Gilpin observer., 1913-06-05
CIVIL war VETERANS TO meet
ON GETTYSBURG BATTLEFIELD
Huge Reunion Of Blue and Gray to Be Held July On
Fiftieth Anniversary Of Conflict 40,0OOAre
Expected to Be Entertained by tho
State Of Pennsylvania.

perfected in detail. but the tentative
suggestions are:
July 1-Veterans' Day: Appropri.
ate exercises under the joint direc.
tion OF the Pennsylvania commission,
and the commanders-in-chief of the
Grand Army Of the Republic and the
United Confederate Veterans.
July 2-Military Day: Under the
direction OF the chief of stan OF the
United States army. Special detach.
ments Of each arm OF the regular
service to participate as directed.
July 3-Civic Day: Under the dt.
rection OF the governor of the com.
monwealth of Pennsylvania, presid.
Ing. and participated in by the COVER.
nors OF the several states. Orations,
sermon and music.
July 4-National Day: The chiei
Justice Of the United States presid,
Ing. Forenoon. Grafton by the presi.
dent Of the United States. High
noon. he to lay the cornerstone Of q
great peace memorial. Evening, fire.
works. 4
10000 Veterans Expected.
1t Is expected that 10000 veterans
Of the war. not all OF them, however,
survivors Of the Gettysburg battle. will
be found encamped upon the field
when reveille sounds on the morning
of July l. 1t will be different re.
veille 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 a peaceful
celebration while the call to the awak.
ening in July. 1868. was call OF
armies to conflict and, to thousands OF
men. a call to death.
For years the veterans have been
probable that there will be present
many thousands of survivors of the
battle.
Many Of the states of the Union,
north as we'll as south. have made ap.
preparations to send their veterans to
the Gettysburg reunion and to pay all
other expenses. The battle of Gettys.
burg Is recognized as the turning point
OF the war between the states. 1t has
been called time and again one of the
decisive battles Of the world Gener
ally It is recoignized that Gettysburg
decided the great conflict, helped in
the decision probably by the fall OF
vicksburg on the Mississippi, which
took place virtually at the moment
that the conflict on the Pennsylvania
field was decided In favor of the north.
ern armies.
Large Sum for Entertainment.
The Battle of Gettysburg commits.
sion of the state Of Pennsylvania has
large sum of money at its disposal
for the entertainment Of the visiting
veterans, and the thousands of persons
who will accompany them. Hospital.
ity is to mark the days. Fifty years
ago Pennsylvania aided in the work Of
repelling the visitors from the south
In early July next the same state will
have Its arms wide open in welcome
to the men wearing the gray. Enter.
tainments of various kinds will be Of.
fered the visiting veterans. but 1t is
pretty we'll understood that their deep
interest in revisiting the scenes where
they fought, Little Round Top, Oak
Ridge, Cemetery Hill. Culp's Hnl.
Rock Creek, the Stone Wall and other
places will hold them largely to the
pleasures and to the sadnesses of per-
sonal "reminiscences. Arm In arm with
the Union soldiers the Confederate SOL
diers will retramp the battle-ground.
They will look over the field of Pick
ett's desperate charge. They will re-
trace the marching steps Of Long
streets corps. They will go to the
place where Meade had his headquar.
ters and to the place from which Lee
directed his southern forces in battle.
1t is said that this contemplated re-
union has induced more interest
among the old soldiers of the north
and the south than any event which
has happened since the day that the
war closed. There Is today at Gettys.
burg n great national park. In which
is Included n cemetery where thou
sands OF soldier dead are buried. The
United States government and the leg.
islature Of Pennsylvania worked to-
gether to make a park OF the battle
field and to mark accurately every
point In It which has historic interest.
It is expected that much good will
come from the reunion Of the Blue and
the Gray on the battlefield OF Gettys
burg. Time has healed many wounds
The old soldiers have forgotten, their
animosities more readily than have
the civilians. It is thought that this
great coming together in peace OF two
once conflicting hosts will mark the
passing Of the last trace OF the bitter
ness Of the war between the states Of
this great Union.