The Portland daily press., 1897-10-16
THE OLD PEACH TREE
Are Interested in It-PIanting its Seed in
thelNorth.

The Worcester Saturday Observer prints
story which will be of interest to the
former members of the Third Maine In
fantry, and veterans in general.
The peach stone spoken of, was one Of
the lot that came from the reunion IRE
ferred to in the article) held at Oakland,
Me-, in 1888, where the three baskets of
peaches were sent. The Observer says:
''Lieut. H. A. johnson has historical
peach tree at his home in Fruit street.
that has, this year, brought forth its first
yield of fruit. The tree was raised from
a stone that came from the Gettysburg
battlefield orchard.
"In July, 1888, Lieut.. johnson made
q pilgrimage to Gettysburg, after an alb
sence of a gu arter of q century to day,
in company with f. A. Easton, Gen.
Josiah Pickett and George H. Hubbard
Paying visit to the peach orchard, it
occurred TO him that it would be interest
ing and novel to have sent north, for the
reunion of the Third Maine regiment, a
supply of peaches from the famous or
chard.
According, in August, 1888, John L..
three crates OF ripe peaches, and they were
eaten at the regimentaI reunion.
The famous peach orchard was occu-
pied by Sickles Corps, and just where
the fruit was raised the Third Maine in
fantry had its tiercest encounter, and sus-
tanned heavy loss. This was the most adj
vanced position held by the Union lines
on the Union left during the three days
battle, with the single exception of the
position held by the same regiment when
1T valorously engaged portion of Long
streets corps on the morning of the Cd.
with the shipment of peaches, Lieut..
johnson received notable letter from
Mr.. Sherfay, from which the following is
quoted:
This orchard was occupied by Sickles'
corps, and just here where this fruit was
grown was where your regiment, the
Third Maine Infantry, had its fercest en-
counter with the enemy, when you lost
many men. The position occupied by
the Third corps in my orchard being SO
advanced and isolated, made it one of ex-
trene peril, and Longstreet, who saw the
position, thought he could break your
division by a concentrated fire of artillery
and then crush you out of existence by
his vast mum bers of infantry. and if his
plans worked as he hoped, he would be
master of the situation and have an al
most unobstructed read open to the key
OF the position, Big and Little Round
Tops, then but feebly protected.
The result is well known, for the
plan was carried out as arranged, ssand
after as severe contest as veteran men
ever saw, by force of superior numbers,
your men were obliged to retire from the
orchard. just here is where the work of
S1ckles came of value. Not only had he
killed and wounded hundreds of Long
streets men, but he had delaye ed the ad-
vance OF this fighting body of southerners
SO long, that it had given Meade time to
hurry up troops for the protection of the
Round Tops, and when Longstreet at
foe worthy of his steel where he had
expected to find only a few and
weakened body of beaten soldiers.
Here the battle again waged hot and
nerce. 1t was give and take; first in
favor OF the blue, then the gray; but at
last the beaten but honorably d feated foe
sullenly falls back to the Emmitsburg
road, and the days fighting on this part
of the line is over. My house, as you
konw. is situated on this road, and mid
way between the lines and the marks CT
shot and shell are yet freely seen on the
walls and the trees
Many of the veterans who attended
the 1888 reunion of the Third Maine car
ried away with them peach stones to
plant. From the stone planted by Lieut..
johnson there mas sprung up a handsome
peach tree, which this fall was loaded
with fruit for the first time. The yield
amounted to more than a busheI. The
peaches are Of fine color and size. and
Lieut.. johnson expects to have yearly
yield of the fruit that sprung from the
historic and bloody field in PennsyIa
Yania.'