The Washington critic., 1888-07-03
WASHINGTON CRITIC
AT GETTYSBURG.
a Score of Monuments Dedicated on
the Battlefields.

p
the Blue and Gray at Gettysburg.
Yesterday morning the "Irish" Brigade
celebrated solemn requiem mass for their
dead comrades. The Excelsior Brigade's
monument was dedicated, as was also
those of Green's Brigade Battery ID,
First New York Artillery, Captain Thos.
w. Osborn of New York city delivering
the Grafton; the Sixty-second New York
anderson zouavesl, Hon Edward
New York, on the Second Corps line the
One Hundred and Forty-ninth New
York, General Henry A. Barnum, the
former colonel of the regiment, being the
orator the Fourth New York Independ-
ent Battery, at the DEVILS Den; the
Eghty.sixth New York, with Charles III.
McMaster, ESQ.,. as orator; the sixty
eighth Pennsylvania (Scott Legion)
on the highest crest of the exposed ridge
at the peach orchard, the orator was
Hon. Harry g. Boyer; the Ninety.eighth
Pennsylvania, J. +. Loeble delivering the
Grafton; the One Hundred and Forty-fifth
New York, General George II. Sharpe as
orator; the One Hundred and Tenth
Pennsylvania, with Captain ]. O. M.
Hamilton as the orator; the Forty-first
New York Infantry; the One Hundred
and Fifth Pennsylvania, with Rev. III. Il,
Mcclellan as orator; the Sixty-second
Pennsylvania, where General j. b.
Sweitzer made the speceh the Fifty
second New York, the monument repre-
senting soldier reclining behind huge
rock, with his gun at the ready" the
Fifteenth New York Battery's monu-
ment, formed of slab of granite, with
the figure of a cannon and gunner cut in
bas relief on the front, and the Ninth
New York Cavalry, Lieutenant.Colonel
w. q. Bently delivering the Grafton at its
monument, which has a large bronze
plate in the front, representing q cavalry
man on his horse and just discovering
the enemy"
The ceremonies of laying the corner
stone of the Memorial Church began at
o'clock. After the prayer Bishop Howe
of the Central Diocese of the Episcopal
Church laid the cornerstone with inn
presslve ceremonies. Addresses were
made by Hon. William Mclean, Reys.
Morrow, Powell and Ege,
The Army Of the Potomac met at 3
o'clock in the rink. General Joshua
Chamberland was elected president, and
the next meeting will be at Orange, N. j.
The parade was then formed, and, led by
General Gibson, marched through the
town to the cemetery, where the exer-
cises were held. General Robinson called
the assemblage to order at o'clock, and
introduced General Sickles, who said:
"This assemblage marks an epoch. You
are the survivors of two great armies.
You and your comrades fought here the
decisive battle of long and terrible civil
war. Twenty-Five years have passed and
now the combatants of '63 come together
again on your old field of battle to unite
in pledges of love and devotion to one
Constitution, one Union and one flag.
To-day there are no victors, no van
quished. As Americans we may all de-
rive a common share in the glories of this
battlefield, memorable for so many bril-
liant feats of arms. No stain rests on the
colors of any battalion, battery or troop
that contended here for victory. Gallant
Buford, who began the battle, and brave
Pickett, who closed the struggle, fifty rep
resent the intrepid hosts that for three
days rivalled each other in titles TO mar
tial renown. Among the hundreds of
memorial structures on this field, there is
not one bearing an inscription that
wounds the susceptibilities of an honor
able and gallant foe.
"This meeting is an historical event.
We dedicate here on this battlefield to-day
an altar sacred to peace and tranquility
pd Union. Wesow'the seeds of friend
i Zip between cofnmunities and States and
( ppulations once hostile and now recon-
ped. We an share in the rich harvest
Il capped by the. whole country, North and
4 outh, East and West, from the new
.merca born on. this battlefield, when
J lhe Republic consecrated her constitu-
, ions TO liberty and justice, ut IS said that
HlS ffOt Wlnt 10 DeTDtbuaItlb
A e civil war, and such was the Roman
q Aaxim. But our civil war was not mere
knspiracy against a ruler; it was not q
ffot of q soldier to GUST rival from
'ower 1t was not pronunciamento
he conflict of 1915 was war of insti-
ltions and systems and policies.
ut was a revolution, ranking in inn
ortanee with the French revolution of
le eighteenth century, and the English
Evolution Of the seventeenth. Unlver-
sal in its beneficent influences upon the
destinies OF this country, and inetfaceable
in the footprints 1t made in the path of
our national progress. The memories of
civilization. The names of Lincoln and
Lee, aud Grant. and jackson, can never
be efiaced from our annals. The valor and
fortitude and achievements of both ar
mics, never surpassed in any age, demand
record in American history, and now
that time and thought, common sense
and common interests have softened all
the animesities of war, we may bury
them forever, whilst we cherish and per-
petuate as Americans the immortal heri-
tage of honor belonging to Republic
that became imperlshable when it became
free.
''The war of '6l-5 was our heroic age 1t
demonstrated the vitality of Republican
institutions. 1t illustrated the martial
spirit and resources and genius of the
American soldier and sailor II was q
war in which sentiments and ideas doml-
mated interests. The lavish sacrifices of
blood and treasure, the unyielding tenac-
firinness of the people on both sides, men
and women, old and young, rich and
poor, signalized the great conflict as the
heroic age of the Republic. We now see
that the obstinacy of the war, on both
sides, compelled u settlement of all the
nHa Ra hot
and the South. An armed peace might
have been mere truce, to be followed by
recurring hostilities. We fought until the
furnace of war melted all our discords and
moulded us in one homogeneous nation.
Let us all be devoutly thankful that
God has spared us to witness and to share
the blessings bestowed by Providence
upon our country, as the compensation
for countless sacrihces made to establish
on just and firm foundations Govern.
ment of the people, by the people, and
for the people
For myself, rejoice that am here
to-day, to meet so many comrades and SO
many foes, and to unite with all of you in
pledges of friendship and fraternity. And
now ask you, one and all, the survivors
of the blue and the gray, to affirm with
one voice our unanimous resolve Ia
maintain our Union, preserve our institu.
tions and defend our flag"
Governor GOrdOn's Address.
He was followed by Governor Gordon
of Georgia, who sad:
"MR, PRESIDENT Ann FELLOW-SOLDIERsi
| greet You tonight with far less treplda
tlon and infinitely more pleasure than in
the early days Of July 1868 when last
met you at Gettysburg. ] came then, rs
now, to meet tile soldiers of the Union
army, II would be useless to attempt ut
tcgance to the thoughts which now thrill
my spirit. The temptation is to draw the
contrast between the scenes which then
were witnessed and those which greet us