Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-08-17
The SECOND pELAWARE's COMPLAINT.
An Important Communication from
General John 3. Bachelor.

General John 3. Bachelor.
The Monument of the Second Delaware
Regiment Should Have Been Placed
Between One-punrter and one-half Of u
Mile Farther TO the Front--Tho Present
Location of rho Monument is a Hlstorl-
cal Mistake.
Tho following important document
was received at The GAZETTE office
Tuesday morning:
WAR DEPARTMENT, GETTYSBURG BATTLE
FIELD COMMISSION, GETTYSBURG, Pa, Aug.
14th 1S93-To the Editor Of The ECery EOem.
ing: 1t may not be generally known that
the monument erected on this field to
mark the position of the Second Delaware
infantry is not properly placed. 1t stands
in the northerly portion of the wheatield
oil ground which the regiment never &C.
cupied and over which it never passed.
In point of fact the regiment advanced
and fought more than u quarter of mile
beyond the present monument, and all the
monuments to other regiments of the
brigade are on that advanced line. The
Second Delaware monument might as well
have been place in Wilmington or Dover,
so far as its historical significance Is con
cerned, as to be where it is.
JoftN b. BAcHEBDER.
Government Historian of the Battle and
United States Commissioner.
GENERAL BAoHELDER IS RIGHT.
Several soldiers of the Second and
other Delaware regiments were seen by
a representative OF THE GAZETTE Tues
day in regard to General Bachelder's
communication. They all very en-
phatically endorsed the historians as
sertions.
WIN A m ~ mn fNT mn, n q "a
Captain Peter b. Ayars said Tuesday
morning: "All that General Bachelor
says is exactly so. He is a brigadier-
general Of the Army of the Potomac.
He is the delegated historian OF the
United States government of the Gettys-
burg Battlefield Association.
"Let me tell you that he is altogether
right in this matter. The monument is
not in the position where the Second
Regiment fought 1t should be at least
half mile or so farther to the front. !
want to tell you also that the commits.
sion from Delaware that planted the
monument where it is, had its attention
| called to this fact. 1t is too far in the
rear. At the time of the planting of the
monument the Second Regiment de
INJURED and wanted it placed further tc
| the front, about where they actually
| fought. Among those who expressed
| their opinions ut the time to the commits
| sion were Alexander II. Mason, George
Whann and Captain w. II. Brady.
"Fhe commission was appointed by
the Legislature and comprised member:
of the First and Second Delaware anC
the legislative committee. This matter
has always been grumbling point will
the Second Regiment. They knew al
along that the monument is misplaced.
II cannot tell why the commission
persisted in placing the monument
where they did. don't know who ad
vised them. 1t is perpendicular granite
shaft.
"The First Regiment monument i
located all right.
although am member of the 99tl
Pennsylvania, | am of the same corp
as the Second Delaware. l fought VI
the same part of the field, and as
Delawarean feel like insisting that th,
brave Second gets its rlghtful honors
for l was with my regiment at the sam
point.
at would cost but very little to NOV
the monument to Its rightful position
from Hancock avenue to the middle G
the wheat field, where the hottest of til
fight occurred"
Other Delaware soldiers spoke in til
same strain and heartily commended tn
sentiments expressed by General Bachel
der.