The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-07-15
THE GREAT REUNION.
Onlcers OF Both AnnIes visit Gettysburg.

Officers OF Both Armies Visit Gettysburg.
On Wednesday of last week Cavalry Re-
union was held on the field of Gettysburg.
officers Of both the Federal and Confederate
armies participating. The principal reason for
the meeting was TO establish accurately the
positions occupied by the combatants on July
3, when the great cavalry fight occurred.
There were about 1000 men engaged besides
the artillery.
The battlefield lies about four miles north Of
Gettysburg on the east Of Cemetery Ridge and
the lines occupied by the Union army. Stuart
moved out by the York turnpike and then de-
ployed into heavy body Of timber to the east
OF the road, with open and gently sloping fields,
whose lines ran southwark in his front.
The timber afforded perfect mask for the
Confederate formation, while mile away along
the Hanover road the Union brigades waited
unsheltered, aud in the open 10 the east about
two miles was Gen. Meade's headquarters and
the rear of the Union position. On the right,
to the sOuthward, was the ordnance train.
parked in full sight OF Stuart's position. 1t
was superbly chosen. If the eliminating effort
OF Lee in ordering the mighty assault Of Pick
EFT on that third day could have been helped
in any strong way by cavalry attack Stuart
held the best position from which TO lauch it.
There is no doubt that such was the object Of
Gen. Stuart.
After the terrible thunder of Pendleton's
guns behind the timber, Stuart rushed out TO
encounter three brigades Of cavalry under Gen.
Gregg and Gen. Custer's famous brigade Of
Michigan troopers. This was the fight which
the noted officers present on both sides were
here 10 mark out and discuss.
" should like TO have got one swipe at him
with my saber, though" was the closing re-
mark made by Wade Hampton, as he told 10
small group Of eK-oficers Of both armies the
story OF the saber cut he received on the Sd Of
July, 1868, at the hands of an officer of the 9TH
Mich Cav. The distinguished ex-Confederate
cavalryman and present United States Senator
was standing on the ground where, ia the cut
aud thrust of that day, he received not only the
Michigan mans sign manual on his face bat
which still remains in his body.
For four hours the several groups Of officers
and troopers moveG 10 aud fro TO salient
places, pointing out where their several CON-
mands were placed or engaged on this field Of
fighting horsemen. IL was sometimes said
WHO ever saw a dead cavalryman, or who ever
knew of the actual crossing Of sabers in a
charger" Yet here one of the most dis
tinguished Confederates was slashed in the
head by Union trooper. The Federal COM
mand did not exceed I, 500 men and one-fourth
Of that force was reported killed and wounded
OF this total Casters Wolverines lost over 6O0
Among the many distinguished officers pres
ent who fought on both sides on that bloody
day were Mai. .-Gens. David and Irwin Gregg
both retired officers Of the Regular Army /;
Lieut-Gen. Wade Hampton Col T. Mumford,
Of the % Va. Cav; Gen. J. Il. Mcintosh who
was then Colonel Of the Sd Pa Cav. and COM
manded Gregg's First Brigade; Mai McClel-
Ian, Stuart's Adjutant-General; Gen. Trow-
bridge, then Major Of the 5th Mich. Cav; Gen.
George Gray, 9th Mich. Cav; Gen. George G..
! Briggs, 9TH Mich. Cav; Gen W. W. Averell !;
3 flot Tnrpc Qd Muf Do
Cav; Capt. w. Il. Miller, Sd Pa. Cav; Capt.
Matthews lst Mich. Cav; Capt. Nevins, 9TH
Mich. Cav; Lieut.. Col. Brook Rawle, Sd Pa Cav;
Col. Paul, sth Pa. Cav; Capt. Boyd, 1st n. J..
Cav; Capt. Bricker, Sd Pa. Cav; Gen. Doster,
Colonel 9th Pa. Cav; Maj. p. II. Powers Of
Stuart's command; Col. LipscOmb, I'd S. C..
| Cav; Mai. Blackford and Capt Gray, Of Wade
1 Hampton's staff; Capt. Bolding. 14th Va. Cav;
! Capt. Gordon, Of the JEFF Davis Legion Capt
T. q. Fishborn, LIST Va. Cav; Adi't James w.
! Moore, I'd :. q. Cav; Maj. Walker u. $. Army,
/ retired W. ii. Bricker, Beaver Falls, Pa; Capt
/ J. Wilson Churchill 14th Va. Cav; r. X. Ogden,
% Va. Inf; CaptW. l.. Miller. Of the Sd Pa. Cav;
Serg't HoltzwOrth, of Gettysburg; Col. Hamp-
/ ton ;. Thomas, then Captain Isl Pa Cav: T. A.
Burr, 9th Mich. Cav; Capt Wagner, of the Sd
Pa. Cav, who served on the First Brigade staff
Maj. Tate, Assistant Surgeon of the Sd Pa. Cav;
/ Gen. Louis Wagner; Gen. J. i. S. Goblin, OF
Lebanon; Col. Thomas J. Stewart and Gen K.
Il. Beath.
The work or fixing the positions occupied by
I the different commands commenced with the
Confederate position at Cress and Wolf Hills,
at the northern part Of the Rummel Farm.
Some Of the narratives told By the officers
were exceedingly graphic.
One OF the most interesting ciEcums auces
was the narration Of Capt. Miller, OF Carlisle,
who described the dash made by the two squad
rons detached and under his command that
were stationed TO the Confederate right and
south Of their line, within the open field. Al
the cavalry monument the Union officers took
up the tale and aided each other in pointing
out the several movements Of the cyentful day
a little friendly dispute arose as TO whether OF
not there had been for a brief period any with.
drawal Of his troops by Gen. Custer owing "a
an order reported sent by Gen Fitzpatrick
All the Michigan officers present declared thai
there had never been a single moments with
drawal on their part from the field. Capt
Wagner, Of Pennsylvania serving on the Firs
Brigade staf, confirmed this by showing thai
the misapprehension arose from the nature o
the ground, which led to Gen McIntosh's mis-
take
The whole affair was a genuine lovefeast
the Confederate officers being especially de
lighted az the manner in which they were re
ceiycd. This Reunion will, no doubt great,
aid the one proposed by Gen Sicklcs, Of tn
, representatives Of both armies at this point
on the 18th anniversary Of the battle Of Get
,, tysburg. This closed the great Reunion whcl
! had been in progress ever since the lst ia
! slant, during which time more than 5000
veterans jonrneyed from all parts OF the coun
try to the battlefield.