The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-05-27
LITTLEKATIEC CHOSEN.
The Six Year-Old Granddaughter
of a Soldier
WHO DIED ON TIE BATTLEFIELD

The big G. G. Gage monument that is
to be unveiled to the Kansas soldiers and
to those especially who fell in the battle
of the Blue with confederates under
command of Gen. Joe Shelby on the
afternoon of October "a, 1864, arrived in
Topeka today and will be placed on its
pedestal in the soldiers plat by tomorrow.
The unwilling of the monument next
Thursday afternoon at the cemetery,
with imposing ceremonies and in the
presence of probably thousands of people
for they will come from all over the
west-will be the first occasion of its
kind in Kansas and one of the most not
able in the history of the west. Never
before in the history of the nation has a
private soldier been known to erect a
monument so fitting to the memory of
his fallen comrades.
The line of march has not vet been
entirely arranged. but it is known that
the Grand Army ana the bands will be
the only members of the procession that
will march all the way to the cemetery.
The civic societies, the school children
and others may exercise their own pleas
ure about the distance of the march,
Major T. j. Anderson will be the mar
shall of the day and ride in a carriage.
He has selected his staff as follows: A
NJ. Fuller, post No. 1, chief of staff; W.
H. Ward, post No II, T. N. James, post
No 300, and W. Coleman, post No. 321,
aides
R. A. Randlett will have charge of the
first division, and it will consist of the
Second regiment K. S. NJ, battery B, in
full campaign equipment and such other
military commands as may be assigned.
J. s. Collins, as commander of the
Second division, will have charge of all
the civic societies, most OF whom will be
in uniform.
The city officers, headed by Mayor
Fellows and containing the fire depart
ment, will make up the Third division
under j. s. McKitrick.
All the &. A. organizations in Shawnee
county will comprise the Fourth division
under command of D. F. Wyatt and the
Fifth division will consist of the school
children that will take part.
The march to the cemetery will proba-
bly, be out East Eighth after forming on
East Fifth and Sixth and marching up
the avenue MarshalPs and Jackson's
bands will both be in the parade.
Col. George W. Veale is to preside at
the exercises at the unwilling of the
monument.
The speakers stand will be in the
open space beside the plat that belongs
to the old soldiers, and the gathering
will be there, and remain there through
the ceremony of the unwilling. Three
sides of q square will be formed about
the monument by the soldiers, the open
side being toward the spectators. IN this
way the graves will not be trampled
and the people will all be allie to see all
that is done without any crowding Ten
! policemen will be present to see that this
is complied with.
| No teams will be admitted to the ceme-
! terry on that day. The police will be
under command of D. o. Crane, who has
| charge Of the cemetery.
! The procession will move to the GENE
terry at 2 o'clock.
Governor Morrill, and other state Off
GERS and men Of prominence will occupy
the platform.
MarshalPs band will open the exercises
at the cemetery, and Rev. F. S. McCabe
will pronounce the invocation.
The address by Gen. J. c. Caldwell
will be followed by music by the Wyatt
sisters, and then Howell Jones will de-
liver eulogy on Captain Ross Burns, in
whose command was the battery Of TWEEN
ty men that fought so nObly.
1t was this battery that held the bat
tie as long as it lasted There were only
a handful of them against Shelby's
much superior force, and every one was
either Ruled or taken prisoners. Captain
| Burns defended th6 gun alone for several
minutes. He stood with his foot against
it bare headed and wounded and fired
his revolver into the face of the enemy
as fast as 1t came near enough.
When his ammunition gave out he
he stood there resolutely still with the
smoking pistol in his hand ready to
strike with it when he could. The rebels
! IF los
down before his deadly bullets and were
wild with anger. They closed about to
kill him, and one struck him a stunning
blow on the head Ut was from the
effect of this blow that he died in later
years.
General Shelby saw the danger Burns
was IN from Jackman's men and rode
ferceIy in among them and drew his
sword.
This man is too brave to die" he said,
and with an oath, "the first man who
touches him will run through with this
sword"
Shelby and Burns were ever after
good friends. General Shelby now lives
in Kansas City and was invited to be
here Thursday, but will not be able to
come.
After Mr.. Jones' speech the Modocs
will sing "The Soldiers Farewell"
AZ the CONCLUSION OF the song G0neral
Caldwell, on behalf of Mr.. Gage, will
step forward and in very few words
will dedicate the monument to the sold
iers who SO bravely fought in the battle
of the Blue. Little 5-year-old Katie Ost
daughter of Ben Ost and a grand
daughter of James Eagle, who was taken
prisoner in the battle and afterwards
killed and robbed, will pull little cord
the yelling will drop to the ground and
the handsome monument will be given
to the public. Battery B will then fire e
salute of twenty-one guns and the Gage
monument will have been dedicated.
JUST LIKE A LEGISLATURE
No One Dares to Praise q Thing tn.
RsichstaS Has Done.