The morning call., 1892-09-18
@lg2:'s
W MURPHY BUILDING, +
Market and Jones Streets.
UNIQUE WAR MONUMENT.
Two Thousand Relics of Battles IN a
Soldiers Monument.



Hartford Times.
The eliminating idea in the collection of
war relics made by A. E. Brooks OF this
city. chiefly in the way of arms and am
munition, has been reached In the form Of
monument of singular interest and con-
ception. In the construction of this unique
object 1888 bullets from the leading battle
fields of the war and 124 Union and Con-
federate buttons have been utilized. But
this is not the combination chiefly interest
ing in the design. Revolvers, epaulettes, belt
plates worn by men and officers. bayonets.
canteens, bowie-knives used by the Louisi-
ana Rangers, exploded shells from differ
ent fields, cavalry equipment, spurs and
buckles. have been incorporated in the
design with great skill and intelligence. In
the first place the work Is recital in lead
and iron haip' of the war. Every bullet,
every broken remnant of shot aud shell.
every belt-plate and epaulette could tell of
inspiring scenes ana events. The monu-
ment is not patchwork of these relics.
Instead it is the clearest and most instruc-
tive of designs.
Both sides of the war are represented in
the conception. Four great engagements
Petersburg, AnIietam, Gettysburg and
icksburg-constitute the salient feat
ures of this narrative in relics from the
in chronological order, for the object to be
obtained could not be achieved so accu-
rately in that way. Mr.. Brooks has aimed
to present the Union and Confederate super
structures as central figures in the m0nu-
ment. The great armies Of the North and
South occupy opposite sides. The National
Government is represented IN the letters
U. S.. the combination being made from
mimic balls from Petersburg. 1t is fact de-
serving OF more than moments interest
that Petersburg was selected to represent the
nations triumph. 1t was there that the last
vestige of hope entertained by the rebels
began to vanish. Likewise at that point
the supremacy OF the Government was as
serted, with results that will not again be
disputed. The Confederacy, on the other
hand, is represented in the letters &c. s."
which are composed. of bullets from the
rebel lines. The battle selected is not on
Southern soil, but In the State Of Penusyl-
vania. Gettysburg has been chosen. be-
cause that represented the high tide Of the
Confederacy. the turning pointin the war
was when Picketts magnificent lines were
shattered and decimated beyond recovery at
Seminary Ridge. The United States and the
Confederate armies are designated by the
letters ~. S. A" and &c. 5. A" wrought
in bullets from dozens of battlefelds.
The central place on the Government side
of the monument is a revolver, the barrel of
which was exploded In the hand of soldier
| named Williams. Beneath this implement
of war Is q shell that was fired at Peters
burg. One of the rarest belt-pates to be
found In the United States figures between
ordinary plates worn in the service during
the war and afterward. The Union can
teen, old and dsfgured with rust, was
found by Captain Lyman Smith Of this
city near General McPhers0n's monument
at Atlanta, commemorating the spot where
this brilliant officer fell during Sherman's
march to the sea. Money could not pur-
chase the relic. On the opposite side is a
Confederate canteen. 1t Is pierced with
buckshot in four or five places, and
Is in singular contrast with the op-
posite. On one side are crossed bayo-
nets, while the opposite Is signalized by
b0wie-knives that were carried in the belts
of the Louisiana tigers. The Confederate
belt-plates cannot be duplicated easily.
They represent the styles worn by officers
and men. A couple of these belt-p plates are
OF peculiar significance, telling OF blockade
runners that were intercepted and deeds Of
| daring that were wasted. Both are OF Brit
| ish origin, one bearing the coat Of arms Of
Great Britain and the other the head OF the
| British lion. Both were captured before
the blockade-runner had penetrated the
| Union naval lines. One of the plates bears
| the letters rs. n. Y" representing the EN-
| pire State. One from Virginia is desig-
| mated by the letters "V. Nj. NJ" Virginia
| Mounted Militia may have been the signif-
! canoe of these letters, but most likely il was
| something else that was intended. AT any
| rate, the key to the meaning is not definitely
| known this way.
| 3Sa.d Mr.. Brooks with patriotic delight as
| he pointed out the combinations: "The
| American eagle is perched above them all, !"
| and then it was as worn triumphanty
| through scenes Of carnage thirty years
| ago. Antietam is given in the monument
| as the basis for the United States Army
| and Fredericksburg for the Confederate.
! Again. the distinction is most admirably