The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-03-18
The Late War.

In the 10ur years lnat lOllOWeu thc
uprising of the Snuth the people of the
North furnished 10 The armies Of the
Union nearly 100000 of men, and The
South gave to the armies Of the Confed.
eracy over 100000 more. From less
than 100000 Of inhabitants, and
within the space of four years, 1000, 900
of men were under arms in that terrible
conflict. Contemplate the fact that one
in every eight of our entire population,
or one in every four of our main popula-
ton, was actually engaged in the con-
test, and you get some idea of the ter
rible drain that the war was on the flesh
and blood of our countrymcn. In the
entire military history of the world there
is nothing to be compared to that martial
enthusiasm of our nation. The ccle.
brated uprising Of the French people in
1893, and that of nearly century later
in their war with Germany, sink into
insignifcance when compared with the
tide that moved southwark and north
ward to Join the armies of the Union and
Confederacy, 1t is the boast of Germany,
the greatest military nation of modern
times that with population OF II 10000
she can in time of war furnish an army
of ,250 900 men but in the war of the
Rebellion the North, with a population
of only 100000, had in actual service
at the close of that contest more than
100000. The hero of Appomattox,
during the campaign Of 1864 and 'Gj,
commanded more soldiers than any other
general since the fall of the Roman EN-
pire. We are accustomed to think Of
Waterloo as the greatest battle of modern
times, but in six engagements of the
war of the rebellion the loss. upon one
side or the other was greater than that
of Wellington and the allied forces at
Waterloo. The loss of the Union army
in the battle of the Wilderness nearly
equalled the entire loss of both armies
on the field of Waterloo. No battle has
ever been fought on the continent Of
Europe with greater determination or
with rs much loss as that Of Gettysburg.
But the sacrifice of blood kept pace with
that of treasure. Our war expenses dur
ing the last year of the Rebellion ex-
ceeded sl,OOO,OO0,0OO. The expenses
of the great war between France and
England during the career of Napoleon
and the French Revolution bore no COM
parison to that of our war. The great
est sum Of money expended during a
single year was by Great Britain in 1915,
when it amounted to $l3l, 100000, cr
less than two thirds Of the expenditure
of the North during the year ending
1865. + 4 For half century
Waterloo has stood in history, song,
and story without parallel. 1t was re-
served to the descendants of the men
who fought under the Duke in that
famous engagement to convince the
world that courage and tenacity had not
degenerated since the days of Waterloo.
Gettysburg may fairly be said to be the
greatest battle of modern times. The
number engaged exceeded those of
Waterloo; the duration of the battle
longer, and the loss greater. More than
one third of the Union army, and nearly
one half of the Confederates, were killed,
wounded, or missing in that engage
ment. The famous charge by Pickett
on the third day, and its subsequent re-
pulse, will live for all time in military
history. The famous "Old Guard"
veterans in the service of France, victors
on many hard fought field, possessing
the courage and spirit peculiar to their
nation and race, wayered before the first
volley from the English batteries at
Waterloo, and at the second fell back in
confusion. But Pickett's division at
Gettysburg, with less men than COM
posed the "Old Guard" advanced mile
under the CALLING fire of our batteries,
its lines unbroken, the living stepping
into the places of the dead, and engaged
our forces in hand. to.hand fight for the
possession of Cemetery Ridge.