Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-05
VETERAN LEG|ONS
QUIT GETTYSBURG
Half Of the $4,000 Will Have.
Departed, It Is Expected,
by Tonight.
TOM0RROW'S BREAKFAST
CAMPS LAST BIG MEAL
But Old Soldiers Will Be Fed by
Regulars a. Long As They
Remain.

Remain.
GETTYSBURG. Pa, July 6.-Thou-
sands of veterans began their home
ward march today after a last exchange
Of greetings with the new comrades
they found here. Before night more
than half OF the army ot 80 600 proba bly
will have gone.
Tomorrow the veterans will be given
breakfast, the last meal in camp. That
Is what the army says, but those who
have seen the kindness. the courtesy
that has been shown to the veterans by
these busy men throughout q trying week
know that they will be fed as long as
they stay here, If It's q month.
Stands in Benediction.
On the crest Of Cemetery Ridge, just
where the morning sun touches 1t with
golden fingers, stands the monument
who fought and died at Gettysburg On
the tip OF tall marble shaft is the
heroic figure Of a woman. In her right
hand 10 q wreath. In her left, q thin
staff crowned with q liberty cap. Her
head Is bowed as II in grief, but that
long right arm with its wreath OF
brass shoots out straight toward Sem
mary Ridge. q mile away, across the
fields, where Longstreet stood with
bowed head watching 1~ickett and his
brave men make their futile charge
New York raised the statue to her
are rows of graves OF her men who
fell here fifty years ago. 1t takes but
little Imagination to make that tall
column with its speaking figure the
nodded voice Of the nation
1t takes but a little touch OF the senti-
ment that has grasped every man who
has come to the veterans camp to think
OF that outstretched arm AS lifted not
in sorrow. but In benediction Of an ever
silent tribute to the men who lived and
the men who died on this greatest bat
tlef1eld OF the war.
Farewell Of Veterans.
Down 100 yards. through the trees
around the statue. runs the Emmitsburg
road, the main artery from Gettysburg
to the camp. Over that road in the
heat Of q July sun the veterans of the
armies Of Meade and Lee streamed to-
day toward home. tired possibly, but
lifted out Of themselves by four days Of
q reunion such as seems hardly possible
In any other country in the world.
Many veteran who passed over that
before turned with streaming eyes to
catch q last glimpse Of that long arm
with wreath as he trudged the dusty
road. 1t Is the first landmark that
way to the battlefield and it is the last
as the town swallows up the road.
Leave Field to Memory.
The army tents probably will stand
here until next week. The regulars
will stay until the last veteran il gone.
Some time before the end Of the month
the brown city will come down. the
army will go back to other tasks and
leave the field Of Gettysburg to memory.
DRY.
Only the paths that thousands Of feet
have made through the grass and timo-
Cemetery Ridges with their spiked and
silent cannon. the observation towers
that overlook the fields, the monu-
ments that crown the hills and the
graves Of the dead will be left to tell
the story of the greatest reunion.
That 1T will live az long as life lasts
in the men who were here cannot be
doubted by the worst OF cynics. It's
influence would be hard to calculate.
but IL the old men who gathered
talk as they talked here. the war be-
tween the states Is really over SO far
as those who fought in it are concern.
ed. The unreconstructed "reb" and the
ind.
Efficient Work Of the Army.
Gen. Hunter Liggett, in command OF
the Gettysburg camp, paid high tribute
today to Maj. J. E. Normoyle. army
quartermaster. who has been it's guild
ing spirit He said:
ITO perfect organization and CO.
ordination down to the last detail, to
the conscientious devotion to their
work on the part Of all officers and en-
listed men on duty here the success
OF the encampment is due.
TT may be observed that the sue
cessful handling and supply of a per-
sonnet the equivalent in number Of
accomplished by excellent system.
When one remembers that this per-
sonnet is composed Of men who aver
age seventy years Of age. coming from
all parts Of the country. and that the
mortality has been far below what
might be considered normal, the re-
markable character Of this great un-
dertaking becomes more clear"
Dies as He Starts Home.
II. II. Hodges of Union Hill, n. c.,
died today at station in Gettysburg
as he was preparing to start for home.
He was dsessed in the gray of the
Confederacy. but although his ticket
gave his name. his regiment was not
indicated.
The death of Hodges brought the
total to nine.