The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-11-17
CHICKAMAUGA PARK.
What is Being Done to Mark Positions oil
Ohio State Troops.

ISH1NG to communicate with as
M many of my battery as possible,
Wv and knowing that there are many
old soldiers who read THE Ma
TIoNAL TRIBUNE who would BIO glad to know
what have to say, | ask the indulgence oil
your most. valuable paper.
As is well known by the soldiery of Ohio,
a Commission was appointed by the Governor
to take charge of and arrange for monuments
upon the battlefield of Chickamauga, consist
| ing of Gen. John Beatty, Gen. Fred Van Der
veer Gen. c. III. Grosyenor, Gen. Aqullla WHEY,
| J. C. McElroy, Co. K, 18th Ohio: j. 5. Gill Co.
| /. 121st Ohio; A. Jackson, Co. II, Oath ONO,
| and Fred Wendell, Co. 4, OH Ohio. This Com
mission notified all organizations from ONO
who participated in that battle to elect one OF
! their number to represent them, and meet Win
! them upon the field, and to assist in locating
their position at some point where they were the
most prominent in either day hight. 10 TINS po-
sition was selected. with instructions to locate
where we stood Sunday morning this being the
| noint where we lost nearly all of our men.
| Battery c. 1st Ohio l.. A., at this time was
| attached to the Second Brigade (Croxton S
| Third Division (Brannon's), Fourteenth Corps.
| The brigade at this time was composed OF the
| 10th and 74th Ind, Attn aud 10th Ky, l4th
Ohio, and Battery c, 1st Ohio, Capt. NJ b.
| Gary.
The position we took on that memorable
! Sunday morning was the extreme right CT the
/ brigade, with the 10th Ind OH our immedi nate
! left, and Connell's Brigade, consisting OF the
| 3lst. 18th aud 3Sth Ohio SD Ind. and Capt j..
! w. Church's 4th Mich. battery, with the 3Ist
| Ohio on our immediate right. This position
i. we held until Woodss Division was drawn
| from our right, letting the whole Confederate
army into our rear, when we fell back and
passed over the cast point of Snodgrass HiiI,
and was then ordered by Gen. Negley 10 Ross
J vile. At this point was enacted one OF the
worst blunders of Chckamauga. Battery Z
| was in as good fighting trim as any battery
| could be expected 20 be i'll after leaving Is men
| and 80 horses on the field We had our ammuni-
| ton chests and five guns all III good working
! order and men enough to man them, and what
! was more than that all our boys had the pluck
| Had we been demoraliZed would have lelt
FIVE guns OH the field instead of one One was LETT
| for want of horses to take it away; and Battery
| has had it to regret all these years that they
| were not given position OH Snodgrass Hill WIN
their brigade and fought until night, instead
of being sent to Russvile. But l must return
to the object of this letter. On the 9th day OF
| September last i received notice to meet the
| Ohio Commission at Cincinnati, and, accom-
| panied by Comrade II. c. Cottrell, OF our bat
terry, we journeyed along to Chattanooga, and
on Tuesday morning we went TO the batlie-
! field leaving the cars at what IS now called
| Battle Station, west of the field. The battle
! to three miles, and about one and half miles
| south of Snodgrass Hill. Chickamauga Park
| consists of about 6. ZOO acres. As we were IN
! formed, this is all being cleared and trimmed
up roads and bridges built, and IN the near
| future is to be of the grandest soldier re-
sorts and parks in the United States. AS soon
AS we left the cars the delegates from Ohio, 56
in number. struck out for the field, armed with
maps and books, to locate Battery Z. Moved up
onto the line and began to rcconnoiter and
| Comrade Cottrell and myself decided about
o'clock that afternoon that we did not know
| much about the field after all. And 1t Is no
wonder, after an absence of 20 years.
But there we found a position that in our
! own minds was right; all it wanted was con-
frming. We saw a squad of the boys at lunch,
! and after due inquiry found Capt Gum, OF
| the 18th Ohio. Urch Cahill. Of the 31st Ohio.
and the comrade of the 18th Ohio, whose name
! | have forgotten. l simply told them did
| not know anything but that wanted to find
the position of Battery c. of Croxton's Brigade,
when they jumped up and said they could
| show me; and, sure enough, they took us to
| the self same spot that C0ttrell and myself had
pronounced the only feasible spot for our bat
| terry. This position lies between the State or
Lafayette road and the Crawfish Springs road.
| TIE Lafayette road is in our front aud the
| Crawfsh Springs road about 70 rods IN our
rear: also ahont half mile south of the Kelly
! house. and half mile north of the Brotherton
house; also little north Of the Poe house,
which was burnt during the battle. There is
all open field in our immediate front, aud some
| heavy timber in our rear. but mostly small
stuff that has grown up since the war. And
| in going back to the rear we cross the Crawlis
Springs road into open field, then, turning
north climb Snodgrass Hill over into the Dry
Valley road. and from there Oh to Rossville
through McFarlain's Gap. The morning oil
the second day the Commission came along
working from left to right with Col Kellogg
Of the Regular Army, who was Oh Gen. Thomas
staff at that battle. and who has charge OF this
business for the War Department. He asked
me such questions were necessary, and
within FIVE minutes drove stake. They
also located the 3lst and 18th Ohio on oul
right, and the 14th Ohio little TO the real
and in support of Church's battery.
To become more satisfied to our position
asked the opinion of Gen. Wiley, formerly
of the 4lst Ohio, and who, / was informed
was the best posted man on the Commission
as 10 my position, aud he gave it as his opinion
that we were all right: and certain it is thai
Croxton's and Conneli's Brigades have one o
the finest positions in the Park Now, com
rades, we would be glad to hear from you upor
this position business, aud tell US how yot
remember it.-R. king, Battery c, lst Ohio
L. A., Chester Crossroads. o.