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Show SIDELIGHTS OF GETTYSBURG REUNION The great reunion of the blue and the gray on the battlefield of Gettysburg Gettys-burg has passed into history. It was in all respects the most unique gathering gath-ering of the soldiers of the 60's ever held. Men who fought each other fifty years ago this year fraternized as long-separated brothers. Naturally such a gathering would be productive of many incidents, both pathetic and humorous. As many stories were floating about as there were veterans at the reunion. The camp is full of unexpected meetings. Every day brings forth numerous nu-merous meetings between men who have not seen one another for many years. Many are commonplace, but some are extraordinary. For Instance, In-stance, here is one: I. D. Munsee of Erie county, Pennsylvania, Penn-sylvania, a soldier in the 111th Pennsylvania, Penn-sylvania, was captured by the confederates con-federates at Peachtree Creek, Ga.,. when he was one of Sherman's army on the celebrated march to the sea. He was being conveyed to the rear by a confederate soldier when the union batteries opened fire upon the party araooj whom he was a prisoner. pris-oner. The man w'ho was guarding Munsee was hit and fell, knocking Munsee down and lying on top of him. Seeing his chance of escape, Munsee Mun-see lay very still under the unconscious uncon-scious confederate while the battle raged around them. That night he slipped from under the body and escaped es-caped to the union lines. "I thought that fellow was dead," said Munsee, "but I saw htm today. Poor fellow, his mind's bad, and he didn't recognize me, but I was sure of him. I couldn't even get his name, but I'm goin over later to the Georgia camp and try to find out who he is." Here is a story which was told by A. T. Dice, vice-president of the Reading Read-ing railway: Once upon a time there were a veteran vet-eran in gray and a veteran in blue. They came to Gettysburg and in the course of events and visits to hotels they happened to meet. They looked over the sights of Gettysburg and the monuments of the field. But they found they must part. The one in blue lived in Oregon; the one in gray in New Orleans. They went weeping together to their station sta-tion and passed by train after train, deferring the parting that must come. Just what they said, just how they reached the final grand idea of the meeting. Mr. Dice did not knew. But, however, yesterday they finally decided that the time for parting had come. The one from Oregon could not figure how to reach home via ?w Orleans and his gray comrade, while willing to see the west, didn't have the money for a ticket. They lined upon on the platform as their trains stood waiting and then before the crowd, they slowly stripped off their uniforms and exchanged them there while the curious flocked to see them. The Oregonlan who came proudly to town with a coat of blue, went as proudly away with one of gray and the veteran from Louisiana who boasted boast-ed the gray of the south sat with swelling chest In his new uniform of A striking contrast is seen in the menu provided for the soldiers fifty years ago and what they enjoyed this year: 1863 Breakfast Hardtack, bacon, beans and coffee. Dinner Bacon, beans, hardtack "nd coffee. Supper Beans, hardtack, bacon and coffee. 1913 Breakfast Puffed rice, fried eggs, fried bacon, cream potatoes, fresh bread, hard bread, Dutter and coffee. Dinner Fricassee chicken,, peas, corn, ice cream, cake, cigars, fresh bread, hard bread, butter, coffee, iced tea. Supper Salmon salad, macaroni and cheese, fresh bread, tutter and coffee. Chief Clerk George G. Thorne of the state department at Harrtsburg told of the call made by a Union veteran vet-eran early on the morning of the fiftieth fif-tieth anniversary of the start of the battle, who related that his conscience troubled him because of the fact that on that fateful morning many years ago he had succumbed to temptation and stolen a quantity of onions from the Thorne garden, which was located near the historic Seminary ridge. He told Thorne that he desired, at this late day to pay for the onions and thus relieve his conscieHce. Needless to say, his offer of money was refused, but the Thornes would like to learn the identity of the soldiers sol-diers who upset eight beehives in the dead of night and appropriated all the honey they contained. A remarkable coincidence of the camp was the meeting of two men of exactly the same name, coining from towns of the same name, but in different differ-ent states. One fought on the union side in the battle of Gettysburg, and the other with the confederates. These two men are John Carson of Burlingtoa, N. J., and John Carson of Burlington, N. C. They met by the merest chance. The Jersey Carson was walking along one of the streets, and saw a man in gray. Just to be friendly, the Jersey man stopped him and gave him a greeting. It was not until they had talked for several minutes that they discovered their names were identical, as well as the names of their towns. A grandson of Francis Scott Key, composer of. "The Star-Spangled Ban-! ner," is here. He is John Francis Key. I aged eighty-two. of Pikeville, Md., and ! he is a veteran of the Second Maryland Mary-land infantry of the confederate army. ' Wearing a suit of gray, Key came ! into town, weak and almost dropping. He has been in failing health, but de- 1 clared he was "going to see Gettys- burg on this occasion or die." ! One of the oldest veterans in the big camp is Captain V. H. Flpig of Houston. Texas, who was nlnPty years ', of age on his last birthday, February 1 23. During the war he served with j distinction in the marine department of the confederate navy. Captain Fleig is one of the best preserved men In camp and Is more active than many of the other veterans a scor of years less advanced. Fifty years to the hour from the time when the first shot preceding the battle was fired a reunion meeting of the blue and the gray was held in the big tent. The gray cavalry men who fought the skirmishes that led up to the three days' fight pledged themselves them-selves in the shadows of the Btars and stripes to "forget" and their brothers in bine swore by the stars and bars that the fight was over for all time. There were several women from the village in the tent and six one-time schoolgirls, gray-haired and aged now, sang "Rally 'Round the Flag. Boys," while the veterans wept like boys, but with pride. The six women who sang the battle song were among those who thronged the ' streets of Gettysburg after the advance guard of the southern south-ern army left it 50 years ago. On the night when Buford's men came riding rid-ing into the village on the heels of Wheeler's men in gray, maidens strewed strew-ed flowers along the streets and bells in the churches pealed out the news of the coining of the blue and the town went wild. Of all the scores of girls who welcomed wel-comed the vanguard of Meade, only a half dozen could be foiwd, and they stood, white-haired witfc vears in their eyes on a platform in the big tent and sang to the weeping soldiers in the seats below. "I'm afraid we can't 6ing like we ang 50 years ago," said the matronly ma-tronly woman who acted as leader as she led the way up the steps to the platform. "We don't care; just sing again," shouted the veterans. As the first notes ef the wa4me melody came from them in quaering tones, the veterans vet-erans both of the north and of the south sat quiet with eyes fixed upon the singers. The hum of the chorus came from every side, and the old men wept openly. Aside from the old soldiers themselves, them-selves, an interesting figure is Mrs. Lougstreet, widow of thr commander at the front of the Confederate lines in thr third day's battle. Mrs. Long-stree Long-stree walked a mile through the broiling sun out to the old Rogers houre to interview General Sickles. St ne time ago Mrs. Longstreet sent a long telegram as representing ,the southern veterans in protest against the old Union veteran being thrown in jail in New York because of some financial affairs. It was said that Sickles misunderstood the spirit and his pride was so hurt that their meet-tag meet-tag today would not be cordial. "'General, I have written an article about you for publication," said Mrs. Longstreet at the meeting, and she read several pages of the highest tribute trib-ute to the old corps leader, whom she characterized as having come back and being once again in the saddle. Half a hundred old Sickles' men gathered gath-ered on the lawn and the reading became be-came dramatic. General Sickles leaned lean-ed back in his big chair, closed his eyes, and looked back te meeting with Longstreet. Here his widow was praising to the world the valor which she claimed had gone unrecognized by the government. Tears flowed down the Sickles cheeks now tanned by his ninety-third summer, sum-mer, and his old followers doffed their hats and mingled their tears with those of their old leader, wetting the ground upon which long ago had been soaked by their blood. James H. Lansberry of St. Louis Mo., who enlisted in the Third Indiana cavalry from Madison, Ind., recited tc his comrades the details of his capture cap-ture in the town of Gettysburg by Confederates 50 years ago. Following the skirmish just outside of town which marked the opening of what was to be a world-famed engagement, he had been detailed to assist In carrying car-rying a wounded officer to the old seminary in Gettysburg. While in town frantic women flocked about hira and begged that he tell of the battle He remained to tell the story, with the result that he had to spend several days in following the Confederate army as a prisoner. After tramping 50 miles over rough country without shoes he succeeded In escaping and finally made his way back to Gettysburg, Gettys-burg, where he remained till August in assisting in the care of the wounded, wound-ed, which were housed in the semin-nary, semin-nary, churches, barns and public build-inra. One of the unadvertised reunions of the celebration occured in the confederate con-federate section of the camp. A fife and drum corps of men in blue tramped tramp-ed up and down the streets of the confederate con-federate part of the city of tents. They stopped befon: the tents, played play-ed such a fanfare as only drums and fifes can make, summoned forth the occupants and shook hands, threw their arms about the gray shoulders and in a dozen other ways showed their feelings of friendship. They kept it up for hours and visited vis-ited practically every "reb" tent. Their reception was as warm as their greeting. One of the most interesting places in camp was the lost and found bureau, bu-reau, locuted under the benches in the big tent. Everything found on the grounds was brought there and thousands thou-sands applied every day for missing articles. There were at least 100 crutches piled up in the bureau, dozc-n or so applicants ap-plicants having called for them. Those who come to redeem their losi crutches seldom can recognize them and most of them go away with somebody some-body else's. There was one wooden leg also lying ly-ing unclaimed. It was brought In by a Boy Scout, who had fouHd It under a tree. Several seta of fal3e teeth wre fourd. |