Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-07-22
Gettysburg, the Waterloo of the
COnfcdcracy.


battlefield Of Gettysburg, which may
he appropriately termed the Waterloo
OF the Confederacy. Here, during the
first three days OF July, 1868, was
fought the first OF those two great
battles whj;h fixed the boundaries
OF the Confedcracy's decline and fall.
AT Gettysburg its sun reached its
zenith. and passed its meridian; at
ADpomattoX it went down, never to
rise again. 1t was decoration day
by the Grand Army OF the Republic.
In company with Il valiant Federal
soldier, Major James a. Abbott, Of
Rhode Island, | walked along
Mcade's line OF battle on Cemetery
! Ridge and Round Top Mountain.
! There, near Devils Den, We took a
conveyance and rode along Seminary
Ridge, Lees iinc Of battle. Each OF
these lines was about five miles in
length and one mile apart, the space
between being a valley, over which
ragged for three days the most ter
, rifle and deadly fighting. In a small
patch OF woods near the southern ex-
trcmity my attention was called to a
monument which marked the spot
where Oh the afternoon OF the sec
ond day, a Federal boy came upon Il
Confederate boy, who was desperate
~ wounded and dying OF thirst. In
bold relief stand forth the forms Of
| these two soldier boys, the one stay
| ing up the other and giving him
| water out Of his cantoen. 1T Is q
| pathetic picture and pcrpctuates the
| chiyalry OF the American soldier.
AS | stood there for moment,
with uncovered head, and, in imagi-
nation. tried 20 catch vision Of
those soldier boys. | thought also OF
Il similar scene, the counterpart Of
| this, which took place on the rreyi-
! Gus afternoon in the open field 4 lit
! tie farther north. 1t is a graphic por-
traNal as related by the late lament
! cd Gen. John B. Gordon. in his mem
! orable lecture on the Last DAYS OF
| the Confcdcracy" He says:
AS my command came back from
! the SuSquchanna river 10 Gettysburg,
! it was thrown squarcly on the right
| flank OF the Union Army. The fact
| that that portion OF the Union Army
! melted was no disparagcmcn either
! Of its coura@" or its lofty American
| manhood, for any troops that have
! ever been mnrShailcd. the Old Guard
| itself, would have been as surely and
| swiftly shattered. It was that move
mcnt that gave 10 the Confederate
! Army the first days victory at Get
! tyShurg; and as ! rode forward over
| that battlefield Of green clover. made
! rcd with the blood OF both armies,
! found q Major General among the
! dead and dying. But a fow moments
! before ! had seen tn" proud form Of
! that magnificent Union officer reel
! in the saddle and thcn fall in the
white smoke Of the battle, and as
| rode by, intensely looking into his
! pale face, which was turned to the
! broilin& rays Of that scorching july
! sun, ! discovered that he was not
| dead. Dismoun,ing from my horse.
! lifted his head with one hand, gave
| him water from my Cantccn, inquired
! his name, and ii he was badly hurt.
! lie was Gen. Francis G. Barlow, OF
! New York. He had he"n shot from
! his horse while grandiy leading a
. charge. The ball had struck him in
/ front. passing through the body and
/ out near the spinal cord, completely
! paralyHing him in every limb; nei-
! thcr he nor | supposed he could live
! for one hOdr. | desired to remove
! him before death from that terrific
| san. had him lillCd on litter
! and borne TO the shade in the rear.
| As he bado mo goodbye, and upon
! my inQNirinG what could do for
, him. he asked me to take from his
/ side pocket a bunch OF letters. Those
/ letters were from his wife, and as
opened one at his request. and as
| his eye caught, as he supposed. for
! me last time, that Wilo'S signature,
the great tears came liN" Il fountain
and rolled down his pale face. and
| he said 10 me, Gen. Gordon, YOU are
Il confederate. | am Il Union soldier;
| but We are both Americans: if Won
! should live through his dreadful
/ war and ever see my wife, will Won
not do me the Kindness to tell nv
| Wllc Tor me that YOU saw me on this
field? Tell her Tor me that my last
thought on earth was OF her; tell
! her for me that YOU saw ne fall in
this battle, and that her husband fell
not IN the rear but at the head OF
| MS column; tell her for me, General
! lhat freely give my lie to my coun-
Try, Dut that my unuttorablc grief is
mat | must now go without the priv
lleSc or seeing her once more, and
bidding her a long and loving fare
| wen. | a once said: Where IS
Mrs. Barlow, General? Where could
! find her. for | was determined
that wife should receive that gallant
husbands message He replied.
she Is very close to me; she is inst
back OF the Union line OF battle with
the ommandcr-in-chicf at his head
quarters. That announcement of
| MIS-. l'arlow's presence with thc
! Union army struck in this heart of
mlnc another chord OF deepest and
lcndcrcSt sympathy, for my wife had
ioiioWcd me. sharing with me the
| prlNh'lohS OF the camp, the fatigucs
OF the march; again and again was
she under fire, and always on the
very verge OF the battle was that
devoted wifp or NINA J;I,o a.. o....,,