Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-06-17

more powerful and prlncely city: so may
our own republic-thht great government
OF the people, by the people and for the
people'-chrlstened hy adverse experiences
and purified by the firev trials from which
sh has trlnmphanily em"rreh under the
benign influences nf ihs angel OF peace,
advance with firm and unbroken step on
ward md upward To the attainment of
greatsr prosperity, q higher usefulness, and
Il moro conspicuous and exalted sovereignty
among the nations OF the nations oil the
earth.
HARRIsDUna, Pa, June 1.-THE legis-
lative committee and guests started for
home at $40 o'clock this morning.
Last night the governor and the Della
ware party were serenaded by the Gettys-
burg band, headed by delegation of the
prominent citizens. The governor re-
sponded to O call for an address. Short
speeches were also made by Secretary
Causey and Anthony Higgins.
Delaware has flttingly discharged, so far
as deep gratitude and enduring expressions
OF appreciation and admiration can, duty
to her valiant soldiers, who participated In
one OF the most fearful battles OF the war.
Though delayed longer than MANY had
wished for, her fallen soldiers ON the
Gettysburg hlllsides nre memorlalized In
granite from their native State, and the
columns also stand as witnesses that the
boys In blue from the Diamond State bore IL
part in that memorable engagement, which
was credit to themselves and the COM
monWenlth. The services of formally dedt-
eating the First and Second Regiments at
| Gettysburg on Thursday was deeply i'm
pressive. Every surrounding bespoke the
| ilerceness of the conflict. On every hand
columns or tablets Of marble told the story
of bravery and battle, with vividness that
cannot be described. Grouped about the
First Delaware monument were veterans
| who had actively shared the brunt Of the
| burden which had led TO the magnificent
victory, and to them the occasion wits the
bestowal OF just reward for u duty to
| co lntry, freely and yaliantly performed.
| Captain William IL. Bradys narrative Of
the Second Regiments participation in the
/ fight was modest presentation of iacts
i from brave soldier. Captain John Nj.
Dunn contributed u paper which Is valuable
| In connection with a history OF the ARRAY.
1t established some hitherto disputed
/ points, and related directly to the part the
| First took In defeating one OF the most dar-
| ing and brilliant charges recorded In
modern warfare. A beautiful tribute was
| paid Gen. Smyth, the regiments command
/ ing officer, and its language bespoke the
soldiers deep devotion to their chief. The
Grafton by George v. Massey, Esq, was for
| cible and admirably fitted to the occ,lsion.
i The monuments were then turned over to
| the association by Col. Moore, which will
| have them in Its change.
The positions OF the Brandywine granite
/ columns will bear testimony To tnu part
/ Delnwares sons bore In the battle. lh,,t Vi
| the First Regiment is directly In h. Ene o1
| battle, close by the celebrated lriaugle,
which was called the slaughter pom, BY
reason Of the number OF dead UohIt dDtates
| left upon that part OF the field. IL faces
| Missionary Ridge, which the enemy occu-
i pied, and from whete Pickett led Ills daring
charge. An elevation gave the Union forces
| d full view Of the enemy for mile distant
as he approached, and poorly fortified
i behind line of rails and stones the former
waited orders to fire. The rebel forces,
| 80, 900 strong, marched from its ridge down
into the grass-covered field, in splendid line
| of buttle, with guns at right shoulder, pre-
| senting an appearance so brave and i'm
| posing that the story goes the Union forces
| withheld their battery fires to admire the
approach. The second brigade, a part of
i which was the Second Delaware, was to
meet the attack which was designed to cut
i the army In two. Picketts men approached
| to within seventy-lve yards of the Union
/ line when the order was given to fire upon
| them. At the particular point occupied
| by the Second Delaware the advancing
army concentrated its strength and worst
/ Ntllu b1uHhNpI " DI6ith llS IulhSs
| The Second held its position doing effective
work, and then lead in fruitful effort to
/ put the rebels to a retreat. In the field
| covered by its fire 1t is reliably stated that
one could wulk from end to end without
touching the earth, simply stepping from
one dead body to another. The picket line
of the Second extended much closer to the
enemies line than that of any other In the
Second Brigade. The extreme limit of the
line will be marked with small tablet now
ON the ground and cut with a suitable in
scription. General Postles on the staff ol
General Hancock also did praiseworthy
duty the same day In carrying orders under
a heavy fire to capture the Bliss house in
tested with sharp-shooters who had greatly
interfered with the working of the artillery
pieces. The shot and shell were falline
thick about him, and 1t is told that the
enemy refused to shoot at him as they
80 deeply admired his pluck und bravery
The monument OF the First Regiment marks
the position of the command in the ''wheat
field, which is also known MS one of the
ilercest and bloodiest points in the fight
The affray here was bitterly and obstlnately
contested, and an account of the battle
| records" that every inch of the ground was
fought over. 1t is directly in front Of
Little Round Top, vantage point held by
a battery, for which the Confederates
fought for with dogged persistency. Tht
battling against the enemies charges tt
capture this point.
Another Deawarean, General Henry II
| Lockwood, In command OF q Maryland
regiment, Is also spoken of by veterans az
having signally distinguished himself n
Gettysburg. His command formed the ex
treme right OF the line. He held the posi-
tion against u most furious attack, made II
an attempted flank movement His line
was upon bevelly wooded elevation ant
the trees bear countless sears where the,
were punctured with bullets. Many OF then
we're cut so badly they died. The fire Il
said to have been most severe and Is de
} scrlbed as having literally trained bullets.
. An admirable view of the battle field wa
had by the party on Thursday morning, flv
hours being devoted to this pleasure. w. ID
: Holtzworth, the battle field guide, heade'
: the party and lectured upon the battle, de
> scribing the movements of the armies from
different points. 10 view the battle fiel,
l under such guide as Holtzworth Is aprivi
lege which no student Of history can atfor,
! to neglect.
Gettysburg is quaint-looking old town
9 with all the peculiar characteristics OF
! Pennsylvania village. The fact of the battl
I having been fought over its roofs an
Q through the streets, has attracted much at
(, tention to the place, but has completed
d deadened every spirit of enterprise an
:, progress. II mas not increased, If it Ieall
9 has not decreased, i'll Its population sine
q tho war, although 1t is the couuty-seat, an
7 the centre OF u rich agricultural dtstric
u The effects Of the battle are visible ut ever
o hand through the town. Large shot almos
entirely buried In the walls OF severi
. houses, bear testimony to the fury of tn
" fight. The walls of one house, occupied b
u sharp shooters, Is literally honeycumbe
o with the marks of rifle bullets, and anothe
v modest dwelling near the bnttle field
. shown rs the spot where the only MOI
D combatant was killed during the three day
/ fight The victim was woman, struck b
y the force OF O spent ball, and killet
s Every house In the town excep
% perhaps, u dozen that have bee
D built since the war were used as hospital
and the patients, the wounded of bot
y armies were given the best OF care. III
~ village was In the very midst OF the figh
y one day In possession OF the Confederate
ID who were routed and the town occupied
O. Federal troops. There is absolutely 1
10 enterprise In Gettysburg, and no industs
., but an rof sleepy ,quietness, Ikea reactic
~ from the great battle, has settled over Il
a, quaint old town, perhaps never to iii
g again. The greatest activity is show
10 among the boys who engage in peddlii
~ relics of the battle. The Dnd of war fra
10 ments Is very large aud the supply of reli
'e will last through two or three generation
10 With every plUwing of the ground tiattent
a, bullets and shot, buckles and bayonets a
ny thrown upon the surface. Even skeleton
40 are now and then plowed up, ol
O. being found few weeks ago al
70 buried. A canteen found on the Held
lu battle was procured by some members of d
y party and presented to DR.. L, g .Shortlidge
~ Il souvenir OF his visit to the battle field.
III The journeys to and from Gettysbu
n were exceedingly pleasant, and without
single drawback or unpleasant incident, g
oi cept that the weather on Wednesday mig
u have been less gloomy. The party !,