Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1913-07-11
With blue AND GRAY AT GETTYSBURG

Many were the stories told and in
Vulnerable were the Incidents, both
pathetic and humorous, which marked
the great reunion of the Union and
Confederate veterans on the Gettys-
burg battlefield. Concentrating the
fiftieth anniversary of the most stub
bornly contested battle Of the Civil
war, fragments Of the hosts which
faced each other in that conflict gath
cred to renew old acquaintances and
to recount the deeds of other days.
Here is a story which was told by
A. T. Dice, vice-president Of the Read
ing railway:
Once upon a time there were vet
eran in gray and veteran in blue
They came to Gettysburg and in the
course of events and visits to hotels
they happened to meet. They looked
over the sights of Gettysburg and the
monuments of the field. But they
found they must part.
The one in blue lived in Oregon;
the one in gray in New Orleans. They
went weeping together to their sta
ton and passed by train after train,
deferring the parting that must come.
Just what they said, just how they
reached the final grand idea of the
meeting, Mr.. Dice did not know.
But, however, yesterday they finally
decided that the time for parting had
come. The one from Oregon could
not figure how to reach home via New
Orleans and his gray comrade, while
willing to see the west, didn't have
the money for a ticket.
They lined upon on the platform as
their trains stood waiting and then
before the crowd, they slowly stripped
off their uniforms and exchanged
them there while the curious flocked
to see them.
The Oregonian who came proudly to
town with a coat Of blue, went as
proudly away with one of gray and
the veteran from Louisiana who boast
ed the gray of the south sat with
swelling chest in his new uniform Of
blue.
James H. Lansberry of St. Louis,
Mo-, who enlisted in the Third Indiana
cavalry from Madison, Ind, recited to
his comrades the details of his cap
ture in the town of Gettysburg by
Confederates so years ago. Following
the skirmish just outside of town
which marked the opening of what
was to be world-famed engagement,
he had been detailed to assist In car
rying wounded officer to the old
seminary in Gettysburg. While in
town frantic women flocked about him
and begged that he tell Of the battle.
He remained to tell the story, with the
result that he had to spend several
days in following the Confederate
army as q prisoner. After tramping
80 miles over rough country without
shoes he succeeded in escaping and
finally made his way back to Gettys-
burg, where he remained till August
in assisting in the care of the wound.
ed which were housed In the semin-
nary, churches, barns and public build.
ings.
Harry K Thaw has come to the
financial rescue of Gen. Daniel E
Sickles from his cell in Matteawan
He sent letter to Chairman Schoon-
maker, having charge of the celebra
ton of the fftieth anniversary fthe
battle of Gettysburg, In which $1,000
in cash was inclosed In the letter
Thaw wrote that he felt the deepest
sympathy for General Sickles because
of the misfortunes that had come to
him in his old age. This sympathy
the writer declared, was heightened
by the fact that Thaw had two uncles
in the Union army