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Five Thousand More Veterans Expected At Reunion That Had Been Planned For Late Yesterday
Trains Are Delayed by Heavy Traffic Which Served to Disarrange some of the Plans of the Army Quartermaster’s Department, But Major Normoyle Says He Will Care for All—Four Dead and Little Illness.
Gettysburg, Pa., July 1. —Despite the efforts of the regular army to do impossible things, thousands of veterans spent the night on the Gettysburg field with nothing between them and the stars but their clothing. It was no fault of the regulars nor the veterans. The railroads poured thousands into Gettysburg as best they could, train after train which was looked for early yesterday crawling in near midnight. They kept coming till after daybreak,and shortly after breakfast the rush began again. Major Normoyle, the army quartermaster, did not go to bed, and his force of army officers kept him company. They provided blankets, pointed out tents, and did the best they could.
More Than Expected.
Normoyle declared that probably fifty-five thousand veterans would be on the field by night five thousand more than looked for. He said he would see that everyone was taken care of, that nobody would go hungry, and all would have blankets and tents. Today was the first formal day of the semi-centennial. Although Buford and Wheeler had skirmishes fifty years ago yesterday, it was July 1 that the battle began which forced the Union troops out of Gettysburg and back to Cemetery ridge. Colonel J. M. Schoonmaker, chairman of the Pennsylvania Gettysburg commission, was present at today’s meeting in the big tent. Secretary of War Garrison, Governor Tener, Commander Alfred B. Deers of the G. A. R. and Commander Bennett H. Young of the United Confederate Veterans were among the speakers.
Com. Tatnall reports as follows to the Rebel Secretary of War :
“We observed from the Merrimac that the flag was not flying on Sewell’s Point Battery, and that it appeared to have been abandoned. I dispatched Lieut. J. P. Jones, the Flag Lieutenant, to Craney Island, where the Confederate flag was still flying, and he there learned that a large force of the enemy had landed on Bay shore, and were marching rapidly on Norfolk ; that Sewell’s Point Battery was abandoned, and our troops were retreating. I then despatched the same officer to Norfolk, to confer with Gen. Huger and Captain Lee. He found the Navy Yard in flames, and all the other officers had left by railroad—that the enemy was within a half a mile of the city, and that the Mayor was treating for its surrender.
On returning to the ship he found that Craney Island and all the other batteries on the river had been abandoned.
It was now seven o’clock in the evening, and this unexpected confirmation rendered prompt measures necessary for the safety of the Virginia.
The following address was read to the army on Tuesday evening at dress parade, and was received with an outburst of vociferous cheering from every regiment.
HEADQUARTERS, Army of The Potomac,
June 2, 1862
Soldiers or the Army or the Potomac I have fulfilled at least a part of my promise to you. You are now face to face with the rebels, who are held at bay in front of the capital. The final and decisive battle is at hand. Unless you belie your past history the result cannot be for a moment doubtful. If the troops who labored so faithfully and fought so gallantly at Yorktown, and who so bravely won the hard fights at Williamsburg, West Point, Hanover Court House and Fair Oaks, now prove worthy of their antecedents, the victory is surely ours. The events of every day prove your superiority. Wherever you have met the enemy you have beaten him. Wherever you have used the bayonet he has given way in panic and disorder. I ask of you now one last crowning effort. The enemy has staked his all on the issue of the coming battle. Let us meet him and crush him here in the very centre of the rebellion.