The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-04-11
Memorable Scenes on the
Field at Gettysburg.
NOTED BY AN EYEWITNESS.
The Courage and Heroism OF the
"Rebs" Displayed on that
Bloody Hillside
TBy Col. A. Wilson Norris

warmer on the plains OF Marsthon?''
With kindred thought may we notask,
Whose love for his country would not
burn with a more intense glow upon
Cemetery Hill in the presence of Get
tysburg's dead?" AS with uplifted hat
and fearful eyes you bow in reverence
10 the divisions of slain, sleeping in
several columns around he brow of
that fatal hill. wave after wave of recol-
lections roll in upon you, freighted with
the conflicting fears and confidence,
hope and despair that filed those three
dreadful days, when two hundred guns
and a hundred and fifty thousand men,
amid smoke and fire and blood, were
resolving humanity's greatest problem
the freedom of mankind. Gettys
burg! How the thoughts of twenty
three years ago crowd and Jostle each
other as they throng in upon US, am
moned at the beck of that magic word.
It needs but little coloring from fancy
10 picture the contending armies that
shook the plains about that peaceful
town with their awful din, or to paint
freedom herself awaiting the event OF
the struggle Her footprints are every
where around that hallowed spot; there
is something about that hill covered
with graves that infinitely whispers she
has been there.
Let US transport you back to the
beautiful morning in June. 1868. when
the Army of the Potomac. swinging
loose from its base at Fredericksburg,
Virginia. started on the memorable Get
tysburg campaign. Around US the
abandoned camps and the smoldsrIng
remains of our winter quarters tell of
some movement on foot. Last night
Lee struck his tents. turned his mighty
army northward and sounded the ad-
vance, and the music of his bugle.
caught up by the friendly winds. was
waited over the river 10 the ears of the
seniinels who keep their sleepleSs yigils
on its banks. and ere the day had
dawned the old Potomac Army had
given its quarters TO the flames. fur
nished up and put on its armor. and
stands here in the dim light of early
morning with its splendid natialions
and divisions alert and ready. the proud
old guardian of the Republic.
WAITING.
All the little shelter tents are careful
" rolled up and strapped. knapsacks
are packed ready TO be slung, haver-
sacks are stored with four days rations,
forty rounds of ammunition 10 the man
are snugly ensconced in the cosy little
cartridge boxes, every pipe is filed. and
the old army, leisurely smoking. leans
on its guns looking over to Fredericks-
burg. the scene OF its late bloody re-
verse, and wondering if the unfolding
events of the next few days will afford
chance and tair field to avenge that
defeat.
The Johnnies haven't got much
siartl" cries some soldier from the
ranks as our columns begin 10 move.
and across the river we can yet see the
smoke from the enemy's camp-fires
curling up through the trees. WHAT an
exciting chase it is, an army after an
army. almost in contact with each |
other now and then a CLEAN of sunlight |
revealing the glancing Sabres and fash |
ing muskets of the foe, here and there |
e rising knoll discovering his long white |
trains creeping slowly over the hills, |
and at times the very dust wh.ch be |
shakes from his feet settling upon the
bronzed faces of the hardy veterans |
who hang like 4 vengeance on his rear. |
The second day we strike and cross /
sabres With the foe at Brandy Station |
Along the hills this side of Thorough
fare Gap, he again catches a glimpse of |
our bayonets, and for an instant checks
his advance as he hears the angry roar |
NJ our guns. But gathering up his |
q inks he strides onward, the Potomac
j. reached, Maryland is crossed. aud
now our own State quskes beneath his |
tread. As the fair prospect of our fer
tile valleys open to view, his hopes are
more buoyant, and his heart glows with
the thought of the pJllage and desola-
ton he will carry into our Pennsylvania
homes. To the poor countrymen this |
DEUCE of rebel men and horse is as
RESTLESS as the oceans food; over his
rich fields it pours. bearing down his
golden haryests, everywhere wasting
and destroying.
IN THE NATIONS AGONY.
4 thickeaing cloud of doubt and
gloom settled over the land, and in the
Nations agony its CREST pulse is almost
stiIled and life seems TO have deserted
her l0ins. Then from the whole coun-l
try gees fearful cry that filings its dis
NAL echo into every town and hamlet. |
Where is the grand old army that has |
so often fungits battalions between the
Nation and disaster and received this
same exultant foe on the points of its
avenging steeI?" Back from Gettys-
burg came the answer, when. on the
1rst ofJ0ly, 1868, the country was filed |
With the glad tidings that the old army
vas once more in conflict with its old 4
Zoe, and that its veteran hosts were
again vindicating their claim to the peO-
Pies love and IN Immortality.
The retribution that followed the
Enemy for his dissertation OF our oil
Sas as swift as it was poetic. one OF
Eenasylvania's own sons, brave Jonn
reynolds. singing with the insults Of
-sred 10 his beloved State. cast h'mSelf