Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-04
GETTYSBURG REUNION
SOLDIERS OF BOTH ARMIES CELE-
BRATE ANNIVERSARY.
Survivors Of Pickett's Virginia Brigade
and North Carolinians in
Pleasant Rivalry.

A dispatch to the. Baltimore American
from Gettysburg. Pa. last night says:
In the fierce heat of this July day. tenn
pered somewhat by the cooling breezes
from the South mountain. many confeder-
ate veterans of North Carolina held a re-
union at the Bloody Angle this afternoon
with the men who were once their foes.
but are their friends now. 1t was at this
spot in 1888 that the men of Webb's Phila-
delphia Brigade and the survivors Of Pick
ett's division first formed their bonds OF
friendship over the famous stonewall for
the mastery and possession of which so
many of their comrades yielded up their
lives.
Admiration for Valor.
Today the participants were other men.
members of Pettigrew's command and
their opponents of the first and third days.
who cemented firm bonds of enduring
friendship The dominant note in the ex-
ercises was admiration for the vaior shown
by the contestants on this field and salts
faction and acquiescence in the result.
Grouped on a platform within the Bloody
Angle, with the fields of grain ripe for the
harvest between them and Seminary Ridge.
the familiar story of the determined as
sault of Longstreets column was told by
the participants.
n.
Carolina, and Sergt. Charles Mcconnell or
the oath Michigan Regiment of the Iron
Brigade shook hands and rejoiced that the
bullet the latter fired in the hrst DAY
fight failed to do its intended work. Col
Lane had moderstly related the part TINS
regiment had taken In the effort to drive
back the Iron Brigade; how II hao gone
into the fight s36 strong. Joined PetusteM
on the third with only PIG men. and had
come out of the battle with but eighy
men to answer roll call-the heaviest loss
on the confederate side, and claimed 10 De
one of the heaviest losses in known wars.
North Carolina Society.
"First at Bethel. foremost at Gettysburg.
fartbest to the front at Chickamauga, last
at Appomattox" With those sentiments on
their program, the North Carolina society
of Baltimore came to the celebration WITH
no intention of allowing Picketts men 10
retain all the glory of the celebrated charge
on the Union center.
Al the stand DIR. Edwin Geer. president
of the association presided Prayer was
offered by Rev. J. w. Millard, and Charles
s. Duncan of Gettysburg made happy
address of welcome. Mrs. Walter eirimes,
soprano in the Baltimore Catheora.' SANG
.'The Old North State" the words of which
were written by Judge CASTOR. famous
jurist of the state.
Major William M. Robbins North Caro-
Iinian by BIRTH but who served In the 4th
limited States battlefield commissioners.
was the first speaker. His efforts were de-
voted chiefly to showing that the war was
not the fault of one section. but of all He
said:
Southerner Explains.
"The Yankee ships brought the darl1ies to
us. and after they sold them they began 10
grumble that we had them. Had the north
been quiet. had no petitions and resolutions
been presented to Congress. We would have
inaugurated a system by which slavery
would have been abolished. My father ire
ouently referred to the success and prog
ress of the northern states. which ne at
tributed to Free intelligent labor. and ne
declared as long as We continued to employ
ignorant labor our people would nave no
factories and would make little progress.
being restricted to the most primitive occu-
pation-tillage of the soil.
when the attacks were made on the sys-
tenn in the north and We were abused Dy
our northern brethren, We began to make
apologies. defenses and excuses until we
began to believe in 1t more than ever. We
finally concluded we would be happier IL we
went to ourselves: with tears in our eyes
we voted to divide. We called ii a yolun-
tary union of sovereign states. Since they
whipped us 1t Is called a nation. / have no
objection. for 1t is the greatest and grand
est nation In the world. We fought for
state rights and they to preserve the Union
I can't say they were not half right. We
owe a thousand blessings for one country
under one flag"
Col. John R. Lane followed with his ora
tion and at its close Sergeant Mcconnell.
president of the Iron Brigade Association,
who came from Chicago especially for this
meeting, was called upon. He spoke of the
courage and heroism of the 18th North
Carolina Regiment.