Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-09-16
FIELD OF CHICKAMAUGA.
Preparations for the Opening Of the
National Park, Wednesday.
The Veterans Of Both the North
and South Crowding Into Chatta-
nooga The Programme for the
Week-Vice President Stevenson
to Preside at Thursdays Meeting.

Chattanooga, September 15.-Under
the guiding hand Of the Secretary of
War, acting under the authority Of
Congress, Chattanooga and the notable
battlefelds surrounding it have been
prepared for a national event without
parallel Great throngs of veterans.
who fought against each other, are
crowding into the city 10 take equal
part under national enactment in the
| dedication of fields which their prowess
made memorable as a national mill
tary park, wherein the movements and
the achievements Of each side have re-
| ceiyed
IMPARTIAL ATTENTION.
As provided in the act of Congress,
Secretary Lamont has invited the at
tendance Of the executive departments
of the government, the members of the
Supreme Court, Congress and its pre-
siding officers, the lieutenant general
| of the army and the admiral of the
navy. the Governors of all the States
with their staffs and the veterans of
the contending armies. All are to be
prominently represented. Nearly
every surviving general of the two
armies has sent notice of his intention
TO attend. The Governors Of every
State which had troops in the action
here responded favorably to the Secre-
tarv's invitation. In a few cases the
| Governors themselves will be prevented
from attending, but their States viii
4 be
OFFICIALLY REPRESENTED.
A io.nt committee of twenty-five Sen
ators and thirty members Of the House
will represent Congress. The members
! of twenty-six State commissions, who
/ have been at work with the national
| commission in locating lines OF battle
| of the troops of their respective States
will attend. The Society of the Army
OF the Cumberland, of the Army OF Ten
! nessee. the Grand Army OF the Repu0-
! lie and the Association Of Confederate
Veterans. Will be present in unusual
numbers. This official concourse is TO
be increased by a gathering Of an army
| Of veterans already known TO be SO
Ilgreat that it will tax the capacity OF the
railroads centering here and the city TO
! their utmost capacity.
/ THE PARK
| which is to be dedicated is of unusual
! dimensions. VI extends with its ap-
proaches from Sherman Heights in Ten
/ nessee. six miles north of Chattanooga
! to Glass Mill, inGeorgia, distance of p
miles. The broad boulevard between
/ these two points is owned IN fee sim
pie by the government as part of the
park and full jurisdiction over this, over
| The fifteen square miles Of the Chicka>
mauga field and over many miles be-
sides of other approaches have been
| ceded to the government by the States
! of Tnnessee and Georgia. This central
| drive runs for eight miles along
! Bragg's line of battle on the crest of
| Missionary Ridge. 1t passes along the
fronts of Sherman's Army, Thomas
Army Of tho Cumberland, and the army
under Hooker. 1t overlooks all the bat
tlefelds about Chattanooga, including
Lookout Mountain, and runs for twelve
miles through the centre of
THE FIGHTING GROUND
of the three days battle of the Chick
amauga.
The park and its approaches en-
braces or overlOoks the fields of five
DAYS general battle between great
| armies and three days of minor engage
| ments, namely: Chickamauga, Orchard
Knob. Lookout Moutain and Mission
airy Ridge, Browns Ferry and Wau-
hatchie
The plan of the park is to restore the
fields as nearly as possible to their con-
dition at the time of the battle.
The design is to mark with historical
accuracy the identical ground of en-
gagements which occurred on these
fields and thus present an object lesson
in actual war such as no other nation
has attempted. Besides the historical
tablets which are prepared by the gov
ernment, the States are erecting mOnu-
ments to mark the position of their
troops. Already nearly a half million
dollars have been appropriated by
States which had troops here, and all of
the States but two of the twenty-nine
which We're represented in the battles,
have commissioners at work locating
positions for monuments.
The national commission consists of
Gen. J. S. Fullerton, Chairman Cen
A. p. Stewart, representing the Con-
federate side; Major Frank G. Smith,
Second Artillery, Secretary, and Gen
II. v BoyntOn, Historian. Gen. Full
lerton, by order of the Secretary Of
War, has charge of all arrangements
for the dedication.
The official dedication under the aus
pices of Congress and the Secretary of
War will occupy the 18th and 2Oth in
stants, but exercises Of a general char
acter, which will be attended by most
of the officials which are to arrive, will
occupy the whole day Of the 18th, and
the evenings of the 18th, 18th and Goth
l..