The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-11-04
Presentation of P;atnre

M. Z. Dixon, q former resident OF
Hays, well known to many of our
citizens, presented to Vance Post for
the G. A. R. Hall, a large steel en-
craving of the battle of Gettysburg.
This fine picture is copy Of a sec
ton of the geeat painting known as
the Panorama of Gettysburg"
The gift is greatly appreciated and
the Post extends cordial thanks to the
donor.
Gettysburg, as is well known, was
one Of the most bloody and desper-
ately contested battles of the Civil
War. It has now this distinction,
standing out and admitted the turn
ing point in the four years war
where the tide of rebellion was turn
ed back.
Though many subsequent battles
were fought in vain, and useless
sacrifce-the south had met its doom
sealed in the invasion of the north.
A copse of trees plainly seen in the
picture, where on the third day of the
battle, after assaults at other parts
had failed, Gen1 Lee concentrated
the elite of his army near a mile dis
tant in Hancock's front screened be-
hind Seminary ridge and protected by
a belt of heavy timber, and after
two hours terrific concentrated artil-
lery fire on Haneock's line which was
poorly sheltered behind the stone
wall, it was Thought destroyed or dis
bursed, Gen'l Lee directed Pickett to
advance, pointing to the bunch of
trees just inside the stone wall as
guiding point. Pickett emerged from
the timber in three solid compact
lines of battle, with, banners waving
as on parade. The union artillery
opened up at long range cutting
great gaps in the lines and as they
approached nearer the infantry dec
mated and shattered line after line, a
small remnant of Pickett's men with
the brave Armistead at their head,
reached and leaped the stone wall at
the trees, there only to die or sur
render.
At the copse of trees is now erect
ed a massive bronze tablet with this
inscription, The High Water Mark
of the Rebellion"
The Gettysburg of today. is not
only a national cemetery where the
dead are buried in long rows of little
white headstones on Cemetery Hill,
and where Lincoln delivered his fam
GUS address, but it is also a Public
military Park The Government
purchased some eight thousand acres
covering the battle field and laid out
the various positions of corps, divi-
| sions, and brigades, each battery and
regiment has marker. The artillery
that was engaged on both sides col
lected and returned to their former
positions, muzzles of the cannon
pointing toward each other as in
action, sadly, as the visitor now be-
holds them, reminders of the deadly
conflict.
The headquarters of Gen'ls Meade
and Lee are carefully preserved. High
towers are erected enabling visitors
to see all parts of the field.
The losses were great-in the
Potomac Army over $4,000, and the
Confederate $4,000. The casualties
among general officers large. Of the
Union Generals, Reynolds, Weed,
ZoOk, and Farnsworth killed; Sickles,
/ Hancock, Butterfeld, Doubleday, Biz
ney, Barlow, Barnes, Warren, Glib
bon, Graham, Willard and Paul
wounded. The Confederate losses
were Generals, Fender, Barksdale,
Armistead, Garnet, Semmes, and Pet
tigrew killed; and Kemper, Scales,
Anderson, Hampton, Jones, and Jen-
kins wounded.
Those were the days when Gener-
ais took part in the thick of the fight,
in striking contrast to the Generals
in the "World War in France, where
they were safely quartered in shell
proof dugouts miles in the rear of the
fighting zones, and so far as known,
none were killed or wounded.