Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-07-28

became evident that something wal
r going to take place the boys dropped
, their cards regardless Of what wa'
, trump-even the men who held both
bowers and the ace-and all gathered
on the most favorable position to wit
| ness the opening of the ball Soon the
, long lines OF the Third corps are seer
advancing, and how splendldly they
: march. IL looks like dress parade
review. On, on, they 60, out toward
the peach orchard, but not a shot is
, fired. A little while longer and some
one calls out, "Therep y and points to
: where puff OF smoke is seen arising
against the dark green Of the woods.
; Another and another cloud until the
whole face of the forest is enveloped
and the dread sound OF the artillery
comes loud and quick shells are seen
bursting in all directionsalon the lines.
The bright colors OF the regiments are
conspicuous marks, and the shells
burst around them in great numbers.
The musketry begins, the infantry be-
come engaged, and the battle extends
along the whole front OF Sidiles' corps.
Now the sounds came fiom Little
Round Top, and the smoke rses among
the trees and all the high and wooded
ground to the left of the peach orchard
seems to be the scene of strife. An
hour passes and our troops give way,
and are falling back but slowly, very
slowly, every inch OF ground is fought
for. The Third corps is not in the
habit of giving it up, and they hold
their own well, but the oddsare against
them and they are forced to retire.
"Now helps called for, and Hancock
tells Caldwell to have Lis division
ready. "Fall in !" and themen run to
their places, "Take arms and the
four brigades of Zook, Cross, Brook
and Kelley are ready for the fray.
There is yet few minutes TO spare be.
fore starting and the time is occupied
in one of the most impressive religious
ceremonies | have ever witnessed.
The Irish Brigade, which had been
commanded formerly by Gen. Thomas
Francis Meagher, and whose green flag
had been unfurled in every battle in
which the army of the Potomac had
been engaged, from the first Bull Run
to Appomattox, and was now com.
manded by Colonel Patrick Kelly, of
Eighty-eighth New York formed part
of this division. The brigade stood in
column Of regiments, closed in mass
As the large majority Of its members
were Catholics the chaplain Of the bri.
gade, Rev. William Cory, proposed to
give general absolution TO all the
men before going into the fight. While
this is customary in the armies Of
Catholic countries of Europe, il was
perhaps the first time it was ever wit
messed on the continent, unless, indeed,
the grim old warrior Ponce do Leon,
as he tramped through the everglades
of Florida in the search Of the Fount-
ain of Youth, or De Soto on his march
TO the Mississippi, INDUCED in this act
of devotion. Father Corley stood upon
large rock in front of the brigade
addressing the men, he explained what
he was about to do, saying that each
one could receive the benefit of the
absolution by making q sincere act Of
contrition and firmly resolving to EN-.
brace the first opportunity of confess
ing their sins, urging them to do their
duty well, and reminding them Of the
high and sacred nature of their trust as
soldiers and the noble object for which
they fought, ending by saying that the
Catholic Church refuses Christian
burial to the soldier who turns his back
upon the foe or deserts his flag. The
brigade was standing at "Order arms"
AS he closed his address every man
fell on his knees, with head bowed
down. Then stretching his right hand
toward the brigade Father Corley pro.
nounced the words of the absolution:
''Dominus noster Jesus Christus vos
absolvat, ct ego, auctoritate ipsius, vos
absolvo alb omni vinculo excommuni.
catlonis, ct interdicti in quantum pos.
sum ct vosindigetis, deindo ego absolvo
vos peccatis vestris in nomine PATHS,
ct Filio ct Spiritus Sancto, Amen"
The scene was more than impressive,
it was awe-inspirng. Near by stood
Hancock, surrounded by a brilliant
throng of officers, who had gathered to
witness this very unusual occurrence,
and while there was profound silence
in the ranks of the Second corps, yet
over to the left, out by the peach or.
chard and Little Round Top, where
Weed and Vincent and Haslett were
dying, the roar of the battle rose and
swelled and e.echoed through the
woods, making music more sublime
than ever sounded through cathedral
aisle. The act seemed to be in harmony
with oil the surroundings, | do not
think there was man in the brigade
who did not offer up a heartfelt prayer.
For some 1t was their last they knelt
there in their grave olothes--in less
than half an hour many of them were
numbered with the dead of July 2.
Who can doubt that their prayers were
good 7 What was wanting in the
eloquence of the priest to move them
to repentance was supplied in the Incl.
dents Of the fight That heart would
be incorrigible, indeed, that the scream
OF Whitworth bolt, added to Father
Corley's touching appeal, would not