The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1913-08-21
Rev. Christler AT Gettysburg.


worker in the vineyard Of the Grea
Master, the other government oflic
iul and an honored veteran of tht
great Civil War, attended the reunion
of the Blue and the Gray at Gttys
burg, and came back to their posts O
duty full of the spirit of that grea
Encampment. The one is the Rev
Leonard J. Christler, the other Maio,
Samuel c.. Walker. No two mel
of our W estern plains ever received
such recognition as that accorded
them at Gettysburg, Mr.. Christie:
taking both the North and the Soutl
by capture with his "Firm Friends
At Last" address, and Major Wake
being literally showered with recep
tions by h1s comrades and friends o
the Virginian troops.
At the Eagle hall Mr.. Christle1
gave brief address on Gettysburg
In going over the four days reunion
with representative OF The Enter
| III lSC 4sll olll ISh1CA SttlN
81 hardly just know where to begin
or where to leave off. The magnitude
and the significance # the great camp
can hardly be told in q single story.
A reunion of the survivors of two
hostile armies on the greatest battle
field of the war, with all the supreme t
features, both pathetic and humor-
Gus attending it, requires none less
than q Victor Hugo to give the ade-
quate word picture. 1t would be
preslmptuous for me to more than
make the attempt.
In company with Major Walker
arrived at Gettysburg in time to see
the great camp at high water mark
AS we approached the "Tented City
of Brown" saw the moving lines Of
veterans coming and going to the
strains Of the martial music of drum
corps Of so years ago, we both de-
clared that we had never witnessed
such spectacle. For there We're
men who had fought against each
other reposing under the same tents,
dining at the same mess and sitting
by the same camp fires recounting
their "reminiscences. Y'sis country
will never again look upon q sim
liar scene. The next thing that AT
rested our attention as we advanced
to the center of the vast area of tents
was the general administrative staff
work of the camp, providing comfort,
health and convenience for the vet
Grams. The army surgeons and the
whole military organization of the
United STAR had arranged both the
commissary department and the SAN
itary conditions in such manner
that they We're a triumph. With
these hurried observations We made
our way to our headquarters. Major
Walker going to the West Virginia
tents while sought ont the Montana
comrades. They received me with
that proverbial Montana smile that
never comes off, and protfered me
everything they possessed. They
fitted ne out with my camping kit,
consisting of tray, tin cnp, knife,
fork and spoon, together with blank
cts for cot. At the sound of the
call for mess | took my place in the
long line of veterans and presented
myself at the comnjssary booth for
rations. There | found Major Wal
ker, who had been fitted out with his
company kit, waiting for his turn at
the rations with a radiance on his
face equal to the brilliancy shining
from the tin plate in his hand caused
by the rays of the high noon sun.
Our rations that day consisted Of
baked chicken with the accompanying
vegetables and ice cream for dessert.
| could not hell but contemplate the
awful charge that must have been
made upon all the chicken coops in
the land, and the amount of muscle,
grease, and great energy that must
have been used in freezing so much
ice cream. Think of it--enough of
both to feed sc. 900 men.
The service at all the meals was
prompt. and at no time was the food
such as some of the press notices
stated, poor or scanty.
Joining Major Walker ;Mter mess,
we repaired to the big tent where TIL
formal exercises We're held. The
presiding officer soon had me
launched into my address, and never
till my dying day shall forget the
earnest and respectful attention given
me by that vast crowd of heat both
cred veterans. During the remainder
of the day and long into the night the
various states kept me busy making
addresses at their State Reunions,
until | had made II all told. Major