The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-06-25
ANTIETAM.
a soldier'a Tribute to . sold,or's valo


General Mcclellan, who commanded
tho union forces at the battle Of Antie.
tam, in 1863, visited that historic field
last Saturday, where he delivered an ora
tion on decoration day. During his stay
in Hagerstown, Genera! McClelland was
the guest Of Major Ii. Kyd Douglas, a
member Of Stonewall Jacksons staff at
the battle of Antietam. The correspond.
ent OF the Baltimore Sun furnishes that
paper with the following synopsis Of the
Grafton, viz:
General Mcclellan said: "When |
last stood upon this historic field the
smoke of battle still wreathed these hills
and filled these valleys; these rocks
still re.echoed the harsh sounds Of strife,
and the ground was all too thickly strewn
with the forms Of the quiet dead and of
those still writhing in ngony. Two great
armies had met 10 deadly strife, the fate
OF q nation hanging upon the result.
Within the walls Of this vast cemetery,
peoplcd almost in a single day, those
who met death sleep after their long and
desperate struggle. These men who laid
down their own and sought each others
lives in fierce but loyal battle, have been
placed almost side by side awaiting that
last dread trumpet sound that shall call
them to life again. There are here to.
day those who fought on either side;
men who, clad in gray, followed the no.
Ole Lee, and we who wore the blue.
We are here with a common purpose se-to
testify Our reverence for the valiant dead.
30 let us bury all animosity, all bitter
recollections of the spast, remembering
only that on Antietam's hills brave men
gave their lives for what they thought
right. pray that this fair land Of ours
may never again be the scene Of such
carnage. | shall not trench upon the
causes OF that war further than to say
that our children should never forget
that il was brought about, and even made
necessary by the extremists Of the two
atdas. If the moderate men,, North and
South, could have controlled even the
dread arbitrament of arms might have
been avoided. and my fellow Demo.
Gratis of the North fought for the Union
because we believed that it contained
within itself the power of5insuripg all
possibiefgood things To- this,tpeople, gand
ofTsecuring us against nnnumbered evils,
aud chiefly because we believed that we
could see the hand of God guiding our
fathers in the creation Of nation des.
tined to become the greatest Of which
history bears record. We felt that it was
our sacred duty TO offer our lives as his
feeble instrument in the preservation of
the magnificent edifce His hand had
reared. Those on the other side, smart.
ing at tho time under actual lor appre.
hebded evils, honestly differed from US.
| dare not judge them, for their perfect
honesty was proved by the magnitude of
the sacrifices they made for the cause
they doomed just, believed, and still
believe, that it il impossible for two
governments to exist in this land of ours
without soon coming into collision on
some secondary question, and that it was
better to fight at once tor the main issue.
| do not judge those who honestly held
different views, but l rejoice that the
logic of events has sustained my own,
and still moro do rejnice that the vast
MAORI. those who fought 80 earnest.
ly on th other side cheerfully accept the
Tesultand are proud of their citizenship
in our land, at last thoroughly united.
"1n the ages Of future generations how
strange, how romantic and how stirring
will always seem the history of lhcso
two armies, pitted against each ioiher
through long years OF battle from York
town to Appomattox, where the scanty
and mangled remains of the great army
Of northern Virginia laid down its arms,
but not it's honor. Thanks to the man.
agement of the great soldier who led the
Union army-now, alas prey to dis
ease-there was nothing said or done to
create personal hate or to cause the
blush Of shane. When we look back
upon that day aud that other army which
nd ~, oil t,o;,
across the Antietam-that grand army
it than have often said in the past 2
1t was ever worthy OF its fame, whether
In adversely or SUCCESS, and never more
30 than in the field. No page Of its long
history is obscured by shame, and as one
who commanded it through times of ex.
treme trial can justly say that it never
failed me- In the hour Of need. 1 am
glad that / have been. permitted to- live
until the ability and virture of Robert E.
Lee, aud tho aChievepeats Of the army
3f aortherp Virginia, aswell as the he.
'roism and renown. or tie Grand Army of
the Potomac have already become part
OF common heritage of glory of all our
people. Would could meet here to day
the living presence of that splendidSm
and soldier Robert E. Lee, In this very
field, where, in all honor and earnestness
we stroye as enemies, and even take him
y she eaa ss isas. K a.ss lGae ps1s days
the MontezImaslf.1k u r know chat his nature
fbpsan malise, aad Jhatshe would be che
frat to yespona to; the greeting and unite
with us in, paying to the, gallant. dead Of,
this Army Of the Potamac the same trib.
ute offer to his Army of Northern,
Virginia. :Ifi