Evening star., 1938-06-19
By Ray G.. Thompson.
VAST throng of some /


a the valley around Gettysburg
where gunf1re shook the earth Z;
years ago.
The occasion will be the 18th anni-
versary observance of the most san.
culinary struggle of the war between
the States, fought July l. 2 and 3. 1868
while the few remaining survivors OF
more than 3,000000 who wore the blue
and the gray in that war of brothers
will be assembled in their second and
last Joint reunion, June 20 to July 6.
Green fields will wave with golden
grain; the orchards are again deep
fruited around the little town OF
Gettysburg.
1t was just such lush July in the
third year of the war that Lee and his
victory-crowned legions in gray and
butternut marched over the South
Mountain wall to the east along the
old Philadelphia stage
coach trail in desperate Northern in
vasion; perfect summertime that
Meades Federal Army pushed north
from Virginia to intercept Lees con-
quest to Harrisburg, Baltimore and
Washington.
Thousands now believed that Meade IS
forces might as well attempt to halt
the coursing sun.
An excited South had tasted major
victories, but in those sections where
the hand of war had fallen heavy
refugees now cried out to see Penn
sylvania one solid mass Of flame, but
Gen. Lee proposed an invasion of
peace, and on June 81. and again on
June q, he urged no arson or plunder-
ing by his men
But the army was in Pennsylvania
that was all that mattered-one more
victory and the cruel war would be
over.
GETTYSBURG fills thrilling but
death-marked chapter in our
Nations history. Along the 6-nile
battlefront the banners of % States
were tossed into the crimson cauldron
called war, where turned the tide of
four years Of bloodshed. and the high
water mark Of the Confederacy was
made.
Having captured Lees order for the
invasion OF Pennsylvania, Gen Meade.
who had just replaced Hooker in COM
mand of the Army of the Potomac,
at Frederick, June 20, fully aware of
Lees plans, on June 20 began con-
centrating along the Maryland-Penn-
sylvanla border. Lees Army of North
ern Virginia at this hour began con-
eentrating near the mountain passes
OF Cashtown-just 9 miles west of
the town of Gettysburg.
On June 20 Buford's Federal cav
airy secuted to Gettysburg, and on
June 30 were sighted by Pettigrew's
North Carolina brigade while ap-
preaching Gettysburg from Cashtown
Tor supplies. Pettigrew withdrew
quickly to report his discovery to
Gen. Hill.
This accidental meeting made
Gettysburg the site of the decisive
and bloodiest struggle of all of Amer
vtca's wars.
THE FIRST DAY.
HE dawn of July /, 1858, broke
with a gentle breeze, clearing
away the early mists for day shining
and clear" says Freeman. in his VOL
ume 3, on r. E. Lee. Lee. riding
east from Chambersburg, "a miles west
Of Gettysburg, to his surprise and
regret comes within hearing of in
fantry volleys in spiteful staccato,
adding to their treble the bass of the
guns" The divisions of Heth and
Pender, Hills corps, with Is regiments
from North Carolina, II regiments
from Virginia, South Carolina, Ala
bama, Mississippi and Tennessee. had
been engaged in death-duel all
morning just west of Gettysburg"
Freeman continues:
THE very gods of war seemed to
wear gray that hot afternoon. Lee
did not wish to bring on a general
engagement without Longstreet's corps,
still at Chambersburg, and with
Stuarts cavalry still missing, he did
not know how much Of the Federal
Army was before him" But with the
arrival of most of Ewel's corps with
- 13 brigades of Early's, Johnson's and
Rodes' divisions, the situation changed
and the Rebel yell was heard over
Pennsylvania hills for the first time.
At 3 o'clock, charging from the
the north, the brigades of Rodes'
division first strike the Federal forces
. in right flank. but the Federals hold
behind stone walls and two Con-
federate regiments are almost ami
hilated with thousands dead and
wounded. Over 500 of Iverson's North
Carolina brigade. official reports show,
had fallen as though they had been
cut down in dress parade"
A T $3.50 from the northeast came
the charge of Early's division,
which had just arrived. with bayonets
glistening amid sheaves of golden
wheat and in fighting no less terri
BILE the two Federal corps, now great
ly outnumbered, at o'clock are rout-
ed in precipitate flight, losing more
than 1000 of their number
Federal corps retreated southeast
erly to the crest of Cemetery Hill,
where lay the city cemetery as if in
advance ominous forethought had
placed it where so many victims were
to perish at once. That night the
lurid glare of a full moon filtered
through tall pines, whitening tomb
stones where weary Federal soldiers lay
like dead, aroused only by wounded
4 men. groaning as they turned while
the damp ground absorbed their blood.
The first day had been decided
victory for the men of Lee. Losses
were about $4,000 between the two
armies. Most writer's agree that the
tired Confederates had stopped to rest
too soon.
LongSreet's corps had paused that