Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-07-17

BY CAPT .
he Margaret Hayes Chapter.

Having manlI65teu 81 MuUn 1AtC1est
:, aiding veterans to attend the great
pounion recently held at Gettysburg,
= was thought that this report of the
I'm should be made to your Chapter.
The delegation from this county, q
.o11v good humored and eongenial
proyd- consisted Of the following
.'otorans: J.. p. johnson, J. II. West, +.
n Williams, J. Harper johnson and
". Wofford. Tickets were furnish
~ a majority of them by your chapter.
We left here on Saturday preceding
tho Reunion, and passed in Virginia
several towns that were familiar to
nc during the war, viz: Orange, Gull
nenner Court House, Brandy station,
Manasses near where the two battles,
first and second Manassas, were
fought. In n or the other we each
participated. In a few miles we cross
the historic Bull Run, we see Airing
ton in the distance, the house of Gen
eral Lee. We soon reach Washington
and after a short stay we take a special
for Gettysburg and ride most of the
wav on the great Pennsylvania Rail-
road. 1t surpasses in speed and COM
fort any road that we had ever rode
IN. About 4 p. M. on Sunday we ar
rived at Gettysburg. We come to a
halt in the town, (the road runs.
through the town. Instantly two or
more boy scouts enter the coach.
Keep your seats, gentlemen, don't
move from your seats until we come
for YOU" Slowly the train moves out
on a spur about l LIZ miles to tn
camp. We alight and get together by
States and march about one half mile,
guided by the scouts, to that part of.
the camp assigned to North Carolina.
and take possession of a large, COM
rodious tent sufficient for eight per-
sons, equipped with a cot, two blank
cts, two sheets. and two wash pans.
This is the tent equipment. We look
around; It's a city of tents and covers
about thirty acres at night lit up by
large electric lights. it is a sight to
behold. The Boy Scouts, of which
there are two thousand, are in evil
dence everywhere to look after the
welfare of veterans and are kind and
courteous in imparting information
concerning the camp and appurten-
ances. Half past six, the supper bell
Gangs and we repair to the kitchen
at the head of the street, and r fur
large tin plate, knife, fork and spoon,
and pass by the large receptacles for
the food, and T dished out the pre-
pared meal in abundance. Falling
hack a few PAGES to the dining table,
you take your seat.
The next day a regular stream of
veterans from every section of the
country pour out from the trains like
bees from a hive, until it is estimated
that SO. 900 veterans are in camp.
They told us that 1000 of the very best
cooks and walters were employed in
the camp. They certainly knew how
to cook as no complaint was heard
about iIl-prepared food. The ar
rangements were so complete that the
whole army of veterans could be serv-
ed in one hour. The sanitary ar
rangements are perfect, no foul
smells, nc flies; kitchen and streets
neat; medical arrangements could not
be better; a veteran Frustrated by
heat or taken suddenly sick, In less
than ten minutes, he is on a comforta-
bit cot in a hofpital and receives
treatment. Three ~attesian wells are in
the camp affording SEer a million gal
Ions daily, and ps2ed along every
street in camp, double faucets about
50 yards aparG and ice water foun-
tains bubbling up about the same dis
lance. The kitchen or meal kits were
given to all veterans and highly priz-
ed by them as souvenirs. The tents
are of the very best and did not leak
a particle. So much for the camp.
Now, how did we put in our time?
Early in the morning we scattered, !
som to the ground fought over the
FIRST day, some to the second and some
to the third. Of course, that part
where a man fought was the place he
wanted to see first. Markers were
placed and it was an easy matter to
Identify and trace the movements
made by the different commands, to
visit the springs and branches where
We got our water just fifty years
ago today. How it brought up old
recollections. the places where the
Hgnt was hottest, and where brave
comrades fell. Then after trampfng
IN the hot sun, a return to camp is.
made and much said about what was
seen through the day, telling tales,
cracking jokes and being boys again,
visiting the big tent and smaller ones.
listening to speeches and music.
while resting in the shade on a grassy
hound where Sickles had formed his
advanced line, in conversation with a
very intelligent Federal soldier who
LAD fought there, he was asked this
question, This seems to be a good
me, why did you leave it,"
Just simply to keep from being an
undated. They got about two thirds
smile.
The next day we visited the more
urrnportant points of the field, such as
rn,ign Water Mark, National Cemetery,
pennsylvania Monument that cost
~soV,OOO, the headquarters of Lee and
reao and many others. The third day
Vas spent very much like the other
W. IN the mean time visiting other
% smps' hunting up old comrades, some
IL u Wnom We had not seen since the
GU oSe OF the war. The fourth was Will
cou n Jay, and of course, we all who
Neulu Went. and af niohf +bo ornof Arc r