The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1914-07-07

neying from their homes in the South
as well as in the North, in the East
and in the far West, to take part in
a great family reunion, which could
hardly take place in any other coun-
try than our own, in that it was IN |
commemoration of an event which /
fifty years before, had brought many
of these same men together, face to
face, armed with the deadliest weep
ons of modern warfare, and upon one
of the bloodiest fields of our civil
war.
The battle of Gettysburg was one
of the most important in moro re-
spects than many, after the passing
of a half century, can realize or I'M
derstand. But, at the time, the COM
ing battle between these two great
hosts OF the bravest men who ever
fought and died, guided by leaders
equally brave and skillful, and near
ly matched in numbers and strength,
was viewed with the greatest anxiety
by both sections of this torn and
bleeding country.
Pres. Lincoln, in later talk with
| General Sickles (lately deceased) who
commanded corps until wounded
almost fatally, admitted that he had
suffered the most intense anxiety
and doubt as to the result and to
what it might lead in the future of
our country, and, said he, General
| was intensely worried. | felt that
we could not stand it to lose this most
| important battle, which | was sure
was to be a great battle, and | felt
/ that it was to be the turning point
in ou1 struggle, and defeat was hor-
rible to contemplate, and General!
went TO my chamber and alone with
my God and on my knees | told Him
my troubles and my doubts, and my
great desire for victory for the right,
| prayed as | never prayed before,
and promised my Father then, and
there that if He would give our arms
the victory in this great battle
would ''free all the slaves, and He
should have none of His children in
bondage General I'm going to do it!''
Can we wonder at those immortal
words of his Gettysburg address,
when we know more than we once
did, of this great, simple, child-like
man? That earnest eloquent plead
ing of his, alone with his God, was
not heard by mortal man, but we can
think what it may have been; today
we are enjoying it's fruits.
Brave deeds there were at Gettys-
burg on those July days of over half
century ago and much blood of as
brave men on both sides as ever Tired,
enriched it's soil. l am not penning
history Of those days or of their
events, an attempt would be futile
But among the thousands who gath
cred there in reunion last July, there
was a few, very few, scarcely a
"CorporaPs guard" of old men who
deserve more than a passing notice
All Minnesotan's and especially the
rising generation should look back
with pride upon the heroic deed per-
formed on one of those bloody days
by handful of brave Minnesota
boys. For that they were scarcely
more than boys, the old Roster shows
today.
But, must ask the reader to &c
back with me in thought to those
crucial days of April 81, when Stump
ter was fired upon and subsequently
captured, and every loyal heart in the
north was throbbing with an intensi.
ty of feeling hard to understand by
the present generation after more
than half century of prosperity anc
power.
Gov. Alex. Ramsey, our noble Wa
Governor, was in Washington wher
on the night of April Is, the new!
of the surrender Of Fort Sumpte1
was received. Early the next morn
ing, it being Sunday. he went to tn,
War Depa1, ment and there saw Sec
Cameron just about leaving for tn
White House The Gov. told him hi
business there was simply as Cover
nor of Minnesota to tender one thou
sand men to defend the Government
\ sit down, said the Secretary an,
write the tender you have made, AM
I'll deliver it as am now on my wa,
to the President Mansion This wa
quickly done and thus the earlies