The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1906-03-28

4"o'Ht3 u'laSuIODcu CaDl-
net. While rummaging aimiessly
through it's cedar rccesses not long
ago l came upon lot Of relics from
the battlefield Of Gettysburg. There
was handful Of bullets battered into
curious shapes, a grapcshot aud the
raa:cd fragment Of q shell cut from
the stump OF tree on tho crest Of
Cu'p's Hill. Taking up a mus;y
piece Of leather shaped like a crescent
poked my finger through q ragged
hole IN its center. It was the visor
cut from the cap Of Pennsylvania
volunteer, aud the ragged hole wes
torn by the rifle ball that pierced his
brain. And down in the corner of q
lower drawer my eyes fell upon a seal
cd envelope. l brushed away the
dust and read upon its time stained
surface tbs inscription:
DONALD GORDON.
wenty-eighth Georgia.
G. s. A., July l3, 1863-July l3,
1871.
L broke the seal-reverently. not
oarelessly-and there fell into nv
hands two brass buttons. They were
tarnished aud spotted with verdigris.
for they had been eight years under
ground before they reached my cabi.
net. But still bright on the blacken.
ed background shone the raised
ohield and the letters, O. s. A.-the
initials OF an empty name, the herald.
ry OF lost cause. No COMMONPLACE
relics, these. The buttons had q
story.
In the spring o. 1863 I was the
young pastor Of o new but rapidly
growing mission in New York city.
Scarcely a day that brought it's dread
budget Of battle news but BROUGHT
Bereavement to some one who had the
right 10 look 10 me for comfort and
protection. Yet I longed with the
longing OF youth for work that was
nearer the front. At last the oppor.
tunity came. On the night Of June
80, 1863, my church voted me a
months vacation. Twanty.four
hours later I had determined how and
where would spend. it, for the tele-
graph had thrilled the pulse Of the
North with the omnibus news Of the
first days fight at Gettysburg.
The first relief train that left tho
City OF Brotherly Love for tho field
where brothers had met in deadly
hate bore a hundred good samsri.ans
aii b5ns UPON tho 5am5 o77auaa aud
each, like myself wearing upon his
breast the silver :ucroll badge Of the
United States Christian G;"mmi.sicn. O.;
On she' sulsriest Of Jaly's .uI,ry
days l sneered. the little town OF Get.
tysburg and found the borough trans
formed into one, great hospital. Every
building OF considerable proportions
-Court House church and store-wa.s
an improvised hospital ward crowded
70 suRooasion with men 10 every stage
o. mortal ageny. Even the public
90 1are in the center Of the villags
was filed with mangled forms. There
they lay, poor fellows, their heads
piliowed On the sun-5aked ground un-
sheltered. from the burning heat of
midsummer; suffering, groauiug, dy-
rs' There were not surgeons enough
t" care For half OF those. who sorely
ueeded their skill. There we're rot
homes enough to shelter: half Of those
who were dying for lack Of the oom-
monest comforts. Confusion reigned
everywhere. In the garish red brick
warehouse fronting the square on the
west, where the Christian commission
had established headquarters, T, pre-,
sented my credentials and was assign !.
ed to duty in portion Of che field
hospital on the aecoud moor. -, u:
A drive Of half an hour down the
old Baltimore. pike, between fields
robbed Of all their fences, trodden
down by troops and ssrewnt with the
debris Of an army, turn 20 the rish.
and across Rocky creek BY 8 shallow.
ford brought me- TO east Of the oluinp
OF woods wherein the second army, r,,,
eorpe had established its surgical and
medical s headquartars--a;; !: position
naturally selected By. reason Of the
boantiful supply Of water afforded BY.
Rocky creek and the comparative
proximity Of the wooded patch "a % The
lines where the second corps had :dona..
its fighting on July 5. The, Old farm,
house Was only one Of half q dozen
occupied by the men o45 aanesook's
CORDS; but! il was 4 tvna sof fbam at,