The state herald., 1913-06-06
|TERANS TO meet
ON BATTLEFIELD
Reunion Of Survivors Of Civil
War at Gettysburg on
July I.
600 EXPECTED TO ATTEND

Who Wore the Blue snd Gray
TO Again Gather on Ground
Made Memorable BY His
torio Conflict.
BY EDWARD .. CLARK.
n WASHINGTON. - During the
FIRST four days Of July the
battlefield of Gettysburg. Pa.
will again be the scene Of q
meeting of the Blue and the
ky but this time they will meet in
Ity and affection. A half-century will
ve passed since last these men Of two
nat American armies met on this
rthern neld. Then they were face
face in deadly conflict, for the issue,
was well understood to both con-
nding forces, was the success Of the
,thern cause, or the beginning Of It's
feat, to be followed by the restora-
IN of the Union ~ 1t had been before
q first shot was fred at Fort Sum-
r.
The United States government and
government Of nearly every state
the Union have combined to make
Q Gettysburg reunion Of the soldiers
the north and south one Of the great
bace events Of the century. The state
Pennsylvania some time ago ap-
plnted "Fiftieth Anniversary Of the
attle of Gettysburg commission" to
ske preparations for the four days
punion, at which Pennsylvania as a
tate was to act as host to the vet
rams Of tho war between the states
nd to the thousands Of visitors who
Tould follow their march to the field
X battle, and appropriated s15o.o0o for
he purpose of entertaining the vet
)rans.
10000 Veterans Expected.
1t is expected that 10000 veterans
kf the war, not all of them, however.
Iurvivors of the Gettysburg battle. will
be found encamped upon the field
Ehen reveille sounds on the morning
pf July /. It will be q different re-
seille than that which the fife and
drum corps of the two great armies
sounded fifty years ago. The call to
awakening will be call to peaceful
celebration while the call to the awak.
ening In July. 1858. was q call OF
armies to conflict and. to thousands OF
men. q call to death.
For years the veterans have been
looking forward to this reunion. 1t ia
probable that there will be present
many thousands OF survivors o; the
battle. The United States government
under IN act of congress has nppro
priated money for the preparation oi
the camps and for the messing Of the
soldier visitors. The average age Of
the men engaged in the Civil war waa
only eighteen years. but nfty year.
have passed since these soldier boyl
fought at Gettysburg. and 30 II the
computation Of age was true one the
average years Of the veterans who will
meet in Pennsylvania In July will be
about sixty-eight years. Many Of them
OF course. will be much older and q
good many OF them, men who entered
at ages ranging from fourteen to sew
enteen years. will be younger. but oil
will be old men rs the world views
age.
Many OF the states OF the Union
north as well as south. have made ap
propriations to send their veterans &c
the Gettysburg reunion and to pay al
other expenses. The battle Of Gettys
burg is recognised as the turning poin'
Of the war between the states. It hal
been called time and again one Of the
decisive battles OF the world. Gener
ally II 10 recognized that Gettysburg
decided the great conflict, helped II
the decision probably by the fall o.
vicksburg on the Mississippi. which
took place virtually at the moment
that tho conflict on the Pennsylvania
Geld was decided In favor OF the north
ern arms.
The preparations which the govern
ment h making to care sor tho voter
ans At Gettysburg arc interesting
They have been under tho charge o.
James d. Aleshirc. quartermaster gen
ersi OF the United States army. ant
Henry @. Sharpe. commissary genera
Of tho United States army. Two year.
ago last March $4,000 regular troops
were gathered In camp ut Texas. Thu
health OF tho soldiers throughout the
Texas cncampment was almost per
feet. made 30 by tho plans which hat
been carefully laid to see that perfec
sanitation was maintained. The Unit
Cd States army was taught n lessor
by tho Spanish war. when lack o
proper sanitary precautions and unprc
paredncss In other ways cost tho gov
eminent tho lives OF moro men than
werc sacrificed TO tho bullets Of th'
gpaniard.
Tho estimates OF tho commissar,
and quartcrmnster authorities mr.
bssed upon an attendance Of 10000 vot
erans. II probably will cost tho gov
srnmsnt about sseo.o00 to act in par
~ host 10 tho survivors OF tho battl'
and other veterans who attend thu
Gettysburg reunion.
A. -.