Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-07-06


ert e. Lee commanding the opposing
forces. General Pickett's charge took
place the third day, Lee having plan
ned an attack upon the Federal front
while Stuart's Cavalry assailed its
rear. But Stuart was prevented from
cooperating by unexpectedly encount-
ering Federal Cavalry force four
miles east of Gettysburg. On July
Lee was retreating across the Poto'
mac, and on the same day Vicksburg
surrendered to General Grant.
General Pickett justified his leaving
the United States army, not only on
constitutional grounds, because he
had been taught States Rights fol
four years at West Point, where the
Government furnished to it's future
soldiers instruction in the principles
for which they would be expected to
fight; but he also said: "Proud as l
am of being an American citizen, and
dearly as love the Stars and Stripes,
l will not not raise my arm against
my own kith and kim"
He was equally loath to carry on an
aggressive campaign of invasion of
the North when it was proposed. In
consultation with the officers of his
command over the proposed invasion,
General Pickett said: 81 believe that
by attacking the North on her own
ground we shall fire her heart with a
hitherto unknown flame. The smOld-
ering embers will blaze out and sweep
over the nation from sea to sea. The
Southern sympathy which now divides
the North and cOols her fervor will
be transformed into vindictive hostil-
ity that will unite all factions. The
day we set foot on Northern soil the
bone and sinew of all the people will
rise against u.s."
wARRED ONLY ON ARMED MEN.
Longstreet assented to the invasion
only on condition that it should still
be campaign of defensive tactics,
and Lees first order-Order No. 73-
"No retaliation, no robbery, no spoil
alton, no outrage, no waste-we make
war only upon armed men," register
ed the high-water mark of civilized
war. So, on the third of June, with
sixty thousand soldiers and two hun
dred guns, the great march began.-a
sad anniversary for the Confederacy.
The magnificent army marched across
the valley of Virginia-that ill-starred
plain for the Federals, who had met
with so many reverses there that
they named it 1.-THE Valley of HUI
initiation" ..
To the ringing notes Of the "Bonnie
Blue Flag" Pickett's men were
marching through the town of Green
castle, in Pennsylvania, when a young
girl, in house upon the line, caught
up United States flag and, fastening
one end about her waist, ran out on
the porch. She waved the flag and
shouted at the top of her voice:
"COme and take it who dares!"
There was growl along the line
and halt in the swinging tramp of
the stern soldiers, when Pickett hur-
ried on ahead and, lifting his cap,
bowed with courtly grace to the
maiden, saluting her flag with all a
soldiers reverence. He wheeled his
horse out of line, his head still barred,
his flashing eyes issuing his only COM
mand. But his men understood, and
as they filed by every cap in the long
line was swung aloft, and the Rebel
Yell' echoed through the streets of
Greencastle, in honor of the girl and
her flag. ....
The little girl, who was overcome
by the touch of Southern chivalry,
called out: II wish that I had rebel
flag, and then I'd wave that, tool"
A brother officer asked Pickett how
he could bring himself to salute the
enemy's flag. Fire flashed in his
tiger-gray eyes as he replied: Sen
elal, 1 saw only the heroic woman
hood in the heart of that little girl,
and the banner under which I won
my first laurels."
Pickett's division was left. four
miles beyond Cham bersburg, to guard
trains. Lee had chosen Cashtown as
the site for the great battle of the
war, which was before them. Meade
had fixed his martial mind upon fight
ing at Pipe Clay Greek; but that God
of War thought differently-and that
which decided it was shoes!-shoes
which had never been on mortal feet
and may have existed only in imagin.
ation-shoes that we're being sought
for but we're never found forced the
great battle at Gettysburg. The gal.
liant Pettigrew was out trying te
locate the much-needed shoes when
he met Buford in the valley, and the
gathering of the great armies follow.
ed quickly, about Gettysburg, and
the three days battle with its awful
carnage began.
MEN READY FOR ANYTHING.
Pickett's division, being temporar
lily out of reach-reserved for the las,
great scene in the tragedy of Gettys
burg-for the first two days did moi
enter the circle of fire which environ
ed the mountains, filed the valley
with death, and turned the water II
*