In recent years Captain Greenhut was appointed by Governor Fifer one of the three commissioners to erect a monument on the battle-field of Gettysburg, in honor of the Illinois soldiers who participated in that battle. He delivered the dedicatory address at the unveiling of the monument, September 3, 1891, in the presence of Governor Fifer, and a large multitude of veterans and representative citizens of the State of Illinois, who visited the battle-field on that occasion.
The Chicago Tribune, of September 4, 1891, prints Captain Greenhut's speech, as follows:
"Friends and Comrades: We are assembled here to-day on the spot where, on the first day of July, 1863, our regiment stood in line, at the beginning of the first day's memorable Battle of Gettysburg. More than twenty-eight years have passed since that eventful struggle, but our memory is refreshed and brightened when we cast our eyes about us and view these familiar surroundings, and we are impressed in part with the feelings which raged in our breasts when we were formed into line on this field to stem the advance of the Rebel Army. It was an herculean task to perform when we consider that only a small portion of our army was in the field on the first day of the battle, while the larger portion of Lee's Army was concentrated on our front and right.
"None of us knew what a hot day's fight was before us when we broke camp at Emmetsburg early on the morning of July 1st, and began our march towards Gettysburg. We had not gone far when orders came to move faster and to be prepared for an engagement. As we approached the town of Gettysburg on the Emmetsburg road, we could hear the first shots that were being fired on the cavalry skirmish lines and soon thereafter received word that the First Corps, which was ahead of us, was already engaging the enemy, and then came the sad news that General Reynolds had been killed. We then moved double-quick through the town to this field where our batteries were placed in position, and at once opened fire on the advancing enemy. I was detailed in command of two companies of our regiment to support Dilger's battery, and I can bear witness to the effective work done by that gallant battery in holding the enemy in check. We were exposed to the fearful cannonade fire which the enemy opened in our front, and by which we had several of our men wounded. We held our ground for a long time against the large force in our front, but later in the afternoon Ewell's corps flanked us on the right, and as our numbers were still entirely too small to combat with the overwhelming forces of the approaching enemy on our right, there was no alternative for us but to retreat through the town and take up a position on Cemetery Hill. It was in this retreat through the town that our regiment suffered most severely, the rebels coming in through the side streets, which compelled us to fight our way through the entire town.
"Besides the killed and wounded we suffered in this street conflict, a number of our officers were cut off and captured by the enemy. It was a fearful struggle against great odds, and as our regiment covered the rear of our brigade in that retreat it has been a surprise to me that we were not entirely annihilated in our endeavors to force our way through the town up to Cemetery Hill. Each one of us can, however, vividly recollect the hair-breadth escapes experienced on that occasion without any allusions on my part. From Colonel Salomon, who had his horse shot from under him in the street, down through the entire rank of officers and men, none will ever forget that terrible day. As soon as we reached Cemetery Hill, we felt that we were in a better position and could resist any further attacks, if they should be made, and the rebels evidently came to that conclusion, as they did not make any further attempt that day.
"During the night we were reinforced by the remainder of our army, which reached Gettysburg from different points and which brought confidence and encouragement to us who had withstood the hardships of the engagement of the first day's battle. When daylight appeared July 2nd, we were prepared and ready for the second day's struggle.
"Early morning hours on the second day were spent in comparative quiet, each army in full view of the other, and each waiting for the other to begin the fight. The rebels, however, who had possession of the town, had filled the houses standing on the outskirts of the town, just below Cemetery Hill, with sharpshooters for the purpose of picking off our officers, whom they could easily spy standing or walking about on the hill. This had become quite troublesome and General Schurz requested Colonel Salomon to send a detail of about one hundred men to dislodge the sharpshooters. I had the honor to command that detail, which was made up of volunteers, and stormed those houses, driving out the sharpshooters and keeping possession of the houses the balance of the day. In making up this detail an incident happened which I shall surely remember as long as I live, and I cannot refrain from referring to it at this time. Brave John Ackerman, a private in my company, who on every previous occasion was the first to respond when volunteers were asked for to engage in some daring work, did not come to the front on this occasion. I was much surprised at his action, and stepped over to speak to him about it. He said to me:
"'Captain, I cannot go with you this time; I feel as though something terrible was going to happen to me to-day.'
"He looked pale and despondent. Believing that he did not feel well, I left him, after saying a few encouraging words to him. Within an hour after I left him, Ackerman was killed, a rebel shell cutting off more than half his head. His remains were buried on Cemetery Hill, close to where he was killed. It is singular, that he is the only one of our regiment killed at Gettysburg whose name appears on any headstone in the National Cemetery.
"The great artillery duel, consisting of the firing of more than 200 cannon, which was the beginning of the second day's battle, was especially severe on the exposed position occupied by the Eleventh Corps on Cemetery Hill, and the rebels seemed determined to dislodge us from our position, but were unsuccessful in their efforts. All of us can recollect the myriads of shells and bombs that flew in our midst and over our heads, dealing out death wherever they struck in our ranks, and few of the headstones which marked the graves in the old cemetery were left unbroken after that shower of shells.
"The terrible charge the rebels made in the evening of the second day to force us from our position on Cemetery Hill has passed into history as one of the most desperate and bloody of this memorable battle. The charge was made from the streets of the town by the rebel brigade known as the 'Louisiana Tigers,' and it is officially stated that out of 1700 men in that brigade less than 300 'Tigers' returned to the town after that charge. The third day's battle was nearly a duplicate of the day previous, our regiment holding the same position on Cemetery Hill and standing the terrible fire of the enemy with the same bravery and gallantry that had characterized our organization from the beginning. We can all recollect how with frantic desperation the rebels tried to dislodge us from the position we occupied, but all their attempts were unavailing, and when the radiant sun sank behind the western horizon after the third day's fight, the rebels signalized their defeat by a hasty retreat southward. We can also vividly remember how light-hearted and joyous we felt on that early Fourth of July morning when we gazed on those fields and hills in our front which only the evening before were full of life, covered with rebel soldiers and cannon, and now looked deserted and forsaken. We then first began to realize the great victory we had won, a victory which I confidently believe was the turning point for the salvation of this country. But while the face of every Union soldier on that morning was glowing with the flush of heroism, there were but few, however, who could pass without sad emotions over the fields which were so thickly strewn with dead and dying that in some places it was impossible to walk without stepping on some of the dead bodies. But these are the consequences of war, and I sincerely hope it may never again become necessary in this glorious country to call out large armies and to bring such great sacrifices in order to perpetuate our liberties and freedom. (Cheers.)
"It is not necessary to-day to eulogize the many brave deeds of the officers and men of our regiment on this battle-field, as the official records bear ample testimony on that subject, and I doubt whether any regiment can show a better record for bravery than the old 82nd Illinois. (Applause.)
"This monument which has been erected through the generosity of the State of Illinois to commemorate the noble deeds of the 82nd Regiment will stand for ages as a tribute of a grateful people to her sons, now living or dead, who participated in this, the greatest battle which was fought during the war for the preservation of the Union. (Cheers.)
"We, the surviving members of the 82nd Regiment, fully appreciate this token erected in our honor by the State of Illinois and in behalf of our comrades I desire to express through his excellency, Governor Fifer, our sincere thankfulness for the same." (Applause.)
"Mr. Greenhut concluded by paying a handsome compliment to the old Colonel of the 82nd, Colonel E. S. Salomon, and the ceremonies closed with the recitation of a short poem in German by Lieutenant John Baus, of Chicago."
Joined the 24th Illinois as 2nd Lieutenant, participating in the battles of Frederickton and Mainfordsville, Kentucky. His gallantry in action and general proficiency in tactics were the cause of successive promotions till in 1862 Lieutenant Salomon was gazetted Major of the regiment. Owing to disagreement among the officers of the command of Colonel Hecker, Major Salomon and other officers resigned and organized another regiment under the official designation of the 82nd Illinois Infantry, of which Major Salomon ultimately became Colonel. As a member of the 11th Army Corps under General Howard, he participated in the campaign of which the actions at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg were salient features. He also took part in the battles round Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge; fought in fact throughout all the campaign in the Southwest and was ultimately brevetted to the rank of Brigadier-General.
President Grant appointed General Salomon to the Governorship of Washington Territory which position he held four years to the satisfaction of the citizens and to the increased industrial prosperity of the North-west.
As the subject of this sketch has also been prominent in politics on the Republican side, his military service has frequently been attacked by political enemies. To show with what little justice these attacks have been made, we publish a few of the opinions entertained by prominent Generals of the army: