The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-03
THE cREsT1NG WAVE OF vALon.

THE CREsTING WAVE OF vALoH
No one whose memory reaches bacl
forty-seven years or no one who ha
read the history OF the South will lie
to-day pass aforementioned. 1t is thu
death day of the Confederacy, for If APP
pomattox witnessed the burial of ever!
hope OF Southern independence, Gettys
burg saw those hopes destroyed. Tina
column which swept the ridge where
young men play at war to-day, ant
reached the Federal line and planted
there its banner, was the crestin&
wave OF Southern heroism. and whe,
1t broke and. fell back through ,
trough of blood, Southern hopes never
amounted high again.
The great Northern historian, Jame.
Ford Rhodes, in describing the battle
of Gettysburg with all his scientific
accuracy and cold blooded acumen
,had to stop in the midst OF his &C.
count of Pickett's great charge, and
TASK with deep emotion how men could
Tread the story Of such heroism with
that they were the sons of such men.
1t is true. Who can see the picture,
even in fancy but that his eyes are
dimmed with tears. and who can read
the story but that his heart leaps up.
Under the sultry July sum- amid the
victims of two days bloody slaughter
Ethe gray lines formed beneath the
fridge. Quietly. quickly, as on dress
parade. they came in turn. those
sbrigades of heroes. falling INTO place
land waiting without word. over the
Yield fell silence and down the Ions
line scarce g. sound could be heard
Galloping couriers passed by. anxious
tofficers trained their glasses on the
hill before them; champing horses
stugsed at their brides and scented the
fumes of battle. The day was wearing
away, and If the charge was to BIZ
made it must DO made at once. Alex.
anders courier came TO say that not g
moment must be lost: at the word he
swoulB:o3jen his batteries all along the
line and NOW a path for Picketts i'm.
mortals; the brigade officers walked
the lines impatiently. still there was
silence until, with a puff of smoke and
a--foar.- the signal gun was fired by
the Washington artillery. In a mo-
ment hell Embossed its thunders; the
earth shook; brave men trembled
Shells We're exploding everywhere
only from the heights above could be
seen the answering flash Of Federal
wrath. Lonsstreet doubted; Pickett
waited; ten thousand brave men meas
lred the distance between them and
the frowning hill with anxious eyes
fand wondered If flesh and blood could
endure the test. General" said
Pickett. shall 1 order an advance?'
fLongstreet looked away. General
repeated Pickett. my men are wait
ing. shall 1 .move?' Longstreet only
bowed his. head. and Pickett. walking
Jas If TO meet a long-lost friend, sen,
rhe orders down the line. Then /,
WAS. dress on the colors, forward
march. charge bayonets and double.
Huick. The Federals ceased their fire
Tor moment. appalled, at such daring
our own batteries kept silent; across
the bottom and UP the hill Pickett
moved; every flag flying, every man II
place,zmoving bravely onward, true t.
duty. true TO God,
History records the rest, and South.
Sern memory to-day, dwelling on tbs
scene can only thank the God of Bat.
jnles that brave men were not found
wanting. that heroes answered the cal
and fought and gave their blood ant
Ebreathed their last and slept in un.
KNOWN graves when the battle wa:
iiover and the host had passed.
II has become the fashion, in some
quarters. TO apologize in these late,
days for The war. and to say tina,
}b!avely as our fathers fought 1t seems
Ebetter that they did not win. How
can these things be? If they are
wrong today. they were wrong yes.
fterday. If the cause for which they
fought is a mistake to-day, it was q
mistake then, and those men who fell
lon Cemetery Ridge deserved TO fan
ifet wao can believe ii. who has dror
OF Southern blood in his veins. Wrong;
mistaken? Only men vino were right
End knew they were right, ana were