The St. Louis Republic., 1904-05-31
REPUBIIC SPECIAL

REPCBIIC SPECIAL
Gettysburg. Pa. May sn.-President
Roosevelt to-day drove over Gettysburg
battlefield. and later spoke against driv-
ing rainstorm TO several thousand persons
in the National Cemetery.
The little town WAS overrun with Wis
i,ors. most of them veterans of this very
conflict. with their families. No President
has spoken AZ Gettysburg since Abraham
Lincoln. in 1863. eazed over the field. yet
SCARED by the fight. and concluded his
historic address with government for
the people. by the people and Of the peo-
pie shall not perish from the earth
President Cleveland. in his first admin
istraticn. wis asked by General Daniel
Sickles TO deliver an address at Gettys-
burg. and he consented, hut later declined
because he had not fought in the war and
preferred that Lincoln's Grafton should
remain the only spoken word OF Presi-
dents regarding the conflict. Presidents
Grant and Hayes visited the battlefield.
but did not speak
President Roosevelt in his speech to-day
spoke OF I.ircoln's address as one which
would endure with ages. President Rcose-
veits effort was ore of feeling tribute TO
call the great war''-frnm 1861 to 1866.
MCCLELLAN INCIDENT
When President Roosevelt last spoke on
a battlefield. 1t was at Antietam. and he
was bitterly criticised for not having men,
toned the name of General Mcclellan II
was noticeable that in his address tC-
day he paid a high compliment 10 Little
Mac by saying that the day conimemo-
ers. the chiefs OF the Army OF the POto.
mac, hut Furthermore. those who mad,
and used its sister armies. Mcclellan
with his extraordinary genius for OrEani
zation."
On Little Round Top. where the Srount
IS still rugged. little changed during tbs
last forty years. General SiCkles gave Z
thrilling narrative of the fight of the ad
vance of Longstreet. which his own ThIrt
Army Corps successfully opposed. and o
Picket's charge. While he was talking
President. who showed himself in clos'
| touch with the strategy OF the battle
| Major Robbins. who served in the Fourti
Alahama Regiment, walked up the siOp'
Of the hill General Sicklsss word pic
| ture of the Confederate advance had beer
| vivid He caught sight OF Major Rob
bins.
COUNTRY Is SAFE"
And here is one OF the men wh'
charged up the hill against us. Mr.. Pres
ident." said General Sickles.
Yes. Mr.. President replied Maio
! Robbins. Il tried TO climb this hill. bU
| The people at the top Were contrary
| they would not let US do it
President Roosevelt laughingly rejoinad
When men like you two talk like TIA
| on the very spot where you fought IN
country's safe
Many of the handsome monument
| erected in memory OF the valiant service
of commanders. regiments and brigade
were viewed by the President. When tn
| party returned to Gettysburg every mem
| her of il was begrimed with dust. Tn
| President ano Mrs. Roosevelt iunched Il
| their car and Immediately afterwart
started for the National Cemetery. es
corted by troop OF the Fifteenth Cav
| airy from Fort Meyer and a battery o
field artillery. which fired n salute ju-
| as the Presidents carriage entered tn
| cemetery ground, and was passing be
tween double lines of Gettysburg schou
children. who strewed the graves wit.
flowers.