Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-05-31

Cd by the immortal act of Emancipa-
ton by President Lincoln. This was
the period of the political general Sc
lcctcd to command not on account OF
the poascssion of military training
gained by experience i'll the army or
National Guard, but as Il reward for
services il politics.
The second period includes the year
1868, the victories of Gettysburg, Nicks-
burg. Lookout Mountain, Missionary
Ridge, ana other battles, the opening
of the Mississippi. the results of tn"
proclamation Of Emancipation, the en-
rolImCit Of slaves as soldiers of the re
public il fact the turning Of the tide.
The third period includes the
months from the appointment Of
Ulysses j.. Grant. Communicating chief
of the armies Of the Union to the
final breaking up of the Confederacy
ana the re-establishmcnt of the author
ity Of the United States.
Of all the engagements of the war,
The ono which pre-emnenty decided
the fate of the Union was the battle of
Gettysburg. Here upon the fertile soil
of the keystone state, the great issue
of The two civilizations was decided
forever and by the arbitrament of the
sword the right Of n state to secede
was denied for all future time. The
monument on Cemetery Ridge appro-
priatcIy marks the high water mark
of rebellion, and although it was nearly
two years before the war ceased, from
the day Lees shattered battalionS re-
treated across the Potomac the hope of
the chivalrous and intrepid South was
gone.
The great leader of the Union forces
on those fateful days never received his
full share OF praise and Major General
Geo. A. Meade died without the laurels
he deserved.
We cannot mention the history of the
war without there coming wildly to
mind the names of the great generals
who directed its armies; the triumvi-
r1tc on land was Grant. Sherman and
Sheridan: on the sea, Farragut, Foote
and Porter. while the Confederate
forces were led with even greater abil-
ity by Lee, Jackson and Johnston.
AS the years go by and the passions
and prcjudices of the awful conflict
have subsidized. the men who wore the
blue salute with lifted cap the courage.
the devotion. the unparalleled endur-
Gnce of their brothers who wore the
gray for are they not both Americans
Of common heritage and destiny?
The chasm which four years of vol
canic war had opened, was closed by
the patriotic devotion of all sections of
our united country during the brief
days of the victorious Spansh-Ameri-
can war. 1t was there that our Presi-
dent Mckinley, rising to- the true
heights of chivalrous brotherhood. ap-
pointed to lead our armies, General
Fftzhugh Lee and General Joseph A.
Wheeler. renowned ex-Confederates
Search the annals of history in vain to
find parallel of such magnanimity.
Let US turn, for moment, our
thoughts to Il contemplation of the
presetn and future destiny of our re-
united republic. One hundred days of
victorious war has added to our domain
more territory than England acquired
in one hundred years of foreign con-
quest. With it has come the added re-
sponsibilities of having, through no de-
sign of our own, become a world power.
Admiral Dewey had to leave Hong
Kong. a neutral port. within as hours
after the declaration of war: boldly he
put to sea with the terse order given
him to find the Spanish fleet and de-
stroy it. He found it in Manila bay
and between daylight and dinner. with
a respite for breakfast destined to be-
come famous in history. he shattered
the enemy's feet and lowered the flag
of Spain forever in the Orient. What
would our carping critics had him do?I
Sail away and leave the helpless Fill