Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-04
FAREWELLS SPOKEN,
REUNION NEAR END
Blue and Gray Veterans ere
treating" From the Field
Of Gettysburg.
UNDER WHITE BANNER,
THE EMBLEM OF PEACE
Gen. Hunter Light the Recipient
o. Honors and Numerous
Congratulations.
BY EARL GOODWIN.

0~-sSOSSSs
BY EARL GOODWIN.
GETTYSBURG. Fa.. July 4.-The
retreat from Gettysburg has started.
and Blue and Gray alike are entraininK
for the home town, laden with memories
and souvenirs and wartime friendships,
renewed at the greatest victory peace has
ever won. Thousands of veteran camp
ers left today, thousands left yesterday.
and IL the outgoing specials will be able
to handle the crowd the entire camp will
be depopuated tomorrow morning, with
the exception of the regular army and
the Philadelphia Boy Scouts Washington
veterans are leaving today in large num-
bers. Washington Boy Scouts leave with
laurels tomorrow at s o'clock in the
morning.
In the dust of Long lane, which is
the main street OF the big camp. the 1000
cooks are being lined up in squads and
receiving return transportation. The
cooks are growing generous with the
army rations. Evidently there will be a
surplus of things like crackers and cook
les and bareback. The cooks evidently
believe the whole world is interested in
getting a sample of bareback, for they
lean over their kitchen ratings, shouting,
Hey. you. don't you want to take a piece
OF bareback home for souvenir
Many a veteran Is glad to do 1t. The
hard tack served here was a finely made
cracker not a bit like the macadamized
sort served in the war, and 1t was In
troduced I'm camp by the army as
sort of joke for the vets to laugh over
and it was well received. Nearly every
fellow in camp has sent a piece home
through the mail stamped and addressed
as If it were a picture post card.
Reunion About Over.
Today is really a big day. outside Of
the Presidents speech, and all the fuss
and feathers attendant upon the influx
of colonies of the governors STATS and
all the uniformed wonders Of the Ma
tional Guard of Pennsylvania 1t is big
because 1t marks the elimination OF this
reunion. and the knowledge that an
epoch-marking event is over is beginning
to spread through the minds of the men.
The fact that the true appreciation of
this wonderful camp will never be gained
until the perspective softens in the pas
sage of time Is apparent to all, and there
Is many a veteran. blue and gray, who
has said he would be glad enough to die
right here on Gettysburg's battlefield, for
he has shaken hands with the men with
whom he fought as only Americans can
fight; and he has. in the sunset of his
years. marched under white banner
which declares that peace hath its VIC
tories no less than war.
Although the end of the camp Is in
sight. the big heart throb OF the whole
thing pulsates through every portion
of the tented field. The reunions will
continue until the end, yet no scene
of yesterday afternoon. when the vet
Grams Of North Carolina shook hands
with Miss Mamie Randolph Heth Of
Washington. She Is the daughter Of
died upon the gray side Of this fei HI
Her father started the battle on his
side. In the North Carolina camp. In
front of the state headquarters, the
daughter received the veterans. The
tears welded to her eyes and fell upon
her cheeks, and she was not alone In
this. Men whom she greeted were
weeping.
Some Features Never Again.
AS the camp disperses and the vet
Grams go home. the greatest possible
aggregation of wartime fife and drum
players will scatter to hundred differ
ent points. never to play together
again. If there Is one odd feature to
be remembered here. 1t is the remark
able number Of fifers. drummers and
slightly less number Of buglers of all
ages. from sixty-five years to eighty.
Insurance companies might make
ance the bugiins. nfing and drum
ming of the last two days has evidently
taken fifty years from the shoulders OF
the musicians as we'll as the veterans
who heard them. There have been
composed of veterans. marching about
this camp, necessarily playing the rev.
eille the tattoo. the double roll and all
the other old timers Of 1883.
tudes OF blues and srays Who come
to life at the sound OF me ant, and
only s o'clock yesterday morning when
a sturdy band Of seventy-year-old hfers
and drummers marched the length and
OF musc OF from 5oRnna Comes March
ing Home" to The Streets Of Cairo.
and it was this last sonata that aroused
dhs New ana
tempts at early morning terpsichorean
endeavor.
After the veterans leave will come
accounting for the lost property and the
hard job of cleaning up in general.
The army OUTFIT here will attend to it.
aa hsse worked to II all ss in saaps s
Big wagons are visiting each camp to-
day picking up the army blankets from
the tents OF men. who have gone. Or
ders from the War Department were re-
ceived by Gen. Hunter Liggett late yes
terday arranging for the return of all
United States troops after they have
finished their work In camp.
Gen. Liggett Honorsd.
In the hatch Of orders the general re-
ceived, was one which made him the
recipient OF many a congratulation last
night and today. It was the order max
ing him president Of the Army War Col
lege in Washington. 1t is dated SO as
to make the promotion from the list Of
this month, and the big crowd around
headquarters took advantage Of the op-
portunity for shaking hands with a man
who has made a thousand new and firm
friends here.
The newspaper army presented the
general with a press badge which he
wears to the great delight OF the citi-
Zens OF the press camp. WASHINGTON
newspaper men, twelve in number form
ed Washington, d. C.-Gettysburg Vet
Grams Association today. and were pho
tographed with Gen. Liggett and Meuts
Saunders and Buckner.
Virginians Pay Respects.
The Virginians, in the gray, and with
a battle flag in the midst of their column,
marched from their camp all the way
up the slope OF Cemetery Ridge last night
to call on Gen. Lggett 1t was just before
shutdown when they started. Gen. Lggett