The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-16
VETERANS At GETTYSBURG
Monument to Fallen Members Of the
l43d Regiment Dedicated.
ADDRESS BY A. j. COLBORN, JR
Brilliant Review of tho Scenes Which
Have Mddc the Dattlc Ground Famous.
Eloquent and Mastery Tribute TO
the Living and Dead Heroes.
IConcluded from Page IL

pest of crying shrieking, bursting shells.
The Union guns and other batteries a!ong
the line replied. The roar of the opehinS
battle thundered away far to the right,
the lines were formed at once and the men
lay down on the ground. After TINS IRON
storm ragged for time the men WIZ
messed u sight that will never be forsot-
ten. Emerging from the woods on me
slopes opposite the left solid bodies OF IN
fantry marching 10y columns of battalion
came steadily toward the Union Nne.
their bayonets scintillating In the sun
light, as if atlame. On they came uhtil
they crossed the little stream, and there
deployed into four distinct lines or battie
as steadily as IL on parade. Scarcely couli
II be realized that those men were march
ing toward the Union line, In the DriSnt
sunlight, with deadly intent. Heretofore
In Virginia the confederates had been
partially screened in their approaches. but
now ali was like a panorama spread be-
fore the Union lines. From those lines
could be seen shells tearing, first through
their column then through the lines CT
battle, making wide gaps and throwing
up clouds of dust. They falter but a mo-
ment: the ranks are closed again, and like
dark tide. on flowed their advance
What chance have the thin Union ranks
against those four distinct heavy battle
lines advancing to assault them? TWO
ranks of Union men-the confederates
eight-but not man in that third line
flinched; there was a dead-set and deter
mined expression on each mans face. Al
the foot of the hill the Union cacnnon could
not be SO depressed as to harm them The
time had come for the use or the more
deadly small arms. \ momentary halt
VIII they assault? The old rebel yell
rings out: forward they rush Our own
cannons were believing above us. The
shells of the enemy We're shrieking over
our heads. There was continuous CRASH
Of musketry that sounded like a iierce
devouring prairie fire, yet above all thlS
babel of horrid sounds could he heard the
shouts and yells of the combatants. and
the shrieks and groans OF wounded ana
dying men. The thin Union lines were
beaten back from sheer weight OF mum.
bers. There were desperate hand-to-hand
encounters. hair-breadth escapes ana
strange episodes. At last the enemys
fire slackened a little, while with woitish
eyes they We're watching every chanee 10
intervals till late in the night. The morn
ing sun of July sent down its rays like
fiery darts. and saw battery after battery
brought into position. The most terrific
combat the world had ever known was
about to take place. Well might every
man doubt whsther anything could sur.
vive the concentrated fire OF those reoei
guns. Well might he dread the eHect or
the awful cannonade upon our lines OF IN,
fantry that lay upon the ground behind
such slight shelter as they could hnd. AZ
last the rebels fired single gun. Almost
instantly a flashing line of light swept
along their massed batteries. a perfect
torn of iron swept through the air.
But this was but the prelude to the in
fernal symphony that followed The very
earth beneath. and the hills, ana rocks,
seemed to reel like drunken men. And the
horrible din was doubled when our batter
les opened. For nearly two hours this
most terrific fire was continued. during
which time the shriekirg shell, the crash
of falling timber. the fragments OF rocks
flying through the air. shattered from The
cliffs by solid shot. the heavy mutterings
from the valley between the opposing
armies. the splash of bursting shrapnell
and the fierce neghing of wounded artl.
lery horses made picture terribly grand
and sublime. which artist cannot deuict.
nor tongue describe. a light wind lifted
the cclouds Of smoke.
Thank God, our lines were unbroken.
All honor to the steadfast men who had
kept their places through the most awful
artillery combat ever waged.
Like Wide Blue Ribbon.
For nearly two mortal hours the infan-
try had been obliged to lie still, and see
their comrades on every side torn and
mangled to death. But like wide blue
ribbon as far as the eye could reach there
they lay. with the sunlight glittering on
their polished muskets. But those below
ing guns were soon to be forgotten. Their
part in the bloody drama was to be super
ceded and sight was to be witnessed that
can never be surpassed. Behold, from
the woods on the crest Of the ridge oppo-
site, over a mile away. came long lines of
infantry. Our position was to be assault
ed. The dead and wounded were carried
to the rear and the army stripped itself
like an athlete, for the final struggle.
Our batteries opened with solid shot at the
distant rebel infantry, but there was no
hesitation: on the line came. 1t seemed as
though 1t were the launching of human
thunderbolt. All ever witnessed in No-
man amphitheaters was childs play in
enemy seemed to have gathered up all
their strength and desperation for one
fierce, conclusive effort. that would sweep
over and wash out our obstinate resist
ance. They swept up as before; the flower
of the army to the front; victory staked
upon the issue. In some places they ac-
tually lifted up and pushed back our lines;
but that terrible position Of ours! Wher-
ope-half score of crests swept away their
columns like merest chaff; yet on they
came. They were in point blank range.
From one hundred iron throats their ar
tillery had been laundering on our bar~i-
c3des. AS the tempest of fire approached
its height: and this human torrent. shrink
ing and diminishing, flowed on; the order
at last came. "Fire.' and from thrice six
thousand guns came sheet of smoking
fame, a crash, a rush OF leaden death.
came the second line like dark resist
less wave, tipped with light as the sun
g!inted on their bayonets through riffs Of
smoke. 1t had been our one supreme ef-
fort on the moment: we were not equal
TO another. Up to the rife pits they came
across them--over tho barricades. the
momentum of their cha rye. the mere ma
chine strength OF their combined action
swept them on. Our thin line could fight,
but 1t had not weight enough to oppose
this momentum. 1t was pushed behind
the guns. Right on they came. They
were upon our guns-were bayonetting the
gunners-were waving their flag over our
pieces. But they had penetrated to the
fatal point. The crimson wave of treason
had reached It's highest mark. A storm Of
grape and canister tore its way from
man to man. and marked It's track with
dead bodies straight down their lire.
They had exposed themselves to the en-
fllading firing Of the guns on the western
slope of Cemetery Hill, and the flank at
tack Of Doubledays division of the old
First corps. Of which the One Hundred and
Forty-thlrd regiment formed part. That
exposure sealed their fate. The line recled
back in an instant in fragments. Our
men were just behind the guns. They
1caped forward upon the dsordered mass;
hut there was little need of fighting now.
That charge had been a fruitless sacrifice.
They gathered UP their broken fragments,
formed their line, and slowly marched
away. 1t was not rout; 1t was a bitter.
stinging. crushing defeat. For once The
Army OF the Potomac had won clean,