Gettysburg Academy - Osoga Yearbook (Gettysburg, PA)

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19-M--M ------ -- ----- w-- o s o G A IM- -a ---- -- ------ ---M34 STUDENT BODY INTERESTING EVENTS FROM BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG MEETING OF GEN. GORDON AND GEN. BARLOW Never was a battle marked with nobler kindness between men, oflicers, and privates of the contending sides than that of Gettysburg. Here is one worthy of record: The advance of General Early in the afternoon of July first had commenced. The brigade commanded by Major General Gordon was among those to attack the Union right flank. The Confederate advance was steady, and it was bravely met by the Union troops, but the Federal flank was forced to fall back in spite of a brave defense. General Gordon's brigade were in motion to seize the knoll from which the opposing line had retreated, when Gordon saw lying directly in his path the apparently dead body of a Union ofhcer. He checked his horse and observed that the officer was still living. He immediately dismounted, and seeing the head of his foeman lying in a depression in the ground, he placed a knapsack under it. It was then that he discovered the officer had been shot through the breast. He then gave the officer a drink of brandy and water from his flask. As the man revived Gordon said, I am very sorry to see you in this condition, I am General Gordon. Please tell me who you are, I wish to aid you all I can. The answer came in feeble tones, Thank you, General, I am Brigadier-General Barlow of New York. You can do nothing for me, I am dyingf' Then after a pause he said, l'Yes, you can, my wife is either at the headquarters of General Howard or Meade. If you survive the battle, please let her know I died doing my dutyf, 'QYour message shall surely be given to your wife, replied General Gordon. 'lCan I do nothing more for you?', Again after a pause General Barlow responded, May God bless you, only one thing more. Feel in the breast pocket of my coat, the left breast, and take out a pack of lettersf, As General Gordon was doing so, the dying man said, 'INow please read one to me. They are from my wife, and I wish that her words shall be the last I hear in this worldf' Resting on one knee, with the beat of running feet going by and the boom of cannon in his ears General Gordon with tears in his eyes read the letter. It was a missive from a noble woman who knew her husband to be daily in peril and with pious fervor she breathed a prayer for his safety and commended him to the care of the gods of battle. As the reading of the letter drew to an end, General Barlow said, Thank you, General. Now please tear them all up. I would not have them read by others. General Gordon did so and after pressing General Barlow's hand he bade him good-bye. Mounting his horse he quickly joined his command. I-Iastily penning a note on the pommel of his saddle he wrote Mrs. Barlow of her husband's T341

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19 '-5 ------ -- ----- 1---o s o G A ------- ---- -M-'34 UPPER MIDDLER CLASS Though this class is of but eleven fcount ,eml members, they have participated in every sport and almost every activity. Scholastically the class rates well, with most of the members doing their best. When Coach Hipsi, Wolfe led his men out onto the grid- iron at the beginning of the season, there were five men from the Upper Micldlers who were heaving the pigskin around. Two of them finally got on the 'Varsity squad. During the basketball season there were two men from the ranks of the class to distinguish themselves on the floor. They were Witzel and Dehlin. Coach Ziegler gathered his baseball nine together and found the same recurrence, Dchlin and Witzel. Haldeman, Crede, and McGaw were also out for the team but both lVIcGaw and Crede resigned their efforts to tennis after a short tryout with baseball. LOWER These classes taken as a whole rate higher than last yearis same classes. Scholastically there may be a slight improvement, but this year there was a great deal more organization and stu- dent cooperation in sports. Though a Junior football team was organized, no games were played against opposing teams. Perhaps next year there may be a little more leadership and active interest taken in this branch and a good stout Junior team trained to defeat all opposition. On the basketball floor it was a different story, however. A basketball team was drawn up consisting principally of those among the lowest classes and they met, and defeated, and were in turn defeated themselves by town teams. During the present time a squashball team, consisting of those in Junior ranks anxious to gain fame on the diamond, has been in training under the able leadership of Coach 'lDad,' Ulrich during the 3:3o'eXercise period. It is interesting to note, however, that not only the lower classmen fill the ranks of this body of courageous teammates but also a few of the purile members of the graduating class whose names will be withheld. These men have vowed for the last month or so that they will meet the Phi Sigs and wipe them off the field. Let us hope so, for so far they have only talked of it. As aforementioned, both Crede and McGaw are out for the tennis team, and Hindman is also representing the class in that sport. The class was especially well represented on the Osoga Staff. Those who were on the business staff were: Hindman, Halde- man, and Arras. Those on the editorial staff were Arras, Hindman, and Merton. Those elected by the students on the faculty for the Student Senate were Dehlin and Hindman. Bauersfeld is the waiter in the dink class and connoisseurs have proclaimed him to be first rate. The class is also repre- sented in the nertsury by that handsome brute, Arras. Lynn is the ofhcial woman-charmer for the class, although Crede runs in a good second. Thus Haldeman can be classed as the chief woman-hater. As a whole the next year's graduating class will be A-1 as far as to present standing. CLASSES Some of the members of the Lower Middlers went forth to gain greater glories, A few gave support to the Varsity squad others pitched in their help to the courageous and totally victorious basketball five, still others lent their sup- on the gridiron, port to the iron-men on the Varsity baseball squad. It is needless to say that the Lower Middle class is and always has been the craziest class in the school. This year it was especially nerts, and we shall take an interested glance over it. In the first place we must needs meet the ringleader, the author of this yearys nertsury as it were. His name stands out above others: it is Pete Magaddino. This is the third year that 'iPete', has been with us, and all of us agree that it is the cokiest. Next comes the wonderman, Cholerton, who amused us with his brilliant second story work last year. This year he has considerably improved, but recommendations can still be given. Last, but not least, we must mention the famous Ross, who smears goose grease on his hair to show that he has a high forehead. Ross is a self-made man, we can compliment him on that fact principally. Now to get back to the more serious aspects of the group, we can frankly say that they have done good work in all the lines that they have given themselves to and let us hope that they continue to do so until graduation they do part. i331

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19M-i- - -F- - -- ------- o s o G A --- -T ---- -- - - - - - --H-M-34 STUDENT BODY condition and informed her where he lay. Addressing the note to Mrs. Barlow at Meade's headquarters, he handed it to one of his staff, told him to tie a white handkerchief on his sword, and ride to the Union line and deliver the note to Mrs. Barlow. On receiving the note Mrs. Barlow hastened to the field, though not without danger to herself, for the battle was still in progress. She soon found her husband and had him taken to a near-by farmhouse. Through her devoted minis- tration he was soon well and again took command of his brigade. Eleven years passed. General Gordon thought Barlow had died and General Barlow thought the same of Gordon. At the capitol, Washington, General Gordon was present at a dinner party given by O. B. Potter, a representative in Con- gress. When Potter introduced him to a gentleman with the title of General Barlow, General Gordon asked, l'Are you a relative of the General Barlow, a gallant soldier, who was killed at Gettysburg? General Barlow announced, NI am that General Barlow who was supposedly killed at Gettysburg, and you are the General Gordon who succored mel The meeting of these two gen- tlemen was indeed a worthy affair for each believed the other to be dead. TI-IE STORY OF JENNIE WADE Perhaps the event of Jennie Wade and Corporal Johnston Skelly was one of the saddest to occur. As a lad of nineteen Skelly entered the volunteer corps leav- 1:3 5 ing, as so many other soldiers did, his ideal, Jennie Wade, behind. It was her picture and letters which cheered him through the long weary campaigns. While this regiment was fighting at Winchester, Virginia, the young corporal was wounded and due to the lack of medical attention died. There was no way for Jennie Wade to learn of his death, for news traveled more slowly then than now, and facilities were lacking for sending back a list of wounded after every engagement. Perhaps it was just as well that she did not learn of her lover's plight, for the fates had decreed that she was to be sorely tried. A few days later the streets of Gettysburg were jammed with Confederates. And in the midst of all these scenes the stork had visited the home of Jenniels sister, a Mrs. McClellan. Jennie knew the baby had to have attention and the mother made comfortable. So she and her mother went to the brick house that was in the very path of the invading army. Wfhen the lead began to Hy, Jennie was in the kitchen baking. She was thinking only of the hungry family. As the battle grew fiercer a bullet came through the outer door and passed through an inner door behind which she was baking. She clapped her hands to her breast and fell, the bullet having killed her in- stantly. Perhaps after all it was a friendly bullet which kept her from learning of her loverls fate. JOHN L. BURNS As the morning of the first day's battle of Gettysburg was breaking, John L. Burns, a citizen of Gettysburg, who was CContinued on page 501 I