Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-11-06
JOIN BURNS. THE AGED CIVILIAN
VINO WAS OM OF 1NE most fIERONC FIGURES OF GETTYyRrpf

Tho troops went away 10 the war an
| John Burns. sad and disp rited put his
J muskct on his shoulder and walked
home 90 Gettysburg For "a few day.
he sat about his home and discussed
| Win MS neighhOrs the news that came
] TO them about the great struggle which
/ was Just beginning In an the nor. %
| there was no more ardent Unionist
! than the old warhorse Of Gcttysburg
and, with every report OF the spread
! of the uprising throughout the south.
| DC chafed more and more over tho
/ idea that he must remain iuactlv,
What did IL matter N he was $50 IT,
was stronger than most men OF So he
could OutsnoOt any man for mics
around. De- had been under fire many
times and war had no terrOrs for him
/ One morning he badc his aged wiz.
goodbye. and by nightfall he was
trampinR along the road 90 Hagers-
town, Md, with his muskat on his
shoulder as 10 had been when he went
20 West chester But they would not
enlist him al Hagcrstown, either. so
Joined the wagon train as "a teamstof
Within e month he was promoted to DE
the police guard OF the train. He was
with the wagoncrs when be heard
the roar OF the cannon and sounds OF
the musketry fire at the battle of Fail
ing Waters Dropping his whip and
selling rife he raced across the fields
20 get into the conflict lie was too
late however, TO get ia the action.
THE CONSTABLE.
For seven months he served under
Gen. Banks, and then. Il being mid
winter he was sent home. He was
eager as ever FOR fight but the exposure
OF the camp only accentuated his rheii-
matism and the innrmlties of old axe
laid him up good deal 81 the time
In the spring he wanted TO get back
20 the army, but 90 keep him at home |
the Gettysburg people elected him
town constable. In a little place OF |
? 500 Inhabitants. such as GETTYSBURG !
was thon the office Of constable seemed |
big 20 plain simple living old man /
such as John Burns and, TO dress In /
keeping with the dignity OF his posi- /
tion he Wore long, black frock coat /
ana tai white fur hat with his L
badge on his breast he went about the I
town each day, proud and happy. for he
felt that upon his shoulders rested not
a little OF the duty Of safeguarding the
nation.
For little more than year he had
held this office and then, suddenly, the
scene OF war was changed from Vir-
GINA 70 Pennsylvania Down i'm Nir-
ginia the battle of fredericksburg had
been fought and Burnside had been
beaten, after which the two armies.
lhe one under Lee and the other under /
Hooker, who had succeeded Burnside.
laced each other, separated only by the
happ',hannock throughout the latter
part OF the winter OF 1862 and the early
spring Of 1868 Then. in June Lee had |
determined upon an invasion Of the
north II he could reach Harrisburg
and destroy the Pennsylvania railroad
system he would break the chief line of |
supply Of the federal army II he could
reach Pittsburg and the anthracite coal
helds he would ruin the iron mills that
Were invaluable to the government ana
would cripple the federal navy that was
dependent upon the coal from the an
thracite mines.
Invasion OF the north was Hazardous
but so much depended upon Il that he |
was willing TO accept the risk one big |
victory on northern soil was likely 10 |
bring about the recognition Of the con-
Iederate government by foreign powers.
ana II would serve also 20 Offset II not |
the fan Of Vicksburg. which |
-ee knew was sure 10 result from
Grants investment
With magnificent skill Lee yelled the
movement Of his army and kept Hooker
louotful OF his design until the whole I
ofte was under way once IL was re-
'ealed, however, Hooker. hampered as
ne was by the need Of protecting WASH ,
nston and Baltimore, acted cleverly.
ARRESTS THE CONFBDERATEs.
II was on June p that some scouts
n Gen. Jubal Earlys force. the first !
'ontederates 10 reach the Gettysburg
leignhorhood. were reported near the
own. Immediately upon the receipt OF 5
ne news John Burns got his musket
Town and joining a body OF Il 81 his ,
""nsmen' went out 20 do battle with
ne enemy Before his party had pro- :