The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1913-06-04

was not coward on the field. More
than any other battle, Gettysburg rep
resented the whole war. First it was
fought in Pennsylvania, a state that
furnished men enough to fight an in
dependent war. Second, more states
were represented in the battle than
in any other in the great conflict.
Third, it was fought during the first
week of July, 1868. The men of both
armies were veterans. Lees legions
had been fighting more than three
years. They were barefoot, poorly
clad, but they had the invincible, un-
dying American spirit, and thought
they were right. No man criticiscs
the courage of the southern men in
this great battle. The gage of battle
first two days. Victory for time
perched upon one banner, then upon
the other But the third day General!
Lee put his army to the last final test.
He took the authority which few men
could have taken, and ordered every
available man to a last desperate
charge, the leader being Gen. George
E. Pickett. Pickett's charge will be
told in song and story until time shall
be no more. The union army met The
charge with small arms and with
grape and canister The union army
was led by General Hancock and no
more princely soldier ever sat on
horseback. The confederates were
beaten back and the soil drank up
their blood. The loss on both sides
was appalling.
Now fifty years after, the survivors
of this great conflict under the flag
OF restored union, are to meet dur
ing the first week in July. They are
to shake hands as brethren. They will
celebrate fifty years of peace. Every
state is back in the union and out of
the lapse Of time every state has pros
pered. The people of the south, with
rare courage, adjusted themselves to
the abolition of slavery and new con-
ditiOns, and they would not turn the
hand OF line back if they could. The
congress Of the United States appro-
priated money. The state of Penn
sylvania counted out two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars. Other states
have made appropriations and the old
boys are going to be there. Iowa has
undertaken to send her gallant Get
tysburg men, and it will be shame
if one man shall be prevented from
going for lack of funds in this rich
state. These men can never again
hold a reunion. They are old and
broken. Many of them are poor. They
ought to have one day of rejoicing.
They ought to be permitted to wander
over the field from position to posi-
ton, made famous by the great bat
tie.
The Gettysburg celebration ought
to be made feast of patriotism. Its
influence can be made to last more
than generation. Gettysburg was
the place where Lincoln delivered his
famous Grafton, recited in every
school, almost every month of every
year. Lincoln is the one American
known to all climes, kindreds and
tongues. He was natures own crea-
ton for the year, the day and the
hour. His memory is newly called
to mind by the Gettysburg celebla
ton.
If the people of any land wish to
elevate the character of citizenship,
and the quality of honesty, let them
fill the youth of the land with patriot
ism and the hearts of all with the
songs of their native land. Thus
would citizenship be elevated and the
land benefited.
1t was glorious thought which |
suggested the Gettysburg reunion of |
the blue and the gray. There ought |
never to be another war between in
telligent nations. There certainly |
ought to be no war among Americans. |
There never will be if the glories of |
he great country are ever borne in |
Moines Capital.