The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-17
REUNION AT GETTYSBURG
By Rev W. H. Groves. Company c, Sixtieth
Virginia Regiment.
Virginia Regiment.

! ir1mortalize the hcroism Of the Con-
fedcrate soldier and make 1t the SUD
FINEST spectacle of all history The
earth trembled beneath the shock OF
battle the cannon and Mimic ball and
shell tore TO fragments the Confede-
rates and decimated their ranks, but
they cloSed up and came on until they
planted their flag on the enemy $
treastworks. but amid concetrated and
oonverEent fire OF 100 cannon and the
onslaught of a mighty army, the hand :
fun OF picketts men left fell back.
They had done all that mortal men
could do 1t was delay that lost the
battle of Gettysburg to the Confed :
crates. More than once they could
have occupied Cemetery Hill and Little
Round Top had they acted with prompt
ness. No one would think OF censuring
General Lee, though he assumed the
responsibility OF the defeat. We be-
l.eve his orders were not carried out.
But ii emphasizes the tremendous dam
ger and tragedy which results from de-
lay. Delay in business. in life. in re-
ligion, is still the murderer of time and
| the soul. Gettysburg is beautiful
/ place by nature. by association. by
adornment. There lies spread out DC :
fore you smiling valleys. hills wooded
and robed with green, monuments more
ancient than the pyramids reared by
the hand Of God Almighty, and monu-
ments and memorials raised TO the no.
than all the combined battlehelds Of
earth-beautiful as art and wealth and
sentiment could make them. Gettys-
burg is simply lovely. and will become
more and more place of beauty and
glory, the Mecca not only for America II
citizens. but for the citizens of the
world. II earth can be made so beau
tiful what must not haven be?
One of the essential things at Gettys-
burg was water-and it was there
plentiful and refreshing. I drank out
Of ShnnGler's Spring. where the two
armies fifty years ago slaked their
thirst. even amid the heat OF battle
and where at cvcntide the boys in blue
and gray. by common consent. filed
their canteens and met friends.
There is the water of life more essen
tial than the material element of which
il man drink he shall not thirst and
which is obtainable amid all its con-
iiicts of earth
The influence Of Gettysburg will
never die. 1t was a decisive battle.
Though defeated, Lee was still defiant.
and did not cross the Potomac until
July Is. ten days after. Yet Meade was
a raid 10 beard the lion on his march
But after this the fortunes OF the
Confedcracy waned. and her sun went
down the AppomattoX Gettysburg
will live forever because hero was the
highwater mark OF the Confederacy,
and here was shattered her hopes. and
here II was determined that he gov
eminent OF the people bv ths reonIs
and for the people should ~. .,erish
from the earth.
Other republics have been horn he
cause OF this republic China. where
one third of the race lives has 70
Gently followed our example. and
largely adopted our Constitution
America has vast moned interests in
Mexico and elsewhere controls almost
half of the farming OF the world ana
il she does moi do The work secs II
done. In education and religion Ameri-
the nations of the earth The unity
and influence Of our renuhuc is due