The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-12-01
ChickAMAucA AND ChArTA-
NOoCA.
Major lcharles n. Boyd OF Portland,
IN Charge of the Surveys for the
Daek


lGen. ID. V. Boynton In Cincinnati Com-Gazette.l
Inc WORK OF establishing the Chlckamauga
and Chattanooga National Park progresses
rapidly. The project has moved as smoothly
and successfully since it passed into the
hands OF the Secretary of War, as it did at
every step through Congress.
Yesterday news was received at the War
Department that the bill ceding jurisdiction
of the field to the United States had passed
the Legislature of Georgia, and had been at
once signed by the Governor. This was
most expeditions work by the Legislature,
as the preparation and introduction OF the
hill, and its consideration by the Judiciary
Committee of each House, its passage by
each. and the final concurrence of the House
In amendments made by the Senate, were all
accomplished in two weeks, and that in the
midst of the heated Sensational contest in
progress before the Legislature.
General Fullerton, the president of the
Park Commission, took personal charge of
presenting the subject to the committees of
the Legislature, and prosecuted his work
with great vigor. He found the officers of
both houses, the members of the committees
and the leading members of the Legislature
disposed to do everything in their power to
expedite the desired legislation. He also
had the efficient and very valuable assistance
OF his colleague, General Stewart.
This cession includes the field proper,
some thirteen square miles in extent, and
such of the various roads which form the ap-
proaches to the park as lie in the State of
Georgia. Jurisdiction over the approaches
in the State of Tennessee has already been
given by the County Court at Chattanooga,
and this will doubtless 0e confirmed by the
Legislature of Tennessee at its coming
session. These roads in Tennessee are those
which lie along the crest of Missionary
Ridge and run from Rossville to and over
the northern face of Lookout Mountain.
The commission selected by the Secretary
of War has beer most energetically engaged
ever since their appointment. early in Sep
TENDER, in pushing the preliminary work of
establishing the park. 1t has held daily
sessions, except when its members were en-
gagged on the field or at Atlanta.
All veterans are well aware of the peculiar
fitness OF General Fullerton and Colonel KEEL
lOgg for the extended and responsible work
in hand. The selection of Gen. A. p. Stew
art, the Confederate member of the Com
mission, has proved much mere than salts
factory. Ii is eminently fortunate as well.
None OF those actively interested in the park
| project were personally acquainted with him
but acting upon careful quiry, and upon
the high opinion universally expressed of
BIN by his late army associates, Secretary
| Proctor appointed him. He brings to the
work personal standing and and character OF
| the highest order, professional and practi-
cal military knowledge, the habits of a
| trained student, full appreciation of the
| task in hand, and an enthusiastic interest in
| II. The personal knowledge which he has of
| Confederate movements in all the battles
about Chattanooga. which he gained as
division commander, is proving of especial
value to the commission.
Three surveying parties have been in the
| field since the middle of October establishing
the boundaries of the park and doing the
preliminary work necessary to proceedings
In condemnation. These parties are in
| Coast Survey. The commission, fortunate
thus far in everything. was peculiarly fortu-
nate In securing the services Of Major Boyd,
1 as he Is the officer who made the first topo-
graphical survey of the Chickamauga field
for the Government soon after the battle
| de has his original notes, and with these
and his recolectl0ns of the field, and his
| present personal Observances upon 1t, he will
be able to indicate everything which need be
| done to restore it to the condition in which it
typographical surveys of the field, and of the
| roads which form the approaches will be
| pushed vigorously as long as the weather
| permits.
ing the lines of march and of battle are being
prepared as rapidly as is consistent with ac-
euracy. IL Is expected that the text for
army, corps, division, and brigade tablets
for both armies will be ready for casting
early In the spring. They will be of metal,
probably four feet by five in size, and for the
Chickamauga field about two positions for
every division and brigade will be marked
for each days battle, making an average of
| four for each such command and total for
Il nd min nf
about $40.
These tablets will set forth in cast letters
the names of the commander, the divisions
and corps to which each organization be-
| l0nged, the regiments ana batteries which
| composed it, with the names of those who
| commanded them. They will also designate
the hour In each days battle when the COM
mand to which the tablet relates occupied
the point where the latter will be located.
Each tablet will also include a concise histor-
lcal statement of corps. division, or brigade
| operations, as the case may be, with the
| record of killed and wounded.
The plan Of proceeding in M king the field
and its approaches will probably be to first
| place the class OF tablets already indicated
down to the unit of the brigade. Simutane-
| ously with these there will be prepared the
necessary guide-boards and general histori-
cal tablets for the main roads of the park
the regimental and battery tablets. Ali these
LOT Doth armies will be prepared and erect
"a Dy the Government under the appropria.
ton made by Congress- The fields will,
therefore, as is readily seen, be thoroughly
marked by the War Department, in the lam
gnage OF the act establishing the park, for
the purposes of historical and professional
| military study" The monuments which il
| Is expected that each State VIII erect, after
| the plan pursued at Gettysburg, will come
next in order. Notice has already been Ie-
celved here that prompt action will be taken
by the Legislatures of several Western States
at their approaching sessions to appoint
commissions charged with the duty of erect
ing suitable monuments for the State in the
new National Park.
The Attorney General, upon the applica-
tlUn OF the Secretary eff War, has directed
CONFORMATION proceedings to begin in the
U. > Court at Atlanta, and these will be
pushed forward as rapidly as possible. As
the citizens residing on the field, and those
OF Cnattanoga are heartily In favor of the
project, 1t Is expected that these proceed
ings VIII go forward with more than usual
dlspatcn. 1t Is, therefore, confidently be-
lleVed That by the opening of the next sea-
son 1or field work, the government will be
In full possession of the title to the park
proper. which embraces the 10 square miles
OF the Chickamauga field and of the 30 miles
OF approaches which lead to the park from
Ine dlrectlon OF Chattanooga, Ringgold and
Lafayette, including thUse along Missionary
hldge and over Lookout Mountain.
In connection with his work as one of the
commissioners of the park, Colonel kellogg
% eheIgetlcally prosecuting his series of
maps TO illustrate the whole campaign for
chattanooga The ten maps of Chickamau-
"a are completed. He has lust finishtd
tnree position maps which cover the TuIa-
oolna campaign up to the retreat of Bragg's
army INTO Chattanooga. Following these
lnere VIII be maps showing that part of East
tennessee which was included 10 General
hosecrans's advance, and such parts of the
region about McLemore's Cove as are need
ed to fully illustrate the wide extended cam
palgn: Next, to complete the series, will
come battle maps of Lookout Mountain and
missionary Ridge, and fnal Typographical
map OF the National Park and its APP.
proaches.
Major Charles 81. Boyd, referred to in the
above article. is native of Portland, Me-,
gentleman well and favorably known. and
has the reputation of possessing thorough
knowledge of his profession. During the
war he was appointed on the staff of one of
our most prominent generals, and served in
tue West as typographical engineer, and is,
therefore, perfectly familiar with the locali-
W OF the proposed park. We think it shows
good Judgment on the part of General Boyn-
Ton In securing the services of man so Pc
caharly well equipped for the position as
Mr. Boyd.-Fl