The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1913-07-04

80 OAN9 NA6As
judgement. In the North continuous
previous defeats had discouraged a large
number of people and many were "for
peace at any price" In the South the
drain of the battlefields, even invictory,
was very great. Because of the probable
effect it would have in the North, onlthe
"peace party" Lee left his line Of de-
fence and transferred the war to North.
ern soil This was grave error.
i Thousands of men, particularly of Penn.
sylvania, few to arms of their own voll-
tion to protect their own soil from in
vasion. On the other hand, Lee left a
strong line of defence to become the
aggressor.
] He also seemed to have made the fatal
military mistake of Understanding the
fighting qualities of his enemies. Argu-
ing perhaps from his successes, he
thought his Southern troops ABSOLUTELY
invincble and when called upon would
be able to achieve the Impossible.
\ The first two days of the battle we're
seemingly defeats for the Northerners.
The Yankees were driven backwards
for some distance on both days,-but
only to occupy far stronger position.
Then Lee ordered Pickett and Pettlgrew
to charge with $1,000 of the flower of the
Southern army of the Potomac. As
criticised by eminent military authori-
ties. ut was magnificent, but it was
not war" When the shattered remnants
, of that charge returned defeated to their
former lines, the historical decision had
been made. that this country was s'one
and lnseparable." There was war for
4 two years after that, and great battles
were fought, but it was always on the
ebb time of the Confederacy.
The battle of Gettysburg was also
unique, in that on the same days in
July of the same year, Grant took Vicks-
burg and made it Fourth of July
present to the North. While not so
bloody, yet its effects were equally dis
astrous to the South. It never recover
ed its mastery of the Mississippi and the
great southwest. The Confederacy was
cut in two for the rest of the war, and
it was Grant that was to finish the work
that fate had decreed at Gettysburg.
That former battlefield is still occu.
pied by the troops that fought there.
UP and down the slopes of its beautiful
landscape lie, sleeping in their tent-like
mounds, thousands and thousands of the
"blue and the gray together. waiting
the reveille Of the resurrection morn.
1t is beautiful thought and full Of sig
nificance that these lie sleeping SO peace
fully together. They lie there, in the
bosom of their common Mother Earth,
dust comingles with dust and ashes
with ashes in union zone and inseper-
able," honored alike, whether they
thought the South or the North was
right. For it was liberty, as they
thought of liberty, and not coveteousness
or conquest for which they gave their
lives.
This week, it is fifty years ago that
that momentous and unique battle was
fought. This week fifty thousand old
men with gray heads and trembling
limbs are camped on that battlefield.
The blue and the gray are there. but
there are no enemies. That gathering,
IN itself, is one Of the most unique
things Of history. Probably never be.
fore has such gathering at such place
ever occurred.
Peace hath its victories as great as
those Of war. Three great battles have
been fought on this Pennsylvania field.
The first was one OF war. It was fought
and finished fifty years ago to-day.
Four months later, great gathering
Twas present on that field to dedicate it
forever as . common cemetery for the
dead who died there. AT that time,
President Lincoln spoke those immortal
words which com mprehend within their
ibrisf limits more signi iAcance than any
other ntterance of human origin. That
was 8 victory 81 sentimsnt and Of peace.
lIt twill 81 down jn1 1ttlhe ages when perhaps
fths tirst battle itself viii IS scarcely re.
smembesed.
To-day afty thousand old. tottering,
.bent md ay-hsirsd veterans of tho
saf 10 king their last carnp on sthat