McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1913-07-11
WITH BLUE AND GRAY At GETTYSBURG

Many were the stories told and In
Vulnerable were the incidents. both
pathetic and humorous, which marked
the great reunion of the Union and
Confederate veterans on the Gettys.
burg battlefield. Concentrating the
fiftieth anniversary Of the most stub
bornly contested battle of the Civil
war, fragments Of the hosts which
faced each other In that conflict gath.
cred to renew old acquaintances and
to recount the deeds Of other days.
Here Is story which was told by
A. T. Dice, vice-president Of the Read.
Ing railway:
Once upon time there were q vet.
eran in gray and veteran in blue.
They came to Gettysburg and In the
course of events and visits to hotels
they happened to meet. They looked
over the sights of Gettysburg and the
monuments of the field. But they
found they must part
The one in blue lived in Oregon;
the one In gray in New Orleans. They
went weeping together to their sta.
ton and passed by train after train,
deferring the parting that must come.
Just what they said. just how they
reached the final grand idea of the
meeting, Mr.. Dice did not know.
But, however, yesterday they finally
decided that the time for parting had
come. The one from Oregon could
not figure how to reach home via New
Orleans and his gray comrade. while
willing to see the west, didn't have
the money for a ticket.
They lined upon on the platform as
their trains stood waiting and then
before the crowd, they slowly stripped
sff their uniforms and exchanged
hem there while the curious fiocked
to see them.
The Oregonian who came proudly to
town with coat of blue, went as
proudly away with one of gray and
the veteran from Louisiana who boast.
ed the gray of the south sat with
swelling chest in his new uniform of
blue.
James H. Lansberry Of st. Louis,
Mo-, who enlisted In the Third Indiana
cavalry from Madison, Ind, recited to
his comrades the details of his cap
ture in the town Of Gettysburg by
Confederates 80 years ago. Following
the skirmish just outside of town
which marked the opening OF what
was to be world-famed engagement
he had been detailed to assist In car
rying q wounded officer to the old
seminary in Gettysburg. While In
town frantic women fiocked about him
and begged that he tell Of the battle.
He remained to tell the story. with the
result that he had to spend several
days In following the Confederate
army as a prisoner. After tramping
so miles over rough country without
shoes he succeeded in escaping and
finally made his way back to Gettys-
burg, where he remained till August
in assisting in the care Of the wound
ed, which were housed In the semin-
nary, churches, barns and public build.
ings.
Harry X. Thaw has come TO the
financial rescue of Gen. Daniel e.
Sickles from his cell in Matteawan.
He sent a letter to Chairman Schoon-
maker, having charge of the celebra-
ton of the fiftieth anniversary fthe
battle of Gettysburg. In which $1,000
In cash was Enclosed. In the letter
Thaw wrote that he felt the deepest
sympathy for General Sickles because
Of the misfortunes that had come to
him in his old age. This sympathy
the writer declared, was heightened
by the fact that Thaw had two uncles
In the Union army
Gen. Tom" Stewart of Pennsylva-
mia ID telling an amusing story of a
runaway vet" he came across In the
big camp. The veteran is eighty-five
years old, and his son at home an
nounced that under no circumstances
should his aged parent 90 to Gettys-
burg. The desire to be here and meet
his former comrades was SO strong In
the heart Of the old gentleman that he