The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-01
S|CKLES RECALLS
STIRRING JUNE So
FIFTY YEARS AGO
Continued From First Page.)

Gettysburg. Lee, he declared. had
crossed the Potomac. and 1t was our
task TO follow Him as rapidly rs pos
sible. The whole army was put OH
the move. My corps was In Virginia
at the time. We crossed the Potomac
at Edwardss Ferry late in June and
began n series of forced marching
after the fast-moving Lee
l don't think any of us had any idea
of what was ahead at the time. But
don't believe our boys ever moved
faster. We covered the ground at the
rate of thirty and thirty-fve miles Il
day. The North had been invaded--a
crisis had arrived in the war and n vic
tory for the Confedcracy r. that time
might have produced consequences of
the most far-rcaching character.
Among them. and what the Confed-
crates counted on most, l think. was
recognition of their belligerency by
the governments of Great Britain and
France. Had that been accorded. the
results might have been far-reaching.
Lees immediate objective point was
Harrisburg. He expected to capture
Harrisburg and Philadelphia Beyond
that | don't think he had any definite
plans. But we fortunately got on his
rear. cut his line Of communications
and forced him to fight at GettysburE
with the results that history tells
But | am talking now only about the
3oth of June, fifty years ago We
marched all that day through n terri
fled country, which was seeing the first
of the war, but through IA country
which, for the first time in our expe-
rience. was friendly. All through the
country the farmer folk turned out to
welcome us and cheer us on. They
took good care of the boys. They fed
them and gave them drink We were
the deliverers. We were on our way
to drive the enemy back into his own
country and save the North from his
deva ton.
Pushed His Boys IInrd.
My orders were TO hold the region
around EmmittShurg, in view of the
possible advance OF the Confederates
at Fairfield. Cashtown and in that di-
rection. All the army was moving in
the general direction of Gettysburg.
and so we marched all that day. keep
ing our eye out all the time for signs
of the enemy, ready and on the alert
| for what might turn up. I suppose
| pushed the boys pretty hard on that
march. But II meant much to the army
and to the nation to have every man
available when the general movement
was ordered against the invader
II vas a NstN VI tne
3oth of June. fifty years ago. Though
neither side knew 1t at the time, the
great Scene Shifter was arranging the
stage for the great battle which was
to be precipitated on the morrow 1t
was a day of toll and worry. heart
rending day for we did not know,
none of us. what was ahead. But I
kept always in mind that line from
Shakespeare which / have repeated
here to-day TO the men who have
Iapologi2ed for insisting upon shaking,
my hand:
The labor we delight in physics
pain" and it was that which keyed
me up.
Looking back upon it all now. after
fifty years. wonder at the blindness
with which the gallant men on both
sides plunged forward into that terrific,
titanic struggle of Gettysburg.
BY pushing my men to the utmost
limit Of their endurance. l got my corps
into Emmittsburg, ten miles from here
on the night of June 80 And there
we halted in bivouac for the night.
Camp-fires blazed for a hundred miles
around. Already there was to he heard
the roar of guns and the rattle of mus
kerry in the distance where the skirm-
ishcrS were nj work. Troops were ar
irving constantly. Alarming reports
came from every side. we took up our
position outside Emmittsburg and
awaited the call for the morrow, which
was to open the great decisive battle
of the war