Colonel Patrick O'Rorke was killed at Little Round Top and is buried a few miles from where I live.
Fifty years had passed since the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1st- 3rd, 1863, when the Veterans of Blue and Gray braved the summer heat to meet again in Gettysburg.
America celebrated her 137th birthday, nearly a century ago, when….
From June 29 to July 4, 1913, 53,407 Confederate and Union Veterans of the War Between the States came to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania for a Reunion and encampment. Veterans came from 47 of the 48 states of the Union and the Chief Surgeon said of the event, quote “Never before in the world’s history had so great a number of men advanced in years been assembled under field conditions” unquote.
It was the largest combined reunion of War Between the States Veterans.
Do you know who Gen. Robert Edward Lee, Major Gen. George Edward Pickett and Major Gen. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain were? Are children still taught about these men and all those who met on the famous War Between the States battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania? Some call the Gettysburg Battlefield the most haunted place in America because so many thousands died on that fateful month of July 1863.
“Comrades and friends, these splendid statues of marble and granite and bronze shall finally crumble to dust, and in the ages to come, will perhaps be forgotten, but the spirit that has called this great assembly of our people together, on this field, shall live forever.” -----Dr. Nathaniel D. Cox at 1913 Gettysburg Reunion
The youngest Veteran was reported to be 61 and the oldest was 112 years young.
The United States and Confederate flags flew side by side at the Gettysburg soldier’s reunion of honored men who had been enemies on the field of battle.
The State of Pennsylvania hosted the 1913 reunion at the insisting of state Governor John K. Tener. Tener also encouraged other states to arrange rail transportation for the participants. Down South in Dixie, the United Daughters of the Confederacy helped raise money for the transportation and uniforms for their Confederate Veterans.
The soldiers of Blue and Gray, Black and White, came with heads held high and full of war stories. It is written that the hosts did not count on Black Confederates attending the meeting and had no place to put them but the White Confederates made room for their Southern brothers. Black Union veterans also attended this event.
It is written that nearly 700,000 meals were served that included fried chicken, roast pork sandwiches, ice cream and Georgia watermelon. The temperature soared to 100 degrees and almost 10,000 veterans were treated for heat exhaustion and several hundred more were hospitalized. The United States Army was also present in support and it’s written that the old men loved the attention.
A highlight of the reunion was the Confederate Veterans walk on the path of Gen. George Pickett’s charge that was greeted, this time, by a handshake from the Union Veterans.
President Woodrow Wilson said about these men, Quote
“These venerable men crowding here to this famous field have set us a great example of devotion and utter sacrifice. They were willing to die that the people might live. But their task is done. Their day in turned into evening. They look to us to perfect what they established. Their work is handed to us, to be done in another way but not in another spirit. Our day is not over; it is upon us in full tide” unquote.
The War Between the States Sesquicentennial, 150th Anniversary, runs 2011 through 2015. The Georgia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans joins the nation in remembering this historic time in our nation’s history. See information at: http://www.150wbts.org/
There is a fantastic painting of Joshua Chamberlain, who died not long after this reunion, at Little Round Top in his suit in 1913 looking out at ghosts doing battle.
May God bless them in their final rest for upholding our sacred ideals.
Oh how they mowed them down. What a waste.
It is said that man changes history by war. I agree. How many potential leaders were killed in that battle.
Ashokan Farewell
One interesting fact which I am sure most people would never guess is that casualties were just about identical for both armies.
In fact the best sources show the Confederacy lost just a tad less than the Union.
Video 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, 1938. Footage of Confederate and Union veterans shaking hands over a stone wall. Rebels give a Rebel yell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1byof4IAHk&feature=related
“During the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg in 1913, arrangements were made for a joint reunion of Union and Confederate veterans. The commission in charge of the event made sure they had enough accommodations for the black Union veterans, but were completely surprised when unexpected black Confederates arrived. The white Confederates immediately welcomed their old comrades, gave them one of their tents, and “saw to their every need”. Nearly every Confederate reunion included blacks that served with them, wearing the gray.”
Yes, there were more than a few Blacks who fought in the Confederate Army and Navy. But it is not PC to generally acknowledge such today.
“There are at the present moment many colored men in the Confederate Army as real soldiers, having muskets on their shoulders, bullets in their pockets, ready to shoot down loyal troops and doing all that soldiers may do to destroy the Federal government. There were such soldiers at Manassas and they are probably still Negros in the Confederate Army”.......Frederick Douglas, Douglas Monthly, Sept 1861, PP/ 516
Read more here: http://www.scv-kirby-smith.org/Black%20Confederate.htm
ping for later
I have seen photos of these old veterans at various reunions and I think “boy they look old”. Then I realize I am now about the same age as they were then.
I served in Viet Nam in 1965 to 1966, it has been about 45 years. I wonder if we will have a 50 year reunion? I wonder if we will look as old?
I didn't know this, but frankly it doesn't surprise me one bit.
ping
Just finished a biography of Richard Gatling.
If Union supply officers had been a little more imaginative, they could have had 50 or 100 Gatling guns in the line on Cemetery Ridge.
Could have ended the war right there.
Too bad the JACKASS party didn’t learn from their mistake,.
Hang all secessionist JACKASSES!