The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1913-08-06
THE REUNION AT GETTYSBURG

seen through the day, telling tales.
cracking jokes and being boys again.
listing the big tent and smaller ones,
listening to speeches and music.
While resting in the shade on a grassy
mound where Sickles had formed his
advance line, in conversations w;.h n
very Intelligent Federal soldier who
mad fought there, he was asked this
question, This seems to be a good
line, why did You leave it?"
Just simply to keep from being an
nihilated. They got about two thirds
OF us anyway" he replied, with a grim
smile.
The next day we visited the more
important points of the field, such as
High Water Mark National Cemetery,
Pennsylvania Monument that cost
$l5O,OOO, the headquarters of Lee and
Mead and many others. The third day
was spent very much like the other
TWO IN the mean time visiting other
camps, hunting up old comrades. some
close OF the war The fourth was Will
son Day, and of course, we all who
could, went, and at night the great fire
works on top of little Round TOP was
visible to all parts of the field and
witnessed by thousands and thousands
who same by railroad, auto and car
riage.
met two who fought Kershaw's
llne OF battle on the second, when the
following conversation took place:
"Comrade. did you fight here "
Yes"
"Where?"
Just where we are standing. BY
lingo, we fought right there" pointing
10 monument about thirty yards dis
tant. Another gripping Of hands and
ON we go. Such scenes as these were
taking place constantly. | verify be-
lieve this Reunion will clinch the SEN
timent that has been prevailing to a
more or less extent for some time. to
give from the National Treasury a
pension to Confederate soldiers. When
sounded, | believe that 40 out of so
of the old Federal soldiers would en-
dorse it.
BY the way, Judge Clark, whom
many OF us wanted to go to the Unted
states Senate on this platform IN the
last election, visited our tent twice
while in camp and stated that he was
still fighting for the measure and that
nc wonld stop off in Washington and
shake them up a little. think in a
snort time the matter will be tested
and pensions granted, some wiseacres
to the contrary notwithstanding. There
are some among us we'll to do, who are
too proud to accept it, and it hurts
our cause forgetting the many poor
old fellows and their wives who would
be glad to get it.
Not a word was said in all the
speeches or conversations that was in
the least offensive or jarring to the
most sensitive persons. Surely har-
mony prevailed.
1t is useless for me to attempt to
describe this great battlefield. Suffice
1t 10 say it is ground beyond conccp-
tion, the beauty Of it's natural scenery,
enhanced now by upward Of 500 taste
full and elegant monuments marking
the positions occupied by troops. There
is no spot in the world connected with
more memorable events than the
thirty-five square miles of ground
which witnessed the terrible conflict
between the Federal and Confederate
troops on the first, second and third
of July, 1868. There is but one Gettys-
burg and it is without doubt the most
picturesque and interesting point in
America for either the soldier or citi-
ven to visit. Thousands from the old
world visit 1t annually. Quite num-
Der of hotels and boarding houses have
sprung up to entertain them.
Gettysburg, during the battle, CON
tanned about 1900 inhabitants. Now it
numbers upward of 5000. The lines
of battle are marked by fine macadam
roads and where a battery of artillery
stood during the battle, there now
stands two cannon pointing as they
did then. All the woods and open
fields are kept as they We're then.
What | have written contains but a
brief nntlinn nf q dnrnnirtior r a.