I need not describe what followed the great battle-the burial of the dead, the rest, the pursuit and finally the unharmed traversing some of the old ground in Virginia. The old but ever new story of the greatest event known to the lives of all the surviving members of the Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania, is now retold, in a too general and too feeble way, but some of the points mentioned will awaken in your minds a fresh recollection of the day, of its sacrifice and of its glorious results. Let me recall an incident in closing. On the evening of the second day, with a view to excite the hopes and enthusiasm of our troops, telegrams were read to us announcing Grant's capture of Vicksburg, and the cheers were loud and long. The news was premature, but two days afterward it came in full truth, and it was Vicksburg and Gettysburg which made inevitable the triumph of the Union. All, after these battles, was but useless sacrifice, which came through the lack of discernment or stubbornness of the head of the Confederacy.

More than a quarter of a century has passed since the battle we are here to commemorate. None of us can ever see its like again If each and all could find the elixir of youth, and carry his life down the coming centuries, he could not again see the like of Gettysburg in civilized warfare. The inventions since made in deadly explosives-in dynamite, millenite, structite-explosives which are a thousand-fold greater than any which deafened our ears upon this field, where the roar of four hundred and eighty cannon were heard, and the sharp rattle of one hundred thousand rifles-a battle like that of Gettysburg is no longer possible. Though effective beyond our power to measure at the time, it is well that it is the last of its kind. It served a purpose, now indisputably established, and let us hope that it was, to our people at least, the final proof of the poet's lines, wherein he says:—

"Some things are worthless, some so good

That nations which buy buy only with blood."

DEDICATION OF MONUMENT

T

27TH REGIMENT INFANTRY

SEPTEMBER 12, 1889

HE Twenty-seventh Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, under the com mand of Lieutenant-Colonel Cantador, arrived at Gettysburg, July 1, 1863, about noon. The regiment was at once ordered to advance from Cemetery Hill to the north of the town, to support the First Army Corps, General Reynolds having been killed, and his men overpowered by the enemy were falling back. This regiment became engaged by the enemy as soon as the line of battle was formed, but being greatly outnumbered was also compelled to fall back to Cemetery Hill. The regiment sustained severe loss in this movement.

July 2d, about 9 p. m., the batteries on East Cemetery Hill were attacked by the enemy, and this regiment took a prominent part in repelling this charge. July 3d the regiment held the position on Cemetery Hill until ordered to support some troops in distress about 3 p. m. This regiment was also exposed to the terrible artillery fire that afternoon. It was one of the first battalions to enter Gettysburg, July 4, 1863.

The regiment was organized in Philadelphia, Pa., May 5, 1861, by Colonel M. Einstein, and participated in the following general engagements:

First battle of Bull Run, Virginia, July 21, 1861. Cross Keys, Virginia, June 8, 1862. Chancellorsville, Virginia, May 2, 1863. Gettysburg, July, 2 and 3. After the battle of Gettysburg the regiment was transferred to the West, where it took part at the battle of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863. After this battle the regiment took part in the march to Knoxville, Tennessee, to relieve General Burnside, then returned to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and went into winter quarters at Lookout Valley, Tennessee.

When General W. T. Sherman marched his column south, the regiment joined in his command and took part in the battle of Buzzard Roost, Georgia, May 8, 1864, Resaca and Dug Gap, Georgia, May 12, 1864. At Dallas, Georgia, the term of the regiment expired and the regiment received transportation to return home, and was mustered out of the service at Philadelphia, Pa., on the 11th day of June, 1864.

DEDICATION OF MONUMENT

28TH REGIMENT INFANTRY

SEPTEMBER 11th, 1889

ADDRESS OF BREVET CAPTAIN JOHN O. FOERING OMRADES of the Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry: We are assembled here to-day to dedicate this monument, which is to mark the position occupied by the regiment in that historic battle, which took place on the 1st, 2d and 3d of July, 1863, and we trust that the memory of our comrades, who fell on this spot, may be perpetuated so long as this granite shall endure the washings of the storms.

So much has been said and written by many able minds in the past quarter of a century of the part taken by the different corps, divisions, brigades, regiments and batteries that participated in the great struggle, that I fear anything I may say at this time may appear superfluous, but you all know that we cannot but feel a certain amount of pride in the part taken by our own command in the battle which has justly been acknowledged to have been the turning point of the rebellion, and it is well that an opportunity is here given to place on record the history of the marches and incidents of our regiment's connection with the army in that campaign, which I will endeavor to give you as briefly as possible. The Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer Infantry was attached to "Candy's" First Brigade, "Geary's" Second Division, "Slocum's" Twelfth Corps from the time of leaving Aquia Creek until its return to the Rapidan.

Early in June, 1863, while the Army of the Potomac was in camp in the vicinity of Stafford Court House and Fredericksburg, recuperating from the losses of the Chancellorsville campaign, General Lee, commander of the rebel forces, concluded upon an aggressive movement. He started his army on forced marches to invade Pennsylvania, and endeavored to outflank Hooker, enlist the sympathies of the foreign powers to further assist them, and to increase the