The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-05-30
JUBILEE YEAR OF BATTLES.

of the dead who fell In defense of the
the history of the Grand Army of the
Republic, and the custom has become
fixed for the decoration of those
graves upon that day. This is testi-
monial to the love and the reverence
felt by the American people toward
bellion. those who died to save their
country. AS long as that patriotic i'm
pulse survives. there will he no danger
TO the Republic, for the patriotic peo.
pie of n Nation of the power and in
fluence now attained by the Great Re-
quarter.
Following the example Of the G A
r. societies in the different communl-
| lies throughout the United States, this
| day has come to be a day of the gen.
eral decoration Of graves with flow.
ers. This also is well. a showing last.
| ing and lender memories for the dead,
and loving desire to render this trib-
ute to those who have gone before.
The days of trial Of which this an
nivcrsary is this year the central iubi-
lee, were indeed days that tried men S
souls. They called for the exercise of
the utmost strength of the Nation to
preserve its life. and its defenders
went down by the hundred thousands.
But the gain was worth the sacrifice,
nd ha IF hot la
flict received, as was their due. the
tribute of love, honor, and gratitude
Of the whole country. even their late
foes Joining in acclaim over their vic
tories which preserved the Union of
the States. No one now, North or
South, would dream Of desire for the
triumph Of the Confederate cause. All
of those who were devoted to that
cause are sound Union men now, and
their descendants would be as ready
at need TO fight the battles Of the
Union as would their Northern broth
ers.
But the ranks of the old warriors
are being sadly depleted year by
year, and in few more years none
will be left, a good many Of those
who still live, survive in weakness
and pain. Their days will be short,
and the days of even the strongest
will not be much prolonged. But the
memory Of what they achieved will
never die in the hearts of a grateful
people.
The present year is jubilee year,
the fiftieth anniversary of four i'm,
portant and memorable battles, three
of which were triumphs for the Union
cause,
First, the jubilee Of the Battle of
Gettysburg. which was fought the
first three days in July. 1868, will be
celebrated by reunion of Union and
Confederate soldiers on the field of
that bloody fight. Extensive arrange,
ments have been made By most of the
States for the gathering of the veter-
ans Of that battle in this jubilee cele-
bration.
Next. July 4th is the jubilee ami
versary Of the surrender of Nicksburg.
There will be memorial services held
in many parts of the country in honor
Of that great victory, but so far as we
have observed there have been no ar
rangements made for a general cele-
bration of that event at the scene OF
the surrender.
Next comes the jubilee anniversary
of the Battle of Chickamauga, bloody
two days fight on September 10Th and
Goth, 1863. There have been arrange
ments made for celebrating this iubi
lee, but on nothing like the extensive
scale as at Gettysburg.
The fourth of these great Jubilee an,
niversaries is that Of the Battle of
Chattanooga, which was fought No
vember 23rd, oath and 25th. 1868,
There is no mention in any of the dis
patches that we have seen of a special
or general celebration of this ami
versary.
II is admitted by the best military
critics, and indeed was asserted at the
time, that there was no justification
for continuing the war beyond the
gettysburg and the Flcksburg vie.
tories. 1t is evident to any student
of the war and OF military science who
will investigate the whole history Of
the war that the Confederate cause
was hopeless after Gettysburg and
| Vicksburg.
In that view of it. therefore. all the
blood shed after the great battles of
July, 1865. was cruelty shed, useless
sacrifice TO mere obstiuacy and pride
of opinion. From and after those bat.
ties the Confederate cause was a des.
perate one. utterly lost, save for some
possible contingency that might have
arisen. but that did not arise
But on these jubilee anniversaries
we all put aside rccriminatons. forget
our differences, even though those diff
ferences were TO the death fifty wears
ago, and iioin in 3 general acclaim Of