Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-06-07
Few. A. N. Sees Decoration Day
Address.
lContinued trom laet week.l

1t may be expected by some that / will tell OF
some great exploits of war and how we enjoyed
the bayonet charge when meeting the enemy in
line of battle, crossing bayonets and cOntending
Tor the mastery. Or where we charged loyfu'ly
upon the loaded cannon, and what fine time we
had capturing the battery or how we met the
cavalary charge and emptied the saddles. You
have seen the cycorama of Missionary Ridge or
Gettysburg miIy be, and fancied 1t must have been
grand to be there. YOn have read the accounts OF
battles, by army correspondents, describing them
in glowing h. rms, but you have but faint con-
cepton of what battle is, and cannot tell you
so yon can have any better idea The army cor
respondent of the London Times was at Long
streets headquarters viewing the battle Of Gettys-
burg when Picketts brigade made its famous bay
Onet charge on the miOH ines supported by
Pettigrews brlgade the total number In line
when they started was $4,000; they charged across
the plain swept by union batteries from round
top To Cemetery Ridge, that plOwed great burrows
through their ranks at every fire, but the lines
were quickly closed again, and they swept on with
lines dressed az dress parade and never fater-
ing in their march, headed for the left center Of
our lines where Doubleday was posted behind a
stone fence with 2,t0O men, to avoid them they
bent to the left, which exposed them to a severe
flank fire, still they pressed on till Petigrew was
within 800 yards Of HancOCk's line, which had re.
served its fire till now; the order was given to
fire, and almost in moment the charging column
was nearly amin Hated; PiCketts men pressed on
till they met Gibbons front, they charged over
to hand fight with dubbed muskels, bayOnets
and revOlYers, and they were finally driven back
over the wall and down the hill that was swept
by artillery and musketry 20 that no man could
live standing up,and they lay down on the ground
and surrendered, the command was almost ami
hilOted, not more than one in four escaping As
the army correspondent viewed the long lines
, marching fourth with their Colors flying and
ranks dressed, and so quickly closed up when
gap was made by the artillery of the enemy, he re.
marked 10 Longstreet that ia the grandest sight
/ ever witnessed, would not have missed for a
thousand dollars Longstreet's reply was 81
would; that charge has lost the day" and he was
right
1t makes a wonderful difference the standpoint
from which we view things, IL is one thing to
view bayonet charge from the standpoint OF an
army correspondent and quite another to view it
from the point Of the bayOnent and viewed from
the point of the bayOnet there is nothing lovely
about 1t, and may say the same with regard TO
war in any place, where called to meet the enemy
there is nothing pleasing about il and the soldier
that thinks he enjoyed the battle, has forgotten
some things about IT. think.
DO not dear friends, suppose because we some
times at our camp.fres tell the story Of the pust
struggle with seeming relish and pleasure, that
we enjoyed 10 then. We are viewing it from q
different standpoint now from what we did then
We are viewing it from q standpoint thirty years
uistant, safe standpoint, then not always sale.
We can tell about the days we were without food,
ana about drinking from the mud holes where
that the mules had dropped on the ground kerr
mel ut time and eating IT, we can tell of our ex-
posure to the sun aud storm and battle charge,
nut II was not pleasant then. Do not blame us If
we try to get all the enjoyment out of it we can
now, we will not have u chance to enjoy 1t 10
gather very long. Bear with us then for q little
time but these would not be proper for a memoir
! ial occasion. Neither shall attempt to laud the
living l would however, If possible benefit the
living by the lessons Of the hour, and | fear
sometimes the lesson has not been as profitable
us It might be. The object IL TO honor the dead
and keep alive the spirit of patriotism, yet it
! seems to me We should DO IL in such way as not
To encourage desire for war but rather the re-
verse. We are To seek peace and pursue it, "In
US much as In you lieth, live in peace with all
men" IL the Injunction Of the Apostle Paul, and
we should do Lnis. Our victories have been of
peace, In the arts, inventions, intellectual and
social achievement 1t has been our boast that
we had no standing army and needed none, our
enemies across the water said we could not cope
with an Instruction at home on this account,
but we showed them that we could, and that we
could IN an incredibly snort time raise an army
and equip and drill them that would equal tue
armies Of the old world We nave astOnisned the
| old nNtioDs and compelled them TO respect us aud
our flag wherever 1t floats, on sea or land, We
have taken front rank among the nations OF the
Word AZ u war power without standing army,
and have showed them that when the emergency
was over, our citizen soldiers could return 10 the
pursuits OF peace as before, we have also showed
them within the last year that we can Outstrp the
world in the extent and variety of our improve
ments and can make bigger show than all the
rest together. We have astonished the world by
our cOnquests of peace, well rs war. We
shOnld on this occasion so honor the dead az TO
profit by the lessons of the past aud avoid war il
possible, nonorably have we not sometimes caused
the younger ones to regret that they have no such
chance to distinguish themselves as their fathers
had!
A minister said to me one time that he was
cory that he was too young tu have been
in1 the army. My young friends You may
rather rejoice that the war was before your day.
would II could pant the picture OF war in its
true cOlOrs with all It's heliish barbarity,
its Hendsh cruelty, its destruction OF moral prin
CipIes, its deadly hate and ia murderous work.
would open the gaping wounds Of the thousands
that fell fighting, would tIke you " the beds OF
laose that for years have suffered thousand