The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-09-26

was-sone point IN Virginia. He was in a
while, ia a pretty hot place. and came back
Why, Captain. how IS II. how IS il you
said when you went up there yoa wanted 70
eat the Yankees how does il come thsf yen
are coming out2a II was there. lie replied
salad I did eat q little. but l dont want 10 be
a glHtson ali az once. The brethren OF the
South were instructed, and amply instructed
that the boys who come from The mountain
towns Of Pennsylvania. as well as from else
where in the North. were the equals Of any
man that was born in 4 southern cline.
No ceremony IS vain. no time IS mlsspent
which gives a right direction to human 6afy
or proper inspiration tor Individual pride,
and here to-day We have 4 ceremony Of that
character. We are here to-day for what pur-
poseg To perpetuate the names Of those
who died that this great country, this grand
government Of the people should not perish
from the face of the earlh- A few words OF
venerasion. possibly, would be sufficient for
me 70 perform The duty you have assigned
for ms. bur we must not forget the young
generAtion-these young ladies' with their
cheerful presence and their useful influence
these boys and young men who did not i've
when the noise and confusion Of war was III
the land. must realize that the responsibility
will soon rest upon them 10 take the pisces
of those who have gone before them, and
they Hrst be taught thai the sacrifices that
we're made BY these names were useful and
valuable for the purpose Of perpetgaiing oar
government.
Ny friends, when the war Of the rebellion
began there was no nation more unwaeliSe
than ours. For Gay years there mad been
no battle fought within oar borders. Thai
generation was ignorant OF war and its APP
Pointments. Military employment had
fallen into d~isrepect If not INTO disuse here.
All that generation knew Of war was TO see
the corn-stalk militia come into the commu-
nifty occasionally, and b. their peculiar jrili
excite the amusement AMI OCCASIONALLY the
derision Of the spectators. Why, a great
majority of our people did NOT know the
names even % our military subdivisions anil
the 3 100000 Of people then ~ have Co.,
01o,ooo to-day-had 50 great fifth in their
free republican institutions that they snecrcl
at the necessity even OF the pigIny military
establishment we had then in this country OF
about 10000 nen, and when the first wicket
gun Of rebellion was fired il startled tbe
country ike a thief in the night. Unacci,s-
toned TO military employment. confusion
followed consteraation Comrades. ladies
and gentlemen, do you recall the Incidents
that occurred on yodr streets in 1851, when
the first call TO arms came from the recor-
nized head Of the nation. Abraham Lncoln
Confusion followed c-0rsternaton. ny
friends, in your streets. The old and the
young We'd with each other the matron and
the maiden the mother with her first born
standing By her side, rivalins the pauiotisaI
OF the spartan matTon, was there giving hini
d word of eneouragcment-Go lake tie
shield aad return with it or upon IT,. ID
you recall the scenes ami The trials OF the
great ordeal that made heroes in every town
Of the country Three anxious years OF
bloody war, and often with uncertain re-
suits. Pause and reflect. What a lesson is
taught, what an example it se and to-day
our country IS stronger and better than ever
it was before.
Let me say right hers that ! believe it IS
the duty of every young man 70 inform him
self in regard to the history OF his country.
A short time ago was attending the exam
ination of a young man who proposed l
take up the profession OF Lw, which 7 think
IS one Of the greatest Profession in society.
Well, he was a graduate Of one Of our co.,
leges, yet, singular to say, he did not know
the nane OF a general or prominent officer
Of Pennsylvania who had participated in the
battle Of Gettysburg. and he did not know
the state that was proud Of the citizenship
Of the general who commanded upon that
occasion. 1 YVES surprised-simply because
his attention had not been called to &c..
While in the four years Of anxious war tins.
listen boys and girls, 2.7so,t7s men were en-
listed to follow the stars and stripes. 6so-
01O Of these may have been establishments.
leaving yet more than 100000 men ont OF a
population Of about 27.00.ojO. Two hf,lis
of the men able 10 do military duty we're in
the service. 60i.5G9 OF these wer killed ia
battle OF died in ac;nal service. or since from
disease there contracted. G3.Q00 men were
killed on tie field. and with those mortally
wounded o. 600 persisted in actual battle.
10000 men are reported on the rolls in the
hospitals during actual war dying from Dis
ease. Ont If 341,G70 soldiers graves more
than I00. 1000 ofthem are marked unknown.
Y a-..saN Zura-I-r~~r "a
hated spot in many respects. l went there
to see the Z. 5 Cemetery at that point, As
I went through the long avenues OF the
dead, / discovered l235 graves and I felt
sad as | turned to the right and turned 10
che left and met Unknown, unknown
unknown" OF these graves. I.ioG are
marked Unknown. have often thought,
my friends, that the man who went INTO
that prison shouid have inflated the exam
pie Of the heroes who. when they were or
dered to make the second charge in 1854 IT
the battle Of Cold Harbor, wrote their names
upon a piece Of paper and pinuei il upon
their backs, 80 that when the charge vas
over and their dead bodies found. their
friends could recognize their remains. /
have beer anxious also 10 know just how
many Of these men are surviving. Upon in
vesigation [ found tina there are row sur
viving Of you old veterausI .4500o o. In 800
it Is estimated there will be 1.20oo9o surviv-
ing. You are now one out Of every six Of
the total male Popuiation. IN 1911. taking
1863 as the middle period Of the war, and the
close Of the war ss 1s55-the year Of 1911
will be a. far ahead As il Is back to the close
Of the war-there will be according to fair
computation $4,000 veterans surviving. one
out Of a thousand Of the population tim.
Can Won tell the average age Of the men
who vent into the war ia 1861? 1 took oc-
casiou to make a calculation Of this With the
assistance Of the central military authorities
a. a matter Of instruction. The average age
Of enlistment was % years and, Of course.
there were many under hat age. Take 50
years hence and the boy Of 'GI who enlisted
a, Is years of age will then he's 50 years Of age,
he will then he t%otiering and feeble. But
some were as young as Il, l. and IS years.
Who was the youngest enlisted man has
never been settled. but ] will say for the in
formation of every one IN the audience that
many Of the most faithful soldiers l ever
saw in the field were boys vino vent in At
10 and 10 years of age.
Judge White then read some extracts from
The Richmond L9aieer ofJulY 90 in regard
to the action Of our government in diseon-