The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-03-17

/ !. !. !
I>H I HlkN to be.
MI M@ Even its few sources
w llM of pride were plous
u y ones and consisted of
two buildings of rather
i0A pretentious but ancient
/, II a style of architecture
AL al n one on the north, the
Ke,N13 other on the west side
lMHkJ W. of the village-a semi
&NyAA.S nary and college, where
in there wrestling
more or less ambitious. with the old Hebrew
and Greek masters and shifty evasion-charac.
teristic of students with the new. aud where
theology as defined by Martin Luther was
taught with Godliness and the pulpit as object
i've points When it drew near to that intel
lectual crisis. Commencement Day" the stu
dents became apprehensive of public criticism
in lis varied FORMS and realized the necessity
of becoming acquainted with their own ideas,
and of having them "well in hand" when
out on oratorical dress parade, and of being
familiar with the sound of their own voices
when toned for the public ear.
In order to accomplish all this with the least
embarrassment to themselves and others, they
sought the seclusion of Round Top and Culp's
Hill, where they experimental on an eocu-
tionary gamut. aud practced manual of arms,
in order to evolve gestures that would be some-
what more graceful than the handle of the
town pump in action.
Their preparatory exercises in this line in 1863
were abruptly and imperatively terminated.
There was a war in progress away oil some
where down South; but about this time and
most unexpectedly, it came up North, and the
| Flower of the South that gray blossom of
the plant we used to call "the rebellion y
was thrust as no peace Offering under Northern
nostiils, its aroma of powder and smoke valllng
the face and sitting the breadth of the Key
stone State; and SO it came to pass that the
g INN
crevices of Round Top and the wooded nights
of Culp's Hill were lost in the voice OF battle,
for the Army of the Potomac came and dedca-
ted those hills to the Nation. -.r
When victory spread her crimson hands in
benediction over the conquerors their brothers
in gray, wounded and dying, crept under the
shelter Of those two theological wings, and rested
where mercy found them; for loyal eyes grew
color-blind under the shadow of death, and
loyal hearts gave such aid and comfort to the
enemy as humanity dictated and conscience
justified.
The people of Gettysburg aud surrounding
neighborhood had hardly emerged from the
obseurity of their cellars, into which they had
generally been assisted by misguided cOntribu-
tons of shot aud shell from the batteries, and
began to breathe with a sense Of unadulterated
security at finding that the able-bOdied ag-
grcssve part Of the army had started away on
a march in allegro action, when new trouble
| came They were besieged by visitors, rela-
tives and strangers-people who came from
miles around to see what battlefield looked
like. In q great many cases their sense of
sight and smell overpowered curiosity while
yet long way off, for the deserted camps of
tho army and the strong intimations of the
impromptu meat mark ct that had followed in
its wake were paralyzing to the sensibllities
of the new coHers, with whose weakness the
| inhabitants had scant sympathy. They had
- III SLxr.
| forcibly expressed it, the army had camped
| ali over them and fought all over them" They
had shared in the general excitement and in
! the general Generalization incident 10 battle,
| and now that it was over, and their homes filed
| with wounded men, they had weighter mat
| ters than smells to think Of Moreover, their
| having been compelled to stay under ground
and live on bill of fare entirely unpremedi-
tated and uncertain, was not conducive to ami
ability, and they were neither in the humor
nor the circumstances to welcome guests.
Those of the visitors who had nerve and
| other bracing accessories to support them, went
over great part Of the contested ground, and
| filed their pockets and reticnles with bullets
! and buttons cut off dead soldiers jackets, and
! such other debris of battle as they could carry.
The Eagle Hotel was at that time the prin-
| cipal hostelry in Gettysburg. and at meal-times
| these people stood around, men and women, in
all stages of temper, scolding because they
| could not find accommodations In vain were
they told that there was temporary famine
| in the hotel, and indeed in every house in the
town. They were hungry, and they abused
every one, from the gentlemanly proprietor
down to the servants, and denounced the peo-
pie of Gettysburg and its vicinity as mean
and stingy." / recall one exception to the
general feeling of sefshness that seemed to
prevail among them. 1t was out in Hon. Ed
| ward McPhersons woods where Gen. Reynolds
\ I -
were still lying on the 5th of July. One lone
sexton had been hiding the black and swollen
bodies as rapidly as he could, and yet dozens of
them were still resting there. The pastures in
which thoy lay seemed to tell pathetic stories.
One was lying with his arm under his head ;
another leaning over the neck of his dead
horse, his right arm thrown caressingy around
it, his hand resting on its head. At another
place they seemed to be lying in group. as
though they had drawn near to each other for
ompanionship. No face among them was rec
equitable. as these men had been among the
first that were killed, and of course those near
est the town had been buried first. This man
of whom speak, gentleman delicate and re-
fued in appearance, walked thoughtfnlly
around among the dead, and the sexton said
to him: Are You looking for any one in par
ticuar, sir?" mo" said he" "thank God,
no." but get me spade, my friend. and will
help you with this work; it is awful and
shameful, no one to even cover these boys OF
ours with leaves; the very birds would do that
much for them, if left them sou
Citizen John Burns, suffering from his
wound, was having time to reflect, and if there
was any doubt in his mind as to the wisdom OF
his vslorous conduct he was careful not to e1-
press it. To his neighbors he was common
place John Burns and in the role of hero
they did not recognize him. They sympathized
with him, to a certain extent, but not few oil
them quietly termed his heroic action " a fool
hardy adventure" and forgot all about it until q
newspaper reporter. with unbiased views and
potent pencil, found him and drew halo oil
herosm around the old gentlemans head, and
Bret Harte transformed his bell crowned hat
into crown Of glory. and the local photog.
rapher got negative Of him by Offering
good-sized royalty as an inducement with the
proceeds of which his dilapidated home was re
paired and the old hero made comfortable fol
life.
| In 1863 Gettysburg had only one railroad, q
branch SO small that it narrowly escaped being
! twig. 1t was singuarly inadequate as
means of TRANSFORMATION after the battle Al