first encounter on
Long Island, Aug. 27.
See Hessians.

Germantown, Bat-
tle of. There were
formidable obstructions
in the Delaware River
below Philadelphia,
placed there by the
Americans, and also two
forts and a redoubt that
commanded the stream.
The British fleet was in
Delaware Bay, Sept.
25, 1777, but could
not reach Philadel-
phia before these ob-
structions were re-
moved. General Howe
prepared to assist his
brother in removing
these obstructions,
and sent strong de-
tachments from his
army to occupy the
shores of the Delaware
below Philadelphia,
which the Americana
still held. Perceiving
the weakening of
Howe's army, and feeling
sity of speedily striking a




the neces-
blow that

should revive the spirits of the Americans, with
iv. — e 65



MAP OF BATTLE.

formed the reserve. Howe's force stretched
across the country from Germantown,



a battalion of light infantry and



GERMANTOWN— GERONIMO



Simcoe's Queen's Rangers (American loy- American small-arms upon the building
alists) in the front. In advance of the was ineffectual. Finally Maxwell's artil-
ieft wing were other light infantry, to lorists brought cannon to bear upon the
support pickets on Mount Airy, and the house, but its strong walls resisted the

heavy, round shot. Then an attempt
was made to set fire to the man-
sion. This check in the pursuit
brought back Wayne's division,
leaving Sullivan's flank uncovered.
This event, and the failure of
Greene to attack at the time or-
dered, disconcerted Washington's
plansi. Greene's troops had fallen
into confusion in the fog, as they
traversed the broken country, but
they soon smote the British right
with force. The failure of the other
troops to co-operate with them by
turning the British left caused
Greene to fail, and the golden op-
portunity to strike a crushing blow
had passed.

In the fog that still prevailed,
parties of Americans attacked each
other on the field; and it was after-
wards ascertained that, while the assault
on Chew's house was in progress, the whole
tration), at the head of the village, was a British army were preparing to fly across
strong regiment under Colonel Musgrave. the Schuylkill, and rendezvous at Chester.
Washington's army, moving stealthily, At that moment of panic General Grey ob-
tried to reach Chestnut Hill before the served that his flanks were secure, and
dawn (Oct. 4), but failed. It was near Knyphausen marched with his whole force
sunrise when they emerged from the woods to assist the beleaguered garrison and the
on that eminence. The whole country contending regiments in the village,
was enveloped in a thick fog. The Brit- Then a short and severe battle occurred in
ish were surprised. The troops of Wayne the heart of Germantown. The Ameri-
and Sullivan fell, unexpectedly and with cans could not discern the number of their
heavy force, upon the British infantry in assailants in the confusing mist, when
front, and they were hurled back upon suddenly the cry of a trooper, " We are
their main line in confusion by a storm surrounded!" produced a panic, and the




CHEW'S HOUSE.

extreme left was guarded by Hessian
yagers (riflemen). Near the large stone
mansion of Chief- Justice Chew (see illus-



of grape-shot. This cannonade awakened
Cornwallis, who was sleeping soundly in
Philadelphia, unconscious of danger near.
Howe, too, nearer the army, was aroused
from slumber, and arrived near the scene
of conflict to meet his flying battalions.



patriots retreated in great confusion.
The struggle lasted about three hours.
The Americans lost about GOO killed,
wounded, and missing; the British about
800. Washington fell back to his encamp-
ment on Skippack Creek. General Nash,



Then he hastened to his camp, to prepare while covering the retreat with his bri-

his troops for action. Musgrave sent a gade, was mortally wounded,
part of his regiment to support the fugi- Geronimo, Apache Indian chief; became

tives, and, with six companies, took refuge a war-chief when sixteen years old, and

in Chew's strong dwelling. He barricaded for almost fifty years led a band of blood-

the doors and lower windows, and made thirsty savages; was a constant terror to

it a castle. From its upper windows he the settlers in the Southwest, where he

poured such a volley of bullets upon perpetrated Tiiany frightful atrocities. He

Woodford's pursuing brigade that their was captured near Prescott, Ariz., in 18SG,

march was chocked. The fire of the by Generals Miles and Lawton, after a

no '



GERRISH— GERRYMANDERING



continued chase of four years, at the ex-
pense of hundreds of lives. He was first







X




i:l-:iMMMn



imprisoned at Mount Vernon, Ala., but
bter at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Gerrish, Theodore, author; born in
Houlton, Me., June 19, 1846; received
an academic education; served in the Civil
War, being wounded four times. In 1871-
88 he was a Methodist Episcopal min-
ister at various places in Maine. His pub-
lications include Reminiscences of the
War; The Blue and the Gray, etc.

Gerry, Elbridge, signer of the Declara-
tion of Independence; born in Marblehead,
Mass., July 17, 1744; graduated at Har-
vard in 1762; took part in the early
strife before the Revolution, and in 1772
represented his native town in the State
legislature. Gerry was the first to pro-
pose, in the Provincial Congress of Massa-
chusetts, a law for fitting out armed ves-
sels and establishing a court of admi-
ralty. He took a seat in the Continental
Congress early in 1776, signed the Declara-
tion of Independence, and remained in
that body, with few intermissions, until
1785. He was an efficient member of
finance committees in the Congress, and
was president of the treasury board in
1780. A delegate in the convention that
framed the national Constitution, he was



one of those who refused to sign the in-
strument. He was a member of Congress
from 1789 to 1793, and in 1797 was sent
as one of the special envoys on a mission
to France. He was elected governor of
Massachusetts by the Democratic party
in 1810, and in 1812 was chosen Vice-
President of the United States. He died
in Washington, D. C, while Vice-Presi-
dent, Nov. 23, 1814.

Gerrymandering, a political term em-
ployed in the United States since 1812.
After a bitter contest for power in Massa-
chusetts between the , Federalists and
Democrats, the latter succeeded, in 1811,
in electing their candidate for governor,
Elbridge Gerry, and a majority of both
Houses of the legislature. In order to se-
cure the election of United States Senators
in the future, it was important to per-
petuate this possession of power, and
measures were taken to retain a Demo-
cratic majority in the State Senate in
all future years. The senatorial districts
had been formed without any division of
counties. This arrangement, for the pur-
pose alluded to, was now disturbed. The
legislature proceeded to rearrange the
senatorial districts of the State. They
divided counties in opposition to the pro-
tests and strong constitutional arguments




KLBRIIiCi; GERRY.



of the Federalists; and those of Essex
and Worcester were so divided as to form



07



GERRYMANDERING— GETTYSBURG



a Democratic majority in each of those
Federal counties, without any apparent
regard to convenience or propriety. The
work was sanctioned and became a law
by the signature of Governor Gerry, for



Gerstaecker, Friedrich. German au-
thor; born in Hamburg, Germany, May
16, 1816; emigrated to America in 1837;
remained in the country about six years,
when he returned to Germany, but sub-



which act the opposition severely castigat- sequently made many trips to every quar-

ed him through the newspapers and at ter of the globe. He is best known by his

public gatherings. In Essex county the writings, originally published in German,

arrangement of the district, in relation but many of which were translated and re-

to the towns, was singular and absurd, published in the United States. Among

Russell, the veteran editor of the Boston his writings are The Regulators of Ar-

Ccntinel, who had fought against the kansas; Pictures of the Mississippi; Jour-

scheme valiantly, took a map of that ney through the United States, Mexico,

county, and designated by particular col- etc.; Incidents of Life on the Mississippi,

oring the towns thus selected, and hung etc. He died in Vienna, Austria, May 31,

it on the wall of his editorial room. One 1872.



day Gilbert Stuart, the eminent painter,
looked at the map, and said the town9
which Russell had thus distinguished re-
sembled some monstrous animal. He took
a pencil, and with a few touches repre-
sented a head, wings, claws, and tail.
" There," said Stuart, " that will do for
a salamander." Russell, who was busy
with his pen, looked up at the hideous
figure, and exclaimed, " Salamander !
Call it Gerry-mander." The word was im-



Getty, George Washington, military
officer; born in Georgetown, D. C, Oct.
2, 1819; was graduated at West Point
in 1840; served in the war with Mexico,
and in the Seminole War in Florida ; and,
becoming brigadier-general of volunteers
in 1862, did excellent service in the cam-
paign on the Peninsula. He was in the
battles of South Mountain, Antietam, and
Fredericksburg in 1862; also in the cam-
paign against Richmond in 1864 until
August, when he was brevetted
major - general of volunteers.
He was in the army in the
Shenandoah Valley the remain-
der of the year. He was also
in the battle at Sailor's Creek,
and at the surrender of Lee.
On Aug. 1, 1864, he was bre-
vetted major-general of volun-
teers, and March 13, 1865, ma-
jor-general in the regular army.
He was commissioned colonel
of the 37th Infantry in 1866,
and retired Oct. 2, 1883. His
last service was as commander
of the United States troops
along the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad during the riots of
1877. He died in Forest Glen.
Md., Oct. 2, 1901.

Gettysburg, Battle op. On
the day when General Meade
took command of the Army of
the Potomac, June 28, 1863,
Lee was about to cross the Sus-
mediately adopted into the political quehanna at Harrisburg and march on
vocabulary as a term of reproach for Philadelphia. The militia of Pennsylvania,
those who change boundaries of districts who had shown great apathy in responding
for a partisan purpose. to the call for help, now, when danger was




GETTYSBURG, BATTLE OF




POSITION OF THE NORTHERN AND CONFEDERATE ARMIES, SUNSET, JUNE



at their door, turn-
ed out with con-
siderable spirit ;
and Lee, observing
this, and hearing
that the augment-
ed Army of the
Potomac was in
Maryland and
threatening his
rear and flanks,
immediately aban-
doned his scheme
for further inva-
sion, and ordered
a retrograde move-
ment. On the
same day, Stuart,
with a large force
of cavalry, crossed
the Potomac, push-
ed on to Westmin-
ster, at the right

of the Nationals, crossed over to Car- Marsh Creek, a few miles distant, was
lisle, encountering Kilpatrick and his cav- then advancing with his own corps, fol-
alry, and followed Ewell in his march lowed by Howard's, having those of Sickles
towards Gettsyburg. Longstreet had been and Slocum within call. The sound of
ordered to cross the South Mountain fire-arms quickened his pace, and he
range, and press on through Gettysburg marched rapidly to the relief of Buford,
to Baltimore to keep Meade from cutting who was holding the Confederates in
Lee's communications. Lee hoped to crush check. While Reynolds was placing some
Meade, and then march in triumph on of his troops on the Chambersburg road,
Baltimore and Washington; or, in the Confederates made an attack, when a
case of failure, to secure a direct line volley of musketry from the 56th Penn-
of retreat into Virginia. Meanwhile sylvania led by Col. J. W. Hoffman, opened
Meade was pushing towards the Susque- the decisive battle of Gettysburg,
hanna with cautious movement, and on Meredith's " Iron Brigade " then
the evening of June 30 he discover- charged into a wood in the rear of the
ed Lee's evident intention to give bat- Seminary, to fall upon Hill's right, under
tie at once. On the day before, Kil- General Archer. The Nationals were
patrick and Custer's ca.artv had de- pushed back, but other troops, under the
feated some of Stuart's a few' miles from personal direction of Reynolds, struck
Gettysburg. Buford's cavalry entered Archer's flank, and captured that officer
Gettysburg; and on the 30th the left wing and 800 of his men. At the moment
of Meade's army, led by General Reyn- when this charge was made, the bullet of
olds, arrived near there. At the same a Mississippi sharp-shooter pierced Reyn-
time the corps of Hill and Longstreet olds's neck, when he fell forward and ex-
were approaching from Chambersburg, and pired. General Doubleday had just ar-
Ewell was marching down from Carlisle rived, and took Reynolds's place, leaving
in full force. On the morning of July 1 his own division in charge of General
Buford, with 6,000 cavalry, met the van Rowley. Very soon the Mississippi bri-
of Lee's army, led by General Heth, be- gade, under General Davis, was captured,
tween Seminary Ridge (a little way from and at noon the whole of the 1st Corps,
Gettysburg) and a parallel ridge a little under General Doubleday, was well post-
farther west, when a sharp skirmish en- ed on Seminary Ridge, and the remain-
sued. Reynolds, who had bivouacked at der of Hill's corps was rapidly approach-
fin



GETTYSBURG, BATTLE OF



ing. Meanwhile, the advance division of of Reynolds, and he ordered General Han-
Ewell's corps had taken a position on a cock, Howard's junior, to leave his corps
ridge north of the town, connecting with with Gibbons and take the chief command
Hill, and seriously menacing the National at Gettysburg. He arrived just as the
right, held by General Cutler. Double- beaten forces were hurrying towards
day sent aid to Cutler, when a severe Lemetery Hill. He reported to Meade
struggle ensued for some time, and three that he was satisfied with Howard's dis-
North Carolina regiments were captured, position of the troops. The latter had
Now the battle assumed far grander pro- called early upon Sloeum and Sickles, and
portions. Howard's corps, animated by both promptly responded. Sickles joined
the sounds of battle on its front, pressed the left of the troops on Cemetery Hill
rapidly forward, and reached the field of that night. Hancock had gone back; and,
strife at a little past noon. He left Stein- meeting his own corps, posted it a mile
wehr's brigade on Cemetery Hill, placed and a half in the rear of Cemetery Hill.
General Schurz in temporary charge of Meade had now given orders for the con-
the corp3, and, ranking Doubleday, took centration of his whole army at Gettys-
the chief command of all the troops in burg, and he aroused them at one o'clock
action. The Confederate numbers were in the morning of July 2, when only the
continually augmented, and, to meet an corps of Sykes and Sedgwick were absent,
expected attack from the north and west, Lee, too, had been bringing forward his
Howard was compelled to extend the Na- troops as rapidly as possible, making his
tional lines, then quite thin, about 3 headquarters on Seminary Ridge. On the
miles, with Culp's Hill on the right, morning of the 2d a greater portion of
Round Top on the left, and Cemetery Hill the two armies confronted each other.
in the centre, forming the apex of a Both commanders seemed averse to tak-
redan. At about three o'clock in the ing the initiative of battle. The Nation-
afternoon there was a general advance als had the advantage of position, their
of the Confederates, and a terrible battle lines projecting in wedge-form towards
ensued, with heavy losses on both sides, the Confederate centre, with steep rocky
The Nationals were defeated. They had acclivities along their front. It was late
anxiously looked for reinforcements from in the afternoon before a decided move-
the scattered corps of the Army of the ment was made. Sickles, on the left, be-
Potomac. These speedily came, but not tween Cemetery Hill and Round Top, ex-
pecting an at-
tack, had ad-
vanced his corps
well towards
the heaviest
columns of the
Confedera tes.
Then Lee at-
cked him with
L o ngstreet's
corps. There
was first a se-
vere struggle
for the posses-
sion of the
rocky eminence
on Meade's ex-
treme left,
where R-irney
until the preliminary engagement in the was stationed. The Nationals won.
great battle of Gettysburg was ended. Meanwhile tliere was a fierce contest

General Meade was at Taneytown, 13 near the centre, between Little Round
miles distant, when he heard of the death Top and Cemetery Hill. While yet there

70




WHKRK T1TH BATTt.E BEGAN.



GETTYSBURG, BATTLE OF




BATTLE-GROUND OP LITTLE ROUND TOP.



was strife for the former, General Craw- where General Slocum was in chief com-

ford, with six regiments of Pennsylvania mand. Ewell had attacked him with a

reserves, swept down its northwestern part of his corps at the time Longstreet

side with tremendous shouts, and drove assailed the left. The assault was vigor-

the Confederates through the woods to ous. Up the northern slopes of Cemetery

the Emmettsburg road, making 300 of Hill the Confederates pressed in the face

them prisoners. Generals Humphreys of a murderous fire of canister and shrap-

and Graham were then in an advanced nel to the muzzles of the guns. Another

position, the former with his right on part of Ewell's corps attempted to turn

the Emmettsburg road, when Hill, ad- the National right by attacking its weak-

vancing in heavy force from Seminary ened part on Culp's Hill. The Confeder-

Ridge, fell upon him and pushed him ates were repulsed at the right centre;



back, with a loss of half his



and, after a severe battle on the extreme



lost a leg, and Birney took command
of the corps. Elated by this success,



and three guns. In this onset Sickles right of the Nationals, the Confederates

there were firmly held in check. So end-
ed, at about ten o'clock at night, the see-
the Confederates pushed up to the base ond day's battle at Gettysburg, when
of Cemetery Hill and its southern slope, nearly 40,000 men of the two armies, who
throwing themselves recklessly upon sup- were " effective " thirty-six hours before,
posed weak points. In this contest were dead or wounded.
Meade led troops in person. Finally The advantage seemed to be with the
Hancock, just at sunset, directed a general Confederates, for they held the ground in
charge, chiefly by fresh troops under advance of Gettysburg which the Na-



Doubleday, who had hastened to his as-
sistance from the rear of Cemetery Hill.
These, with Humphreys's shattered regi-



tionals had held the previous day. Dur-
ing the night Meade made provision for
expelling the Confederate intrusion on the



ments, drove the Confederates back and National right by placing a heavy artil-
recaptured four guns. The battle ended lery force in that direction. Under cover
on the left centre at twilight. Then the of these guns a strong force made an at-
battle was renewed on the National right, tack, and for four hours Geary's division

71



GETTYSBURG, BATTLE OF



kept up a desperate struggle. Then the
Confederates fell back, and the right was
made secure. Now Ewell was repulsed on
the right, and Round Top, on the left,
was impregnable; so Lee determined to
strike Meade's centre with a force that
should crush it. At noon (July 3) he
had 145 cannon in battery along the line
occupied by Longstreet and Hill. All
night General Hunt, of the Nationals, had
been arranging the artillery from Ceme-
tery Hill to Little Round Top, where the
expected blow would fall. Lee determined
to aim his chief blow at Hancock's posi-
tion on Cemetery Hill. At 1 o'clock p.m.
115 of his cannon opened a rapid concen-
trated fire on the devoted point. Four-
score National guns replied, and for two
hours more than 200 cannon shook the
surrounding country with their detona-
tions. Then the Confederate infantry, in
a line 3 miles in length, preceded by
a host of skirmishers, flowed swiftly over



the undulating plain. Behind these was
a heavy reserve. Pickett, with his Vir-
ginians, led the van, well supported, in a
charge upon Cemetery Hill. In all, hie
troops were about 15,000 strong. The
cannon had now almost ceased thundering,
and were succeeded by the awful roll of
musketry. Shot and shell from Han-
cock's batteries now made fearful lanes
through the oncoming Confederate ranks.
Hancock was wounded, and Gibbons was
placed in command. Pickett pressed on-
ward, when the divisions of Hayes and
Gibbons opened an appalling and con-
tinuous fire upon them. The Confed-
erates gave way, and 2,000 men were
made prisoners, and fifteen battle-flags be-
came trophies of victory for Hayes. Still
Pickett moved on, scaled Cemetery Hill,
burst through Hancock's line, drove back
a portion of General Webb's brigade, and
planted the Confederate flag on a stonewall.
But Pickett could go no farther. Then




CKNKKAI. PICKETT AT CKMKTRRY HILL.



GETTYSBURG, BATTLE OF




VIEW FROM LITTLE ROUND TOP.



Stannard's Vermont brigade of Double-
day's division opened such a destructive
fire on Pickett's troops that they gave
way. Very soon 2,500 of them were made
prisoners, and with them twelve battle-
flags, and three-fourths of his gallant men
were dead or captives. Wilcox supported
Pickett, and met a similar fate at the
hands of the Vermonters. Meanwhile
Crawford had advanced upon the Confed-
erate right from near Little Round Top.
The Confederates fled; and in this sortie
the whole ground lost by Sickles was re-
covered, with 260 men captives, 7,000
small-arms, a cannon, and wounded Union-
ists, who had lain nearly twenty-four
hours uncared for. Thus, at near sunset,
July 3, 1863, ended the battle of Gettys-
burg. During that night and all the next
day Lee's army on Seminary Ridge pre-
pared for flight back to Virginia. His in-
vasion was a failure; and on Sunday
morning, July 5, his whole army was
moving towards the Potomac.

This battle, in its far-reaching effects,
was the most important of the war. The
National loss in men, from the morning
of the 1st until the evening of the 3d of
July, was reported by Meade to be 23,186,
of whom 2,834 were killed, 13,709 wound-
ed, and 6,643 missing. Lee's loss was
probably about 30,000. The battle-ground
is now the National Soldiers' Cemeterv,



nearly all of the Confederate dead having
been removed to Southern cemeteries.
The battle-field is now studded with State
and regimental monuments marking the
most important spots in the three-days'
battle. Near the centre of the battle-field
stands a national monument of gray gran-
ite, erected at a cost of $50,000, and also
a bronze statue of General Reynolds.

Almost immediately after the battle the
government determined to acquire and set
apart the battle-field for a National Sol-
diers' Cemetery. On Nov. 19, 1863, the
field, which then contained the graves of
3,580 Union soldiers, was dedicated by
President Lincoln, who delivered the fol-
lowing memorable speech:

" Fourscore and seven years ago our
fathers brought forth on this continent a
new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedi-
cated to the proposition that all men are
created equal.

" Now we are engaged in a great civil
war, testing whether that nation, or any na-
tion so conceived and so dedicated, can long
endure. We are met on a great battle-
field of that war. We have come to dedicate
a portion of that field as a final resting-
place for those who here gave their lives
that thatnation might live. It is altogether
fitting and proper that we should do this.

" But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedi-
cate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot



73



GETTYSBURG— GHENT



hallow this ground. The brave men, liv- and that government of the people, by the
ing and dead, who struggled here have people, for the people, shall not perish
consecrated it, far above our poor power



to add or detract. The world will little



from the earth." See Adams, Charles
Francis; Everett, Edward.

Ghent, Treaty of, the treaty between
the United States and Great Britain,
which terminated the War of 1812. The
American commissioners were John
Quincy Adams, James Bayard, Henry
Clay, Jonathan Russell, and Albert Galla-
tin; the British commissioners were
Lord Gambier, Henry Goulburn, and Will-
iam Adams. The American commis-
sioners assembled in the city of Ghent,
Belgium, in July, 1814; the British com-