New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-01
NEW YORK GRAND ARMY
IN GETTYSBURG CHARGE
Veterans in Blue and Veterans
Wearing the Gray Depart
for Battlefield.
MORGAN'S MEN IN THE VAN
Special Trains Bear the Old
Soldiers to Scene of Great
Celebration Arranged
in Their Honor.

Thousands Of veterans OF the Civil
War. clad in the tattered remnants OF
their service uniforms. crowded into the
Pennsylvania Station yesterday morning
10 board special trains for the Gettysburg
celebration. AS early as $50 the Grand
Army men began to arrive at the ter
minal Some marched erect. with mill
tary stride others hobbled along with
cane or crutch. and many whose wounds
received in battle prevented them from
walking 10 the station we're brought from
their homes in carriages and taxis.
Five hundred veterans left at $50 on
board the first special for Gettysburg.
The Honor Legion Express left at Q
O'Clock. The Governors Special az $50
and the last two specials at 1880 and $40
o'clock
The station rang with cheers as the
seven cars composing the Honor Legion
Express moved out. Veterans waved
their tattered colors from the windows 10
their comrades who were 10 follow on the
pext train and 10 the few gray-clad men
of the Confederate Army now living
here and bound also for a peaceful re-
union with their former foes on Vie great
est battlefield Of the war.
The Monumental Committee Train. OF
New York State" did not carry Governor
Sulzer. as had been expected. Word was
received that the Governor would not be
Among the members OF the monument
committee on the Monumental Special"
were ten members OF the Senate commit
tee, fifteen members Of the Assembly
committeeman ten members of the gem
eral committee. composed Of veterans and
state officials.
The three thousand veterans who left
earlier in the day were men of the New
York State G. A. r. But there were also
Confederate veterans and fifteen of Nor
CANS Men," fraternizing with the old SOL
diers OF the North who would have given
their ears TO catch them fifty years ago
Six hundred Connecticut veterans-all
that is left Of the 5th. 18th. 18th. 10Th and
22d regiments-made up the rear guard.
One Of the happiest men of the blue
army was Corporal William Finley. who,
despite his seventy years and broken
right leg hobbled about the standard Of
Hawkinss Zouaves with five Of that
posts remaining comrades. Corporal Fin
ley was in the battle Of Antietam when 60
per cent Of the 9th New York Regiment,
Of which he was a member. were killed.
II was shot near the left eye. in the
fright shoulder. and had my old head
broken with a bomb" said the little cor
poral yesterday. Surgeon Morley told
me 10 90 to the rear. as / didn't have
long TO live. I went to the rear. all right.
but I fought in the battle Of Harrisburg
later ] got shot that time alongside Of
the other eye. got a bullet in my right
knee and sad several Of my ribs go into
my lungL But I'm still alive, you see"
Then the aged mans face grew sad, as
he said II attended DR.. Morbey's funeral
up IN Connecticut three years ago"
Chaplain Benjamin l. Dunbar. Of John
Corning Post. was telling of the battle
OF Little Rock, where TWO hundred out OF
the two hundred and fifty men in his
command were killed. when Captain Will
fam Newbury caused him to make
hasty retreat by saying:
THE chaplain gives us all the credit
for that fight and doesn't say what he
did Why, Benjamin was comforting a
wounded man, when all at once he saw
things were going against us He seized
the mans rife and fought as much like a
devil as any manor preacher-could.'
Jacob J. Blake was one OF the Johnny
Rebs' in the ranks OF those who left for
Gettysburg. He is seventy-nine years old.
and now lives at Milford, Conn. For
months he has been looking forward TO
the trip to Gettysburg, where he was
wounded. but was greatly disappointed
few weeks ago when his physician told
him the trip might mean his death.
Blake had agreed 10 stay at home, but
he read in a newspaper the other day
that his enemy and friend, Sergeant
James Russell, OF the Massachusetts in
fantry. was 10 be at the head OF III
vision OF the Grand Army OF the Re
public at the reunion. The old Confed-
crate Immediately began preparations for
the trip. saying he would die happy II
he could only see Russell and Gettysburg
once more.
Blake and Russell were pickets on op-
posing lines at the battle OF Gettysburg.
For three days they took shots at each
|other from their outposts. but at night.
when the flag Of truce was hoisted, they
met and swapped food and tobacco.
o