Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-07-04
REUNION OF THE BLUE AND THE
GRAY

GRAY.
When the great camp of $4,000 tents
spread for miles across the battlefield of
Gettysburg, Pa, was thrown open to the
Union and Confederate veterans on Sunday
last, the fiftieth anniversary Of the greatest
battle ever fought on American soil was
officially begun.
Unconstrained fraternizing between FORM
er Confederates and former wearers of the
blue shows how completely the rancors
and the bitterness of the war have van
ished and how thorough is the union be-
tween North and South.
Men who faced each other fifty years ago,
thirsting for one another's blood, clasped
hands on the very spot where they had
fought. Johnny Rebs," who were dash
ing, fiery youths when they swept across
these fields with bullets singing around
them, went to the reunion still clad in their
beloved gray. but now bent and feeble, to
greet the survivors of the boys in blue who
had moved them down with leaden hail.
just huil u century dSO.
An army of 10000 veterans was en-
camped in tents to take part in the OBJ
servances.
Maryland was represented by some 500
veterans.
A Confederate flag carried at Gettysburg
half century ago was cheered not less by
Union than by Confederate veterans
The ceremonies celebrating the battle
began on Tuesday and were continued
through three days. Fifty thousand per-
sons were present to witness the ceremo-
MES.
Fifty years ago the Confederates had
followed up their victory at Charlottesville
by taking the offensive. and had marched
their principal army across the famous
boundary surveyed by Mason and Dixon,
and the seat Of war was transferred from
Virginia to Pennsylvania. This put an
altogether new complexion upon the char
acter Of the hostilities. The North was
shocked to find that instead of marrying
the South and putting down a rebellion its
own soil was harried. and it had to fight
for Che defense of its own territory. The
effect of this change upon Europe, almost
the whole Of which was watching US with
unfriendly eyes. could not be in doubt.
The political results of this transfer of
the seat of war promised to be far more
important than its immediate military re-
suits could be.
Without knowing very definitely where
Lee was. Hooker had moved North, paral-
leling him and aiming to keep between
him and Washington and Baltimore. Dur
ing the march Of the Federal troops, on
June 28. General Hooker was replaced by
General Meade. who had no time to plan
campaign or even to acquaint himself
very precisely with the disposition of his
army, when an accident precipitated one
Of the worlds greatest battles.
The Federal army was on the defensive.
Its principal object was to defend the CAPT.
tai from Lees apparent intention of max
ing great turning movement and cutting
it off from the North. Lee was also be-
ginning to take defensive attitude, for
his means Of communication were being
threatened; he was trying to get his scat
tered forces more together. and he was
more concerned in preserving his army
than he was in destroying the Federal
forces. He had produced the political
IF he. l..
not seeking general engagement
Fifty years ago neither commander knew
where his antagonist was. But the South
ern army was moving from the North. and
the Northern army was coming up from
the South. when Pettigrew's brigade of
Heth's division was sent by the Con-
federate commander to Gettysburg for
supplies of any kind. but especially for
shoes. Buford's Federal cavalry arrived
there the same day, in the course of its
efforts to locate the enemy.
The great conflict began. Both armies
were within easy reach. and troops on
both sides were hurried forward into a
battle that lasted for three days on one of
the most spectacular fields on which men
ever fought. An open country. gentle
slope before each Of the two parallel ridges
on which the contending armies were
massed, and the high ground Of Round
Top and Little Round Top at the southern
end Of the field. made a vast pageant Of
the great encounter.
The immediate result was that Lee had
to retire to his own country. The ultimate
result has been great. united, prosperous
United States. Of which the South is as
proud and to which it is as loyal as the
North. And the semi-centennial Of one
of the worlds greatest battles was cele-
brated this week by a vast pacific reunion
Of the survivors Of the men whose courage
and endurance made that Pennsylvania
village immortal.