Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-10-21
A Visit to Gettysburgh.

For many years it has been our
purpose to visit the battlefield of Get
tysburgh, and we availed ourselves
of the privilege by falling in with the
Vermonters who went there to set up
and dedicate the state monuments
week before last. We left Vermont
on the seventh inst. amid pouring
rain: and while we had no enmity to-
ward the good old state, we were not
unwilling to hasten to some region
where we might get out of the mud
and drenching weather and into sun
shine. A party consisting of j. n.
Webster, DR.. A. NJ. Ruggles, the ed
itor and wife from this village; W.
W. Foster, S. A. Grow of Barton
Landing and w. b. Guild and
wife from Evansville, made up a
part of the delegates from this county.
We were met at Lyndonville by X.
A. Gray, and at ST. Johnsbury by
Rev. A. b. Blake and wife and Ed
win Reed. A dozen or more at St.
Johnsbury and others all along down
the state swelled the numbers until
several car loads were on the train at
Brattleboro, where a part took the
route to New London, the remainder
going by rail to New York direct.
At Brattleboro the rain ceased and
the run to the Sound was quick and
pleasant. Here the staunch, elegant
and speedy boat, "City of Worces-
ter" was in waiting, soon to leave
for New York. A run of eight hours,
ending at nine o'clock in the morning,
brought us safely to the great city.
To those unaccustomed to ride down
the Sound, through East River, under
the great bridge and along the busy
and teeming waters and wharves the
sights are pleasing and exciting.
Something of the great cities lying on
the islands can be seen, and some
idea had of the life and business of
this great center of population and
commerce. The Pennsylvania r. r.
boats come and return every
few minutes, and the party from the
boat and others from the city crossed
to Jersey City, where long train
(ten or a dozen cars) was waiting,
ready to start for a full through run
to the battle city. The ride was a
rapid one. The great Pennsylvania
r. r. is one of the largest, safest,
best-equipped and fastest roads
in the country. Four tracks run from
Jersey City to Philadelphia, and from
two to four through to Harrisbnrgh.
The train load contained nearly 500,
and included Senator Edmunds, Red
field Proctor, w. g. Veazey, Gov.
Dillingham;, Ex-Govs. Barstow, Pin
gree, Ormsbee, and very many of the
distinguished men of the state. There
were many ladies in the party, and
almost every organization of Ver-
mont troops had its representa-
tives. Brief stops at Philadelphia
and Harrisburgh and a run of three
hours on the Cumberland r. r. bro't
US to the quaint old Penn. town where
the great battle was fought. The
frosts of autumn have fallen all the
way along and the trees are in their
tinted robes, while the fields
are losing their green verdure and
putting on the somber brown of late
autumn. During the last hundred
and fifty miles the country is undu-
lating, fertile, land the farm buildings,
towns and cities indicated, what was
everywhere apparent, that the coun-
try is rich and prosperous. Great
corn fields in every direction and
barns filled to overlooking, with hay
stacks out of doors, show that the
seasons crop is enormous. This is a
winter wheat country, land large tracts
everywhere are sown to wheat, some
of which is well up already. The
town of Gettysburgh is situated neal
the south line of the state, in re.
gion that is comparatively level, tho
cut up somewhat by ridges with occa-
slonal hills. In the west and south
the Blue Ridge Mountains stretch
along in uniform height for many
miles. No country could be more in
viting to an enemy seeking invasion
than the Cumberland Valley. 1t was
at that time almost a vast area OF
wheat ''white for the harvest" The
towns of Gettysburgh, Chambers
burgh, Hagerstcwn, Carlisle, York
Hanover and the lesser villages con
tanned all that hungry, i'll clad ant
plundering army could need or desire
The roads and surface of the countr
were such that Gen. Lee could sen,
his corps or his cavalry wherever the
needed or chose to 60. He had S
we'll concealed his movements in has
tening out of Virginia that the Fede
raj army was some days behind in ell
tering Maryland and Pennsylvania
The story of the battle of Gettys
burgh is, perhaps, the most familis
of any history of battle in the +,
bellion. Most of the organization
which went out from Vermont we
there at the time of the battle. "
shall not need to write a full desert
tion OF the contest, but will brief
state the important facts connects
Herewith Gen. Lees army consis
ed of something over 100000 me
They were the bravest and best-dis'