Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-04
TALK ON GETTYSBURG
Mr.. ROYAL DELIVERS HIS Lee
TURE on THIS GREAT FIGHT.
lie Contrasts the strength of The
Two Armies, Reviews Their Move
mcnts. and Censurcs LOngstrect for
Not Moving Promptly.

Mr.. william J.. Royal delivered his re-
vised lecture on Gettysburg" before O
representative audience at the Academy
Of Music last night.
Society. the professions, and the ants
were represented. and many prominent
men from the business walks Of life Yer,
noticed among the audience. The rigli
proscenium box was occupied by Goyerno
OFerran and a large party. and Mr
and Mrs. Caskic Caben. with severe
friends. sat in the left stage box.
alr. Royals lecture was listened I.
with close attention. Points IN the ad-
dress were illustrated by means OF a
colossal map. which was placed to the
left n the lecturer. UT. Royals brilliant
oratorical lights were frequently APP
plauded and at the close Of the lecture
he was twice recalled TO the stage.
THE FIRST DAYS RATILE.
Mr. Royal spoke first OF the numbers
I'm each army at Gettys5urg. IL said
that General Lee had less than o-,5lp
men. while General Meade had under ms
immediate command lo5,ov1. ana op'
more near him az Harper's Ferry, under
General French. with a large force on
his right flank under General Doucn-
not less than 1000. He said the o'nclal
records proved these statements beyond
question. .,-.,
He next sketched briefly the principal
events of the first days battle Guy lsO,
that came on through the accident
of General Heth moving towards Getiys-
burg 10 supply his division with SHOES.
This battle was very brilliantly lousht
uuon both sides, and resu tea ~ zig ii"l
victory for the Confederate. He then
graphically described the situation q u.
Two armies az dark Of July lst and al
liobt Of Julv "a. ana showed that General
Meade had IN Inns al light OF july u
only 1850 men with 500 more near az
hand In theiT camps, while Genera Lee
had Ia line. huggins Meade close, isH OF
FwelPs and HLu's corps. lie also sioWei
that Lee ordered LOngstreet 10 take lne
two divisions OF Hood and MclaWs ana
have them ready for attack az the earl
est possible moment hood ana MI
Laws were at the battlefield az hsht Oh
July "a. but Longstreet was SHOWN 10
have been pulling back from an allaeN'
LONGSTREEr AND LEES ORDER
The most striking part Of MI. koyali 5
lecture was his discussion ot the case a.
this point. He cited records 10 sho" lhal
Lee ordered LOngsureet 10 attack
Neade's ieft Hank IL daylight or TOE 20
and he also argued that, II Longstreet
mad attacked then. there was noihinS
10 oppose him. except the part OF tNe
Third Corps then up, which was IN camp
not expecting any attack, ana Mhich
could NOT have resisted Longsuee LOT "
moment Meades nearest force, not lhere'
was four miles away. and, II LonsstFeel
mad moved forward at sunrise, lie Wouiu
have pushed the part Of the Third corps
m already in a moment. and would nave
then been IN rear OF the First. Eleyentn
and Twelfth corps. which Ewen and I'M
would have been attacking in front, ana
all their corps must have been cut UP
and destroyed Mr.. Royal held that
General Longstreets failure 70 execute
General Lees orders 10 him prevented
General Lee from destroying Meade on the
morning Of July d. He quoted IN tnls
connection fiom an Grafton delivered by
the Hon Edward Everett o few years
after the battle. at the dedication az
Gettysburg OF the cemetery for soldiers
killed In the battle. IN the presence OF
Mr. Lincoln, several members OF his
Cabinet. many officials Of the army and
members OF Congress, and a great crowd
OF people In which Mr.. Everett eaid that
n the Corfederates had followed up their
victory on July LIST by an attack early
I'm the morning Of July 2d General
Meades army would necessarily have
been lost.
General Longstreet was criticised close
~, but not vnkindly. and sir. Royal
said that when battle was once Joined
Longstreet was one OF the most brilliant