Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-07-05
FOURTH OF JULY
FIFTY YEARS AGO,
People Were Awaiting News
Of Battle Of Gettysburg.

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TIFTY years ago this Fourth Of
July the people Of the whole
country were in state Of tre-
mendous excitement over the
battle Of Gettysburg, which came to an
end the day before. For three days
startling rumors had been afoat. The
Confederate army, under General Rob
ert e. Lee, was in the heart Of Penn
sylvania. Fighting began July close
to the town of Gettysburg. The Unit
ed States government censored all dis
patches from the battlefield, but there
were unofficial telegraph messages sent
out from offices near the scene Of oper-
atlons. After the battle Of July / a
dispatch stated that the Confederates
were cut In two and retreating, etc.
The Army Of the Potomac was in the
field to combat Lee. It's commander,
General Joseph Hooker, had been re-
moved June 2S, and news Of that add
ed to the anxiety of the country over
the fate of the army. The government
censorship of telegraph dispatches sent
to the press was very rigid, but from
hour to hour In a crisis like that at Get
tysburg the authorities at Washington
sent dispatches direct to the towns and
cities to be placed on the bulletin
boards. In this way the people within
reach Of the telegraph centers were
posted at intervals during the 4th upon
the latest news from the field,
The battle Of Gettysburg closed July
8. The morning newspaper news Of
that date was chiefly in the minds Of
the public on the Fourth except those
who received the morning dallies Of the
Fourth. This number was compare
lively small proportion Of the popula-
tion. In the news printed on July 8,
over which the people were rumlnating
on Independence day, was information
Of the severe battle on July "near
Gettysburg"
The papers stated that General ]. Il.
Reynolds of the Federal forces had
been killed, that the Confederates had
been 'repulsed" and "drlven" and
were "avoiding the issue" and that
General George g. Meade, the COM
mander who succeeded Hooker. was
pressing" them The general sum
mary Of this information which was be-
fore the people on the Fourth was that
reports from the battle of Gettysburg
were mot unfavoruble."
The morning papers Of July placad
before their readers on Independence
day the statement that the battle Of
Gettysburg had been the severest OF
the war; but contained no hint what
ever Of Pickett's charge, which closed
the day on July and closed the bat
tie of Gettysburg. The papers also
gave official news relating to the fight
ing Of July 1 and q One Of the news
paper headings was, 1--WE Took Gettys-
burg" A dispatch from General Meade
dated at 3 p, M, July 2, the day of the
terrible battle in front Of Little Round
Top, said chat there had been no fight
ing Of consequence that day. In one
hour after that the Confederate guns
opened upon General Sickles' line. A
still later dispatch also appeared, dat
ed at 8 Il. m. July 3. There was no ref
erence to the results of the fighting Of
the previous day, but the dispatch stat
ed that fighting had begun on that
morning
In comparison with Plcketts charge,
which took place on the afternoon OF
July 3, this fighting of the early morn
ing was a mere incident Of the battle.
Meade closed his dispatch with state
ment that the Confederates "have
made no impression on my position as
yet"
In this dispatch General Meade gave
to the people whose relatives were in
the army at Gettysburg food for
thought by stating that the losses had
been heavy, This news, taken in con-
nection with the previous statement
that the battle was the severest Of the
war, naturally filled the minds Of rela-
tlyes at home with anxiety as to the
fate Of their loved ones at the front
General Meade stated In his dispatch
that General Reynolds Of Pennsylva-
MIA, Colonel u. E Cross Of New Hamp-
shire, General Zook and General Paul
had been killed. He also mentioned the
woundlng Of General Daniel 10. sickles
and some Of his brigade commanders.
But he said nothing Of the heroic death
in defense Of Little Round Top Of Gen
eral Strong Vincent and General Ste