The National tribune., 1908-09-24
SICKLES AT GETTYSBURG.
Gen. LonGxtrcct Says ThSf His Advanced
Position Saved the Day.


Editor National Tribune, For up
wards of so years I huge Been SUBJ
scriber and interested reader of your
valuable paper. and haye tried to ex-
tend its circulation. and have filed near
ly all of my papers away for preserva-
ton. / attended the last National En-
campment held in Wasainston, d. c.,
1 think in the year ofe 1902. At the
Comptire of the Third Gerps there were
present, among many othersnand made
speeches, Corp'l Tanner with both legs
missing; Gen. d. f. SiekleF, one leg
missing. and Gen. Longstreet. 1, with
many others, am interested in the con-
tinued history of the Army of the Po-
tomac You are writing. You may re-
member that Gen. Sickles always
claimed that the advanced position he
took with his Third Corps on the I'd of
July at Gettysburg was of great impor-
tance in assisting to gain that victory
At the meeting of the Third Corps
above referred to Gen. Sickles. our old
commander, caused a copy of Gen
LODgstreet's letter to be given each
member of the Third Corps present
with the request that they take them
home, have them framed, so that i'm fu-
.ture years our children and our chill
dren'S children could see what we ac-
complished in that battle as attested by
Gen. Longstreet. That may not be Gen.
Sickles's exact words. but conveys the
impression he wished to give us. I
thought it might prove OF interest to
you. as you are now carefully writing
up the story of the Gettysburg battle.
AS boy of 10, a member of Co. E.
11th N. j., First Brigade. Second Divi-
sion. Third Corps. I took part in that
battle, where our regiment, 275 strong,
sustained loss of 157. which placed it
oI sntp Ill
The last Reunion of our regiment,
18th n. J.. was held by invitation of
our Second Vice President, Capt. Will
liam Hand, at Plainfield, May il, 1907.
1t was the 43d anniversary of the battle
of SpOtsyiyania. Va, and the 50th an
niyersary of the marriage of Capt.
Hand and his wife. For that occasion
he leased the large Netherwood Hotel.
provided beautiful badges and betrayed
all the expenses of the entertainment
and Reunion himself He chose me to
respond to the addresses of welcome by
Mayors of Plainfield and North Plain
fiald.
BY reading copy of address send
iHcloSed you will see there is consider
able of historic interest contained there
in. which you may think fit to publish.
Department of the Interior, Office of
the Commissioner of Railroads,
Washington, Sept. 10, 1902.
my Dear Gen. Sickles: My plan
and desire was to meet you at Gettys-
burg on the interesting ceremony at
tending the unvailing of the Slocum
Monument, but to-day 1 find myself in
no condition to keep the promise made
you when last we were together. 1 am
quite disabled from severe hurt in
one of my feet, 50 that I am unable to
stand more than a minute or two at a
time. Please express my sincere regrets
to the noble Army of the Potomac, and
to accept them especially FOR yourself.
ION that field you made your mark
that will place you prominently before
the world an one of thezleading figures
of the most important battle of the
civil war. AS Northern veteran once
remarked to me, Gen. Sacleies can well
afford to leave leg on that field
IT believe that it is nowi conceded
that the advanced position at the Peach
Orchard taken by your corps and under
your. orders saved that. battlefield to
the Union cause. 1t vas ahe sorest
and saddest reflection of my life for
many years, but to-day Z cas say, with
sincerest emotion. that IT 7was and is
the best that could have como 10 us all,
North and South, and 1nhope that the
Nation, reunited, may always enjoy the
honor and glory brought to 1t by that
grand work. --5Es . SL16S sfs5Jl 9I-
'.Please offer my kindest salutations
to your Governor ana your felIow-com-
rades of the Army of the Potomac
Always yours sincerely,
James Longstreet, Lieutenant General,
Confederate Army