Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-22

taken that hill had he known how weak we
really were" said General Howard. I'm not
sure that he could have done that. Slocum
was not far away and my men were all in
good condition. Certainly he would have
had a very hard fight before taking posses
sion, and then II would have been over our
dead bodies" ApplauseJ General Howard
paid a beautiful tribute TO General Hancock
He declared that he was most gallant sol
dier and his work in rallying the troops at
Gettysburg could hardly have been sur
pessed.
That night Generals Slocum, Sickes and
Howard remained together near the gate
Of the old lodge General Howard declared
that the cup Of coffee he there received tasted
better than anything else he ever received.
When General Meade came up, slocum said:
General this is good place to fight FROM
Meade replied, I'm glad OF 1t, for it's too
late to leave 1t now"
1T was a curious magnetic feeling that
went through that whole long line the next
day." said the lecturer. THE feeling of
suspense just before great battle is some
thing awful, Down the line went the word.
BE ready. They're coming, boys First 1t
was shot, then II was a perfect storm OF
shot and shell. In three minutes the earth
shook with the tremendous rumbling, caused
by the firing OF over 500 cannon. Men and
horses were falling all around us. Sckles'
battery did remarkable work there. He had
delayed Longstreet a whole hour in reaching
hio objective point, Little Round Top. 1t
was an awful fight, that flank fight. 1t be-
came a hand to hand fight and in that hot
July evening many wearers OF the blue and
of the gray fell together. That was the high
tide of the rebellion. 1t never reached
higher point.
LAST GREAT STRUGGLE.
"At o'clock the next morning the firing
commenced. Each side was ready to take
the offensive. For six mortal hours that
dreadful struggle lasted. ! slept in fam
lily lot in the cemetery there until 8 o'clock.
I was awakened by firing that at first sounded
like the patter of rain, then like the fall of
hail and then it grew into regular storm.
You may have thought it impossible for me
to sleep but l was worn out with many
days exertion, and had had but little or no
rest. The first word that came to me was
from General Meade. 1t was, General Slo-
cum is regaining his lines The main OBJ
ject was TO prevent any movement around
our left flank.
"At 2:3O O'Clock we ceased firing. 1t
was not because we ran short of ammunition,
we had an ample supply We presumed that If
we stopped firing the enemy would advance.
Their latter movements showed that we were
correct. On they came in one immense
line The gaps that we made in theit line
were quickly filled. Simultaneously every
part of that line began firing. So thick was
the smoke from the heavy firing that moth
luS CUulu De Steu lUT HNt w Heu
the smoke had cleared away / saw our men
jumping out on the field, advancing in dis
order and capturing confederate flags"
In conclusion General Howard said that the
carnage Of that battle so appalled, him as to
make him think more of peace and of good
will to man than he had ever done before
He closed with an earnest appeal for univer-
sal peace and declared that none desired it
more than soldiers who agreed with General
Grant when he said Let us have peace"