The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-07-05
GETTYSBURG.


toward Chicago, where the representa-
tives of the party that conducted the
war for the Union to its glorious termi
nation were assembled to choose their
standard bearers for campaign in be-
half of the preservation of the results of
that war. To-day all eyes are turned
toward Gettysburg, where, twenty five
years ago the Union army was engaged
in the second day of the mightiest and
mast decisive struggle OF the war.
How much history is taught by the
peaceful and fraternal gatherings of the
survivors of this tremendous fight, who
to-day are helping each other to find the
exact localities where signal displays of
gallantry or decisive encounters oc.
CURED on this historic field! How much
justifiable State pride is taken in the
monuments that are to be the silent
eulogists of the patriotic devotion and
conduct of the regiment, that left their
dead on this field. New Workers, es-
pecially, may well be proud of the fact
that this State had far greater number
of troops in this Pennsylvania battle
than even the State whose soil was in
vaded and whose capital was threaten
ed. 80
1t will be remembered that about 4
O'Clock in the afternoon of the I'd of
July Gen. Lees army began the assaults
of the Union lines at Gettysburg that
we're in such contrast with Its rec I'd for
fighting on the defensive. 1t was on
this day that Lees army was at its best
and that Its commander seemed to have
abandoned all his more conservative
characteristics. Gen. LonEstreet,s little
speech at the reunion of the First Corps
yesterday was masterpiece of terse and
vivid history. THE battle Of the second
day." said this thoroughly reconstructed
ex-Confederate, by
McLane's and Hoods divisions, and
part of Anderson's, was as spirited as
some of the dashing efforts of the first
Napoleon, but before the end it was
found to be work to upheave the noun
tain. That of the third day, by Pickett's
division and Trimble's marching 1900
yards under the fire of 100 cannon and
10, 200 of musketry, has no parallel, nor
is likely to have in the annals of war.
This battle scene recurs to my mind
with vivid force. The gallant Pickett
at the head Of my own division, and
Trimble of even bearing, like soldiers on
parade, holding their men to their des-
perate work; the set features of the
veteran brigadiers-Armistead, Garrett
and Kemper-Yigilant of their compact
files, the elastic steps of the troops whose
half. concealed smiles expressed pleasure
in their opportunity, marked period
that should fill the measure of soldiers
pride. And well did they meet their
promise of their parting salutations with
that confidence that commands success
where it ia possible. Their hammered
ranks moved steadily on till, marching
up, face to face, they fell their noble
heads at the feet of the foe, who, stand
ing like their own brave hills, received
with welcome the shock of this well adj
justed battle
Longstreet's just tributes to the gal
lantry, spirit and devotion of the Con
federates only enhance his cordial praise
Of the steady Northern heroism that
withstood charges that we're never ex-
celled, as regards all the heroic char
acteristics that poets have sung and his
torians have chronicled, And no one
can question LODgstreet's sincerity when
he said, by way of introduction to his
glowing tribute: Who may better at
test the bravery Of the defenders Of
Gettysburg than those who breasted the
measure OF battle against them, and who
could more forcibly realize that it was
their heroism that grasped the culminat
ing moment, resolved to resist the ad-
vanciug aspirations OF states sovereignty
with the firmness that was justified by
the strong ground upon which fortune
cast their lines"
During the quarter OF century that
has passed since this second days fight
closed without any decisive results for
either side, the whole world has learned
by heart, the story of the three days
trial of Northern and Southern valor,
endurance, military skill and fighting
qualities. Every phase Of this unique,
varied and prolonged battle has been
studied by the ablest military critics OF
the world, and the more its peculiarities
have become known the greater is the
admiration for the qualities that were
displayed by the fighters on both sides.
The no5lest characteristics of American
manhood were there displayed. On
this field there was the largest and most
effective demonstration Of the fact that
the Americans of to-day are the finest
type of manhood in the world, the
hardest and best fighters, uniting high
order of intelligence with herOism,
tenacity, unconquerable determination
and an individuality unknown in any
other race.
But the men who fought at Gettys-
burg were more than soldiers. And
those who fought there for the Union
were intelligent patriots who had far
higher aims than those of a military
character TO sustain them. To those
men it was that Lincoln paid his i'm
mortal tribute, ON the Gettysburg battle
field, when he said: