New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-03
THEY WE'RE THE GUESTS OF THE BOYS IN BLUE
SPEECHES BY GENERAL sIcKLEs, GENERAL
GORDON AND oTHERs-THIRTY
THOUSAND PEOPLE AT
TnE REUNION.
FEY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUSE.l

ended twenty-thrcc wears ago, as it did, and that
the gallant survivors of both armies could stroll
about as friends on the field that their bravery
and stcadfastness had made famous Preparations
for this friendly meeting had been on foot for
two days and the vast crowd filled the broad open
space in front of the cemetery rostrum far
beyond the reach of any speakers voice. The
heartiness and unanimty of the applause, the
perfect good order and good nature of the assem-
blagc, all bore witness to the prevailing spirit of
the day Every time the blue and gray appeared
cntwned tic colors were greeted with a cheer:
Dixie Land and Yankee Doodle were the
melodies the listeners demanded. YanlI' and
q johnny" arm in arm set all the crowd applaud
ing.
Twenty thousand people tried to push
their way into the pretty cemetery Ten thousand
more hung around the granite walls which fence
in its closc-shavcn lawns and long glistenng lines
of whitish hcad-stoncs. They could not see the
ceremonies or hear the speeches, but there they
stood, patient and enthusiastic, waiting only for
the roll of applause from within to break into
rousng cheer of their own The people inside
were rewarded with many touching scenes and
much stirring oratOry On a platform crowded
with many illustrious soldiers and civilians, Cen
cral Sicllcs presided and made two three of his
customary clever speeches. Governor Gordon,
of Georgia made the speech for the veterans of
Northern Virginia, and Governor Beaver of Penn
sylvania, the speech for the Army of the Potomac
both in phrases which drew the hearts of the old
soldiers TO their mouths and mOistcned their checks
| The exercises at the cemetery were preceded by
the general meeting OF the Society of the Army Of
the Potomac in the Gettysburg Rink. After
! the routine business the Potomac veterans formed
! in line with the Confederate soldiers for the pa
radc to the cemetery. The regular cavalry, in
| fantry and artillery were put at the head of the
! column, about 400 strong. Then came the 9th
| Ncw-Yorll Regiment Colonel Seward commanding,
! 800 strong acting as escort to the veterans The
! Xew-Jcrscy militia were next, under Governor
! Green and staff Behind came bands without
! number. Grand Army posts, camps Of the Sons
Of Veterans. and miscellaneous organizations of all
! descriptions. Lees veterans were everywhere
dstinguishable by their gray coats and gray felt
hats with the letters c. "" on the front of the
crown There were probably 1000 of them on
| hand nearly all tall, lanS swarthy Virginians
from the western and southwestern part of that
! State.
Once in the cemetery, the rank and file of the
veterans took their places the lawn and the
| dgnitaricS mounted the rostrum. Besides the
| speakers there were present among hundred or
more wcll-known mcn: General L0ngs,rect, Gen
! cral Sl0cum Generals J. T. Carr. Richardson,
| Robinson, Nugcnt Graham Trcman and Barnum,
| Of Ncw-Yorll: ex-senator Warner Miller. ey-(iov.
crnor lIartranft, of Pennsylvania; Generals Ber-
dan, Fairchd. and Greene. General Rea, the
commanGcr-inchicf Of the Grand Army of the
| Republic Colonel Batchcldcr. of Boston; Cen
cial Grant, of Vermont: General s. Wylie Craw-
| ford of tie United States Army; eX-GOvcrnors
! Smith and IIolbroo1 of Vermont; General
! Rosecrans. Governor Ormsbcc. of Vermont: the
Rev Dr.. Twitchcll. Of Hartford; Colonel Parsons,
Of Virginia; General Hooker. of Mississippi;
George William Curtis Orlando b. Potter, General
George II. Sharpe, George Parsons Lathrop and
/ Ex-Governor Curtin, Of Pennsylvania.
TIE OPENING SPEECH BY GENERAL sICKLEs.
General John c. Robinson called the vast
! scmblagc to order and introduced General SclIles
as the presiding officer. He called on the Rev.
/ Dr. Twitchcll for prayer and then read from the
| typewriter sheets signally appro-
pirate and striking speech Hc was ap-
paudcd throughout and when ut the end
he called cn the veterans of both armies to unite
! in a pledge to the pcrpctuty of the Nation and
the defence of the Gag. there sounding chO-
rus Of ayes then burst of cheering in which the
sharp note oi'hc Rebel yell7 rang out even above
the Yankee hip. hip, hurrah.' Here is what
General SiclIics said:
This assemblacc marks an epoch. You survivors
!
here the decisive battle OF long and terrible civil war
twenty-five years have passed and the combatants
o 1868 together again on your old Held OF battle
pledges OF love and devotion to one Constu-
ton, Union and nag To-day there yictors,
no vanquishcd As Americans, we may all claim com
mon share in the glorles this battlefield memorable
many brilliant ftats Of No stain rests on
the coors OF any battalion battery or troop, that con-
tended here for victory Gallant Buford who began the
battle and brave Pickett who closed the struggle huy
represent intrepid hosts that for three days rvaed
each In titles martial renown. Among the hun
drcds Of memorial this field, there Is not
bearing inscription that wounds the SUSCEPTIBLE
ties honorable and gallant foe. This meeting is
historical event. We dedicate here on this battle
neld to-day altar sacred 10 and tranquility and
union. We the the seeds OF friendship between
communities and States and populations once hostile and
now rcconced We all share in the rich harvest rcapcd
by the whole country North and South. Fast and West
from the America born this battlefield when the
Republic consecrated her institutions to liberty and JUS
tlccs.
1t is sometimes said that It is not wise to perpcuate
the memories Of civil war and such Roman maxim.
civil not conspiracy against ruler 1t
was not the plot OF soldier to oust rival from power;
IL VS. a pronuncamcnto The conflict of 'dl-1 was
a war Of institutions and systems and policies 1t
revolution. ranking in importance with the French Rcyo
luton OF eighteenth century and with the English II yo
luton Of the seventeenth universal IN the benocent n
nuencc upon the drstnlcs OF this county and nnaccabe
in the footprints 1t made In the path
OF National progress Tho memories Of
such war indcstructibe our clyili-
zatlon The names OF Lincoln and Lee and Grant and
Jackson can be cllccd from annals The yaor
and forttude achievements of both armies
passed In any age demand record In American history.
and now that time and thought and
interests have sof;cnci all the anlmosltlcs OF
may bury them forever whilst cherish and Derpetuaic
os Americans the immortal heritage OF honor belonging
Republc that impcrshablc when IL became free.
The war of '0i-5 was heroic IL demonstrated
tho vitality OF republican institutions It illustrated the
uI and nj
soldier ard saor It was In which sentiments and
lde1s domnac interests The lavish sacrifices Of blood
aud treasure the unyeding onacty OF toe combatanis
the consancy and nfmness Of the people Of botn sides
men and women old and young rich and poor signa ID
the great conflict as the heroic age OF the Republic
| We now that the obstinacI Of the war on both
sides compelled settlement Of all the elements OF dis
union between the North and the South An earlier