The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-07-02
ARE IN RETREAT
Old Sol Routs Thousands at
Gettysburg Battlefield.
Heat and Oyer-CrOWding Cause
Many Veterans to Leave.

Gettysburg, Pa, July 2-The tide or
| invasion turned back from Gettysburg
today and the armies of the blue and
gray began to melt away under the
| compelling influence of a torrid sun
and the discomforts of camp life.
General Hunter Light, U. S. A, in
command of the camp, estimated that
more than 5000 veterans have gone,
and expressed the opinion that 1000
might depart before midnight. Most
of them have looked over the battle
field, shaken hands with comrades
| they knew in other regiments, got an
other glimpse of their friends, the
! "rebs," and left for home. The regu-
lar army men were not sorry to see
the thousands go, for the camp was
crowded beyond capacity and hun
dreds of old men were being quartered
in tents that were made for circuses,
hut not for sleeping purposes. Scores
slept on the ground and although the
cooks made strenuous efforts, the
mess tables did not groan with food.
There was no other reason for army
rejoicing today for all indications
pointed to another unusually hot day.
The sun was not over the hills an hour
until the mercury was around the
ninety mark and promised to soar
much higher The veterans have
stood the heat in wonderful fashion,
in the opinion of the medical men, but
any time there is a protracted hot
spell, scores of real prostrations may
result. This was military day. in the
~
of Louisville presiding Major Gem
eral John r. Brooke of Pennsylvania
was the northern orator of the day
and Sergeant John c. Scarborough of
North Carolina the silver tongued de-
fender of the south. To Barry Bulk
ley of Washington was given the honor
of reading LincoIn's Gettysburg ad-
dress.
One of the unadvertised reunions of
the celebration occurred last night in
the Confederate section of the camp.
A fife and drum corps of men in blue
tramped up and down the street of the
Confederate part of the city of tents
They stopped before the tents, played
such a fanfare as only drums and flies
can make, summoned forth the occu-
pants and shook hands, threw their
arms about the gray Shoulders and in
a dozen other ways showed their feel
ings of friendship. They kept it up
for hours and hours and visited prac-
tically ever ''reb" tent. Their reception
was as warm as their greeting.
Col Bradley. the army officer in
charge of the camp hospital was sur
prised when the records from all the
hospitals under his command were
turned in. Only 30 veterans remain
ed in the hospital over night and scores
of them were not suffering from heat |
prostration, but from the ordinary all
ments of old age Of the 30 in the
army hospitals 265 had been received |
IT,
so that the total of those who were re- |
ceived yesterday and who were in such |
condition as to require any medical |
supervision was less than one hundred. |
The Pennsylvania state hospital |
camp has treated fewer men than the |
army has, and the total number of |
those in camp and in Gettysburg who |
gave up to the heat and ordinary sick
ness was under five hundred. Only six
men have died in camp since Sunday, a
record which has amazed the doctors
when it is considered that more than
$4,000 old men are here.
Landes L. CLAWS, 68 years old, of
Westmoor. Pa, a member of Cunning
ham post No. 81 G. A. r. dropped dead
on the street in Gettysburg today.
Gettysburg. July 2.-Col. Andrew
Cowan of Louisville, Ky, captain of
the First New York battery, which
was stationed in a clump of trees in
the third days fighting at Gettysburg,
presided at the principal exercises in
the big tent today. In introducing
Major General John r. Brooks, U. S.
A. retired, who spoke for the army
of the Potomac, and Sergeant John
G. Scarborough of North Carolina,
who voiced the sentiments of the army
of Northern Virginia, Col. Cowan
said:
Our regular army is an honor to
the nation. 1t ought to be twice as
large. Our navy has won the ad-
of the world, but we ought
to build two battleships for every
one laid down by Japan. Our coast
cities with their great wealth are ex-
posed to hostile attack. Why should
they live in fear?
We have become a world power,
for good or i'll; who can say?
We must protect our coast positions.
I'VE must guard our immense sea
coast against invasion. Let US be pre-
pared to command peace.
Our nation maintains a military
academy at West Point and a naval
academy at Annapolis to educate the
army and navy. Their capacity should
be greatly increased. If We measure
he great services which graduates
from West Point and Annapolis have
performed with the expenses of main
aiming these famous schools it seems
have haan k-a -issas- it11r-