Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1913-07-23

trooped into the little town wnlcn
lies so peacefully among the ever
lasting hills since Lee and Meaoe
turned their legions southwark so
long ago.
The officials estimate the number
of veterans up-to-date to be $4,000
probably the greatest army tnat
ever assembled on Gettysburg held
after Lee and Meade left it to glory
and to history. The central hgureS
| in a wonderful picture, are these
veterans of ''the greatest fighting
force the sun ever shone on" shook
off the weight of age and fought
over again the battle that marked
the high tide of the confedera'y'
They are here to honor the men
who fought and died on both sides
of the three days conflict of half a
century ago, and to commemorate
deeds of heroism unparalleled and
unequalled. Itis an. army united
in sentiment, and united in fact;
for the blue linked arms with the
gray. They marched the duty ROAD
together from the village; they sat
down at the same mess tables and
would tell to each other of their close
calls; and if there was any ranker
in any heart, any feeling of bitter
ness, it did not come to the sur
face.
There is an unique flag flying in
the big camp tent which has been
an object of almost alteration to all
who have seen it, and it is agreed
that it accurately represents the
sentiments of every one. On one
side is the stars and stripes, on the
other a relic, the Confederate battle
flag. Beneath in white letters are
these historic declarations:
''Let US have peace.-Grant."
DUTY is the subIimest word in
any language.-Lee."
I walked alone today to where
Longstreet formed his line of bat
tie, and through the wheat-held,
and peach-orchard, down to tie
foot of Little Round Top a dis
tance of about Eve hundred yards
or more, witch was made at double
quick time, reaching the objective
point it was then war to the knife.
1t was fifty We lrs ago this morning
since we made this charge, but l
could in my imagination hear the
roar of the cannon, the whlsillng
bullets and the shouts of the men as
across the meadow they flew sweep
ing the field with the bayonet. l
stand today 8, where Pickett form
ed his grand division of Virginians
to make the charge across Mission
Ridge to Little Round Top, a
charge that has gone down in histo-
ry, story, and song, I can see his
picture now as he draws his sword
from its scabbard in the evening
sunlight, with his long black hair
waving in the evening breeze, and
his eyes sparkling like the diamond,
and as he cried with a loud voice
first division, forward guide center,
and as 1 followed his line OF battle
1 could hear that same command
echoing through the meadow and
over the hills guide center"
The battle flag of the 7th S. G.
Regt. did go back with me to Get
tysburg, and l unfolded it again on
the same plat of ground that it
foated just fifty years ago. 1t was
very popular among the boys in
blue. A number OF ladies came over
and took the picture of the flag,
one lady TOLD me that she had new
er seen a confederate flag, and had
never talked with any person from
the south before. This new meet
ing of the blue and gray. at this
battlefield will do more in bringing
about a better feeling between the
north and south than anything that
has ever taken place before in the
history of the nation.
l have never enjoyed any gather
ing in my life more than this, and
it is my opinion, after seeing and
hearing what I did, that everybody
was delighted while there, and went
away with a broader mind, higher
idea of life, and better man. Of
course there are men who did not
see it that way, and men who would
find fault with everything, every
where. But it was more like an old
time Methodist love-feast, than any
thing else that l could think of,
each was glad to see the other,
every countenance was full of be-
| A. l.