The National tribune., 1902-09-11

sand miles toward the far-eastern center of
this broad national dish or platter that
we proudly call, "The Land of the Free"
which contains more of the blessings of
Liberty and the comforts of life than can
be found in any other country upon which
the light of the sun descends. Surely the
men who died at Gettysburg gave not their
lives in vain, for by the blood of the brave
was preserved this imperial heritage. The
village also, and the battlefelds around
it, upon them what q change the years
had wrought. The town that was found
ed by James Gettys in 1850, after whom
it was named, and which became the
County seat of Adams County, Pennsyl-
yania, in 1900, was only village still in
1868, with population of about 100
people. In 1900 it had grown to be beau
tiful city of from 1000 to 5000 inhabi-
tants. The picturesque hills that served
as positions of attack and defense, and
which blaZed and thundcred with the light
nings of death and the vOlleys of destruc-
ton during those fierce July days in 1868,
were traced throughout their length in
1900 with smooth and beautifully -macad-
miZed avenues, adorned on either hand
with memorial stones, that mark and
designate the positions held by the grim
lines Of battle in the days Of war.
THE MEETING OF THE WAYS.
Beautiful for situation is Gettysburg,
fairest and most glorious among the bat
tlefelds of the Earth; city of monuments,
adorned in the garments Of Peace, en-
vironed with the memorials of War, where
Heroism and Patriotism have written their
mighty deeds of valor and endurance in
lines SO deep, SO everlasting that Time
himself may not efface their memory.
A half-mile to the east, the sparkling
nf IN
the southeastward, until lost in the over
shadowing woods that darken the rocky
slopes of bold Culp's Hill.
Northward the fair, undulating valley,
with its wealth of garden, field, orchard
and meadow, stretches far ard far away.
To the west, 1G0 yards distant, the Luth-
eran Theological Seminary crowns the
summit Of Seminary Ridge, which extends
in north and south direction far as the
eye can reach. From Seminary Ridge
westward for 1000 yards the country
slopes away in undulating swells to Will
loughby Run.
South of the city, like the hanging gar
dens Of Babylon Of old, rises Cemetery
Hill, which is prolonged to the east and
southeastward for more than q mile by
| that rugged and rocky ridge known as
Culp's Hill. Cemetery Hill is also pro-
longed to the southwestward by the EN-
mitsburg Road Ridge until it intersects
the Seminary Ridge two and a half miles
away, and southwark by an interior ridge
which terminates two and a half miles
distant in Round Top, the glory of the
hills, overlooking all the surrounding land
scape. Southwark from Round Top the
valley of Rock Greek spreads out and
| away beyond the ken of human vision.
| A dozen highways lead into and con-
| verge at Gettysburg, and they were all
there in 1863. Across the streams, along
the ridges, threading the valleys, over the
! hills they came, from the north, from the
south, from the east and from the west,
and it was owing to the fact that Gettys-
burg stood in 1863 as she stands today, at
the meeting Of the ways, that she was de,
stined to become the pivotal point in
Americas grandest battle.
Beginning at the northwest, where the
battle began, there is, first, the Cham.
bersburg Pike, which crosses Willoughby
Run mile and a quarter and Seminary
Ridge 700 yards northwest of the city;
second, the Mummasburg Road, more di
rectly from the northward, crossing the
same run and the same ridge at a greater
distance away; third, the Carlisle and
MELVILLE Roads, which unite about mile
north Of and enters the city as the Car.
Isle Road; fourth, the Harrisburg Road
approaching the city from east Of north
crossing Rock Greek about a mile out in
that direction; fifth, the York Pike and
Hunterstown Road, which unite just be.
fore crossing Rock Creek, about three
fourths of mile northeast of, and enters
the city unde- the name Of the York Pike
Upon these seven roads the various corps
divisions and brigades of Lees army o.
invasion concentrated at Gettysburg to
meet the Army Of the Potomac.
Then from the east there is the Han.
over Road, not used by either army un.
til July 8, when Stuart's Confederate
cavalry was met and defeated by PleasQ>(
toms Union cavalry, about three miles
east Of Rock Creek, on this road. The
Hanover Road crosses Rock Greek q hall
mile east Of Gettysburg.
From the southward there is, first. the
Baltimore Pike. which crosses Rock