Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1895-09-26
cHIcKAMAUGA PARK DEDICATED.
A Sketch of the Battle of Chickamauga and
the Events Which Led up to Its
Being nade a National Park

CHATTANOOGA, Sept. 19.-One of the
bloodiest battlefelds the world ever
saw was formally dedicated here to-
day as a pleasure park for the edifi-
cation and enjoyment OF the Ameri-
can people for all time. 1t was the
battlefield of Chickamauga, whose
ravines and mountain sides were
strewn with nearly 10000 dead and
wounded men thirty-two years ago.
The dedication was conducted by
the men who fought that awful
strife. Two generals, with silver
gray hair, who headed thousands OF
men i'm the affray on opposite sides,
made the principal speeches at the
John NJ. Palmer and Ohm Il. Gordon.
The exercises were witnessed by no
less than $4,000 people of the North
and of the South. and at least hall
of them took part i'm the civil war.
Vice President A. T.. Stevenson pre-
sided over the dcdicatory exercises
| BY way of beginning there was a
national salute of forty-four guns by
the artillery. followed by the ''StaI
Spangled Banner" played by one o
the United States infantry bands
1t was cheered to the echo by fol
lowers of the blue and of the gray
and many grizzled veterans shet
tears of joy. When the applause
ceased Vice President Stevenson
made a brief address appropriate Il
the occasion. Prayer was theI
offered by right Rev. Bishop Gaylor
of Tennessee. America" was thel
sung by the audience, accompanies
by the band. The volume of soun,
rolled up as great tidal wave. and be
fore the song ended tears We're cours
ing down the checks of thousands q
old veterans.
General John NJ. Palmer, the ven
cradle Senator from Illinois, mad
the first dedicatory address. At firs
his voice had a tremulous sount
He became grandly eloquent as h
advanced. and frequently wa
applauded.
General John NJ. Palmer told til
story of the battle OF Ceickamaug,
saving the names of but few of I'll
fallen were known. but the cOuras
and gallantry of all could be remen
bered.
The New York Press recently col
tanned the folio wing interesting a
count of the battle:
When the battle of Chickamaue
was fought ON the 18th and Goth
September, 1868. the people had NJ
recovered from the intOXicatiC
caused by the victories at Getty
burg and Vicksburg two months b
fore 1t was confidently though
that had the Confederates been su
cessful at Gettysburg the result wOu
have been official recognition by En-
land and France; France on a
count of her new Mexican empire al
England on account of her W,
known sympathy with the slay
holding South.
The hopes of France were dash
TO death by the surrender of VicI
burg and Port Hudson, whi
opened up the Mississippi River al
divided the COnfederacy, leaving t
two sections to be conquered
detail. This sealed the fate of I
French in Mexico.
Gettysburg settled the score I
the time on the part of Englan
The Confederate authorities had b
one resource: that was to make
! strong diversion i'm the West. and,
possible, to save Tennessee and N
lucky to the COnfederacy, which,
successful. might bring about I
desired recognition. Generals LoI
4 street and Hill. with their division
were taken from the Army of Nor
ern Virginia and hurried west
reinforce Bragg and Hood, and til
were Immediately followed by I
Eleventh and Twelfth Army Corps
ci the Army of the Potomac, un'
Generals Howard and Slocum, I'll
about equally reducing the forces
the combatants i'm Virginia..
The series of battles around