.
But none of thess tragedies wrought
deeper sensation or gave birth to more
lasting gratitude than the battle of Gettys-
burg, 1868. Here, at least, is one of those
occurrences that can not easily be forgotten.
The human race il prone to forget. One
philosopher says that ingratitude is the
badge of all our tribes but, like all maxims,
it is best proved by ihs exceptions. In this
instance we can not if we would, and, thank
God, we would not if we could, blot out what
that defeat of the confederates did for the
city of Philadelphia. Happily, it is not so
long ago as to have faded out of our minds.
It is only seventeen Years since, and it was
day of such sharp agony and such univer-
sal terror, aud the victory was such an un-
speakable relief, that even the children now
grown to men and women think of it as
gratefully as the middle-aged and the grand
mothers and grandfathers. II was the siugle
instance in which the iiery blast of war came
close to great northern metropolis. The
confederates advanced in tremendous
force. Led by their beloved Gen. Lee and
by his chosen ieutenants, they seemed to
make last stand IN the rich valleys of
Franklin and Adams, choosing, as if by in
stinct, the regions called after two of the
most precious names in American history.
Grant was engaged at the same moment
winding his fatal coils around the Southern
city of Vicksburg; but the point most vital
to all at that moment YES the field of Gettys-
burg.
What Philadelphian can ever forget the
suspense of those July days? There was not
a household that did Eat throb and thrill be-
tween hope and fea5. There were over
100000 mep, thousar !. of them from Phiia-
delphia and the neighboriag towas; and
there was not family that did not shudder
at the advance of the foe who seemed SO
near, or that did not fancy IN that advance
the loss of the holy cause of the Union.
On the morning of the 4th of July, 1868, /
was at tae union league, then on Chestnut
street near Eleventh, Philadelphia, in the
massive building now occupied by the FAM
ily of the beloved Matthew Baldwin. The
rooms and gardens of the lovely mansion
we're filed to overfowing with pale, anxious
men; the streets were full of silent, wait
ing crowd; the sidewalks aHd windows were
crowded with women; even children were
awed into silence, as their elders discussed
in whispers the possibilities of the dreadful
fight in the green valleys ef Cumberland.
Reynolds had been killed on the I'd
of July, along with thousands of Others, and
his brother James L., came from Lancaster,
in this State, bowed down with terror at the
sacrifice, and humble women were sobbing
over dispatches already recording their
losses. II was day of tears and despair. I
had been present at other scenes of sorrow,
but nothing like this 4th of July,
1865. The cornmandant of this
department was Gen. J. A. j. Dana, and his
Office was in Girard street, snear Twelfth, and
l held position as consulting member of
his staff. About noon of that Saturday I
saw his tall form crossing Chestnut street to
the League, and when his eye caught mine I
saw he was in tears. He handed me dis
patch from Gen. Meade, just received. 1
opened and tried. to read it, bat could not.
I saw enough to feel that we were saved. And
soon the good news became universal. Then
all hearts exploded with joy over the deliver
ance. 1t was wonderful sight, that sudden
change from grief to gratitude. Some shed
tears, some shouted in joy, old foes became
friends, and even infdels joined in the spon-
taneous prayers of the preachers. Robert
Browning's thrilling poem, describing the
man who carried the ''good news to Ghent,"
which broke the siege and filed the souls
of the Flemish with deep thanksgiving to
God, might have been paraphrased in honor
of the messenger who brought such happi-
ness to oppressed, and terrified, and despair
ing Philadelphia.
Who won that great fight? Who saved
Philadelphia from fire. and spoil? Who
drove back the enemy, and saved us from
fate of which. the burning of Chambersburg
and Carlisle and the forced contributions
upon York were intended to be grim prepa-
rations? A brave army of patriotic citizens,
led by three Pennsylvania generals: George
Gordon Meade, of Philadelphia; John Fulton
Reynolds, of Lancaster; and Winfield Scott
Hancock, of Montgomery. Meade and Rey-
nolds are both gone. Meade died on the
9th of November, 1872, in the house pre-
sented to his wife by the people of Phila-
delphia, afterWard supplemented by con-
tribution of 100000 from the same source
Reynolds was killed in battle on the I'd of
July, and is buried at Lancaster. Hancock
ia TO. day the Democratic candidate for Presi-
dent Of lie United States.
10 show how felt at the critical moment,
seventeen years sgo. reprint what wrote
IN the Press or Tuesday, the 7th of July,
1868, not only to prove my plain duty to
General Hancock, as the survivor of this
glorious triumvirate, bat also the duty of all
the people of Philadelphia to that incom-
parable soldier. I recall it once more as a
personal pledge and promise, and the solemn
covenant of great community to a great