The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-06-04
This Battlefield Must Ever Hold an Important
Place in the Celebration of
Decoration Day.
There, on November 10, 1868, First Cere-
monies Took Place When National
Cemetery Was Dedicated.

On last Monday President Roosevelt
delivered the Memorial Day address
on the famous battlefield not far from
the spot where Lincoln stood when he
formally dedicated the national cemc-
terry, November 10, 1868. There is a
spot between the original cemetery laid
out for the Union dead and Round Top,
marked with many monuments and
mounted cannon, which is known us the
"high water mark" of the battle. 1t is
also appropriately known as the "high
water mark Of the rebellion" Here a
few of Pickett's soldiers reached the
Union line and pierced it. There they
fell while their comrades, or those left
Of them, slowly retreated through fire
which 1t was beyond human power to
face and withstand. Back with them
went the hope Of the confederacy.
The news from Gettysburg and
Vicksburg reached the country, North
and South, on the same day. July d;
1868, was to the North and South what
that pause is to two wrestlers when
one has secured the fatal hold which
he other knows he cannot break. When
Vicksburg fell and Lee set out on his
bitter retreat from his second unsuc-
cessful invasion of the North, the out
come of the Civil war was decided.
For this alone the stretch of fields and
hills and woodland that lies beyond
the sleepy little Pennsylvania town Of
Gettysburg will be memorable in the
eyes of Americans for all time to come.
1t interests the student of history for
the same reason. Gettysburg will have
it's place on the page with Marathon,
Tours, Orleans, Lutzen, Yorktown and
Waterloo, when Shiloh and Bull Run
and Malvern Hill shall have been for
gotten.
Many battlefield that is of supreme
Importance to the historian, that is
honored with reverence by the patriot,
is of little or no interest to the soldier.
Here again Gettysburg is fortunate in
it's attraction, in it's claim to celebrity.
1t was the climax of the offensive Ope-
rations Of Robert q. Lee, and where
military tactics are studied there will
Lees career be conned alike by the ex-
pert, the grayhaired tactician, the sub
altern ambitious of promotion, and the
cadet seeking his shoulder-straps. Get
tysburg, like Waterloo, is impossible of
repetition at the close ranges at which
both were fought. But the general
strategy Of one field is still Of as much
Importance as the other-the flanlking,
the massing Of artillery, the protection
of lines Of communication, the use or
misuse Of cavalry, the preparations of
means for retreat.
But Gettysburg also appeals with
the same strength to the average vis-
itor who knows nothing of strategy,
and whose familiarity with history has
lapscd with the distance in years that
lies between him and the dog cared
pages of his schoOlbooks. 1t is all so
plainly writ in location, in natural out
line of the smiling countryside, in mon
uments and marking guns, that he who
runs may read.
Roughly, Gettysburg is letter II,
with the opposing lines parallel and the
course Of Pickett's charge on the third
day forming the crossbar. The Round
Tops and Gettysburg town are at op-
positc ends. The Emmitsburg road, on
which BufOrd with his cavalry came
cautiously scouting along toward the
town on the last day Of June, lies be-
tween the bars of the letter and paral-
lei with them. The Chambersburg
road, along which the Confederates
were feeling their way at the same
time. bends around what was after
ward the confederate left to enter Get
tysburg. Because those columns met
there was battle here, for each side
hurried up its strength to meet the 9TH
er when their leaders learned that the
feeler columns had met and touched.
This was on July 1, and because Gen.
Lees forces hurried up faster than did
Gen. Meade's it was an unfortunate
day for the Union troops. They had