The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-06-03
TIVE PRESIDENT ON
GETTYSBURG field
Memorial Day Grafton On the
Famous battle-ground De
liyered by MIR. Roosevelt.
AN TRIBUTE

C'SeS CrHCiSt!on ny Americans OF tO-
day of the Virtues of Those Who
Saved the union-Mcmorial
Day Elsewhere.
Gettysburg, Pa. May SO.-President
Roosevelt and party reached The his
toric battle-ground at $50 today. At
Penmar, Pa, where the special train
was sidetracked during the night. a
crowd began to assemble early this
morning and before leaving the presi-
dent appeared on the rear platform of
his private car and was given an en-
thusiastic reception. He spoke briefly
saying:
II will not attempt to speak now, as
am 10 speak later in the day. l shall
merely repeat how glad i am to see all
OF you. especially those who Wear the
button that shows you nave a right
be here and to rejoice In all this me
morable day means"
When the train stopped at Gettys-
burg the presidents party entered car
riages and started ON 9 drive over the
Battlefield.
Viewing the Battlefield.
AS he president and Mrs. Roosevelt
alighted from the car they We're greeted
by Governor P~ennypacier and the re-
ception committee. The drive over the
battlefield occupied three hours and a
quarter. Frequent stops were made to
enable the president to study at close
range some important features of the
historical field. He manifested familiar
lty With the details OF the battle and
expressed the deepest interest in var
1ous incidents recounted by General
.. o. HoWsr and General Daniel e.
Sickels, both of whom participated in
the three days engagement on Little
Round Top.
While Howard and Sickels were talk
Ing Major Robbins who served as major
in the fourth Alabama, in Laws
days fighting, Joined the party and
greeted the president.
He was recognized instantly by Sick
els Who remarked eagerly:
There is the fellow who tried to take
the hill, but found it too high
Yes" responded Robbins, I'VE charg-
ed up this hill, but you moved us Town
ike grass. We could not stand it and
we had to get back"
The major then %recounted some in
teresting details OF the part OF the con-
test in which he participated. After
hearing the cross fire of graphic de-
scriptions from both union and Con-
federate participants, Mr.. Roosevelt re-
marked:
This country is all right so long as
we can have this kind OF talk on Little
Round Top"
The Presidents Grafton.
The president was escorted to the
cemetery On the battlefield by a body
Of several hundred veterans OF the civil
a and several military organizations.
Governor P~ennypacker presided at the
ceremonies, which We're held in the
rostrum on cemetery hill. After the
memorial services of the G.. A. r. had
been completed and the school children
had strewn flowers over the graves of
thousands of dead, DR.. Edward Everett
Hale, chaplain Of the United States
president was introduced by Governor
Pennypacker and was accorded an en-
thusiastic reception.
The president said: The place where we
now ore has won a double distinction.
Here was fought one of the great battles
Of all time, and here was spoken one of
the few speeches which shall last through
the ages. AS long as this republic en-
shall the memory of the battle of Gettys-
burg likewise endure and be known; and
as long as the english tongue is under
stood. so long shall Abraham Lincoln's
Gettysburg speech thrill the hearts Of
mankind.
The civil war vas a great war for
Righteousness; a war waged for the no.
blest ideals. but waged also in thorough
going, practical fashion. 1t was one Of
the few wars which mean. in their sue
c~essful outcome. u lit toward better
wars have meant the triumph of order
over anarchy and RIGHTEOUSNESS mas
querading as liberty; some wars have
rnasquerading. as order; but this VIC
%torious war Of ours meant the triumph of
both liberty and order, the triumph Of
rights upon the freed slaves, and a, the
same time the stern insistence on the SUI
premacy Of the national law throughout
the length and breadth of the land. More
over. this was one of those rare contests
in which it was to the unreasonable In
terest OF the vanquished that they should
acquired the precious privilege of trans
hitting to those who came after them,
as a heritage OF honor forever, not only
the memory Of their own valiant deeds,
but the memory of the deeds OF those who,
no less valiantly and with equal sincerity
Of purpose. fought against the stars in
their courses. The wal left to us all, as
fellow countrymen. az brothers. the right
to rejoice that the union has been re-
| stored in indestructib!e shape in q country
where slavery no longer mocks the boast
" ~ GIN aSo NAlS ISL IL IGJoi.G
| with exultant pride In the courage, the
self sacrifice. and the devotion, alike of
the men who wore the blue and the men
who wore the gray.
A Patriotic inspiration.
He is but a poor American who. looking
at this field, does not feel within himself
u deeper reverence for the nations past
and a higher purpose to make the nations
future rise level to her past. Here
fought the chosen sons of the north and
| the south, the east and the west. The
, armies which on this field commended for
the mastery We're veteran armies, har-
deued by long campaigning and desper-
ate fighting into sucn Instruments OF war
as 40 other nation then possessed. The
sevcrity OF the tghting is attcsted by the
proportionu.e loss-a loss unrivaled in any
battle Of similar size since the close Of
the Napoleonic struggles; a loss which in
certain regiments was from three-fourths
to iour-tittcs Of the men engaged. Every
spot on this field has its own associations
OF goldieriy duty nobly Gone. of supreme
self sacrifice freely rendered. The names
Of the chiefs who served In the two armies
form a long honor roll: and the enlisted
-,,, ,nrfh and ~,