The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-12-04
Regarding Pensions

At a recent meeting of the Grange
'one of the speakers. In calling atteh-
ton TO some of the critical events for
the Union cause. during the Civil War.
feferred 10 the battles OF Antietam
and Gettysburg as the most critical
from the fact that IL the Union Army
had been defeated in either of these
bnftles England stood ready TO recog-
nize the Southern 'C6nfederacy, and
Il was very likely that Washington.
Baltimore. Philadelphia, and other
Emalier cities, would have been cap
nlred, and even II the tension had
not Jecn rent assunder. the war would
Dave continued fol much longer per-
1Od at further cost OF hundreds oil
millions of dollars and many thou
sands of lives.
! am led TO ask those who today
seem TO bCgrudse the Civil War vet
Grams tho pensions they receive in
their old age. il ii ever occurs to such
ones what the result would have been
Il the boys in blue. who marched up
on the battle lines at Antietam on the
morning Of September II. 1862 and
iought the bloOdiest one days battle
OF The wdr, had been Defeated? II
wasn't n picnic. nor sport. NOR oven
work. II was terrible war IN itS
hIootliest aspect. Battle lines surg
ing backward and forward on miles
n front. Shot ann shcll cutting
rirotgh thtsc lines and striking to
the Heath or gripping for life. the
brave boys who were STRUGGLING hHre
chat The nation might 1--WE" Had The
enemy successfully pierced these lines
a}id rolled back the centre. Or either
flank. then the fair liells Of Maryland
:rDd Southern Pennsylvania together
With the cities and villages, were at
Ills mercy and the Unf6n rent as
snndcr.
-Thcn again at Gcttysbnrg, the pivot
III battle of the rebellion. These
awful three days in tie heat Of early
lilly, 1863. when the very nation itself
tfembled In the balance.
.sTbe first day, the first and eleventh
corps were shattered and hurled back
through Gettysburg village to Gene
t8ry Hill, and the second day the
third corps, on the left of the Union
army was forced back through the
wheat field and to the right OF little
Round top. At this point in the bat
Tie came t1ltlcdi Hnoihcht "hoh II
asrninute's time had been lost, as Vim
cents brigade of the fifth corps. doub-
le quicked up the east side OF little
RDund Top. Longstreets Confeder-
ate columns were moving at rapid
mace mp the west side, each putting
forth every effort possible TO. gain the
crest first. and the nfst on the crest
wills, what mighty tWnts crowd into
Ina minutes time. tHlErspHrepublic
saved or lost. Butatle boys in tlue
wOh. A hand to Mind Conflict. the
ek6my driven back4bRwn nh West
siSye and little RoH lIi44Ip Ihah asia,
staHtegic point for heffffrd days
skaggle.
sThe third day comes. possibly the
n %s Nl&S he r. 6arslhalH TIC
G9ueGerate forces for the final on
slunght. General Meade forms his
cd&0mns to meet whatever attack
An1eht come. And that attack came
with tremendous force as fifteen thou.
sdilA as Drhta lrhen as eier Mere mar
sffa1led on battle field, moved in
snAM column towards the Union CEN
trSx This was the famous "Pickets
al the saJi1p ~ thu 4Jnfon idsaih
h,ihk in the balance. No need of re-
peatang the result 1t Is known
Wherever the history of the Civil
WIZ is read Z The Union saved and
I.ae with his defeated army
tBaffled and beaten. backward
reeled
From stubborn Meade and a
GnII
In view of the chances the boys
then In the prime of life took, not only
ats Antietam and Gettysburg but on
go. many other battlefelds of the Civil
War, who today is so cold and un-
apDreciative as to say that they do
MOI deserve, In their old age. even
double or triple the government help
thSy now receive?
I will go further than this and say |,
that every railroad In this country
sh6uld give the surviving soldiers OF
the great rebellion free passes to go
Whenever and wherever they please.
There would have been no railroads
ruhning in this country, on the same
bases that they are running today, II
tint dJpion had been broken up and
destroyed.
No one has the far-sighted wisdom
tosmeasure the results of govern
ndnt of the people. by the people and
for the people perished from the
earth" And this would have oc-
CURED had the enemy of our young
republic gained the victory either Mt
Aittietam Or. Gettysburg.
= IS. f. EMERSON.