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Show THE FOURTH FIFTY YEARS AGO. Fifty years ago today the north Celebrated the Fourth of July with li t riot ic fervor and great Joy. It was tho day after the defeat of Gen. Robert B I.ee and his southern arm of 80,000 by the soldiers of the north at Gettysburg Up to that time, the southern troops had been driving the Union army to what seemed certain defeat. Wher ever Lee had met either Burnside or Hooker, he had outgeneraled them In December. 1862, Lee with less than SO. 000 men. had defeated Burnside at Fredericksburg; in May, 1863, less than two months prior to Qattyiburg) Lee whipped Hooker at Chancellors-ville, Chancellors-ville, though outnumbered two to one The north had come to look upon Leo as invincible and whn. on the first day of Gettysburg, the Union troop? were driven back, the north again prepared to hear of a disastrous re treat. Had Lee won decisively at Gettysburg, there was nothing to pre vent him marching on to Philadelphia, and levying tribute on the richest part of the north r .. U n,nmlnn lull- A Hi") .np.l had reached Washington. New York and all the largo cities In telegrepb I communication with the battlefield that Lee's arm had ben defeated and was In retreat That was the flri thrilling news of the war over whlcli ! the north could rejoice, and so thc-Fourth thc-Fourth of July, IRtn. was made memor able by the enthusiasm with whicil the day was celebrated by those who would have sacrificed everything fur the Union |