The herald., 1895-05-31
ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF THE
SIN THOUSAND SOUTHERN SOL
D1ERS HERE BURIED WHO DIED IN
CAMP DOUGLAS PRISON, 1S62-65.
Rock of Chickamauga

Rock of Chickamauga
CHICAGO. May 30.--Gen. George H.
Thomas post No. 5 dedicated an unique
monument in Rose Hill cemetery today
to the memory of the great soldier whose
name the post bears. The monument
stands in the center of a lot purchased
by the post. 1t is a great rock of granite,
signifying the rock of Chickamauga.
the title which General Thomas earned at
that famous engagement. The monument
is II feet inches high and weighs 33. 900
pounds One one side is polished sur
face which bears the inscription Gen.
George II. Thomas post G. A. R., De-
partment of Illinois, Erected 1894; Mem
bership II, S97." On top of the stone are
the words: "The Rock of Chickamauga.
Then cam the beadutiful ceremony of
consecratng the guns.
At each corner of the monument stood
piece presented to the association by
the United States government. The cere-
mony is known as monumenting the
guns. and consists in making the ord
nance part of the monument to the dead.
The monumenting corps consisted of
eight ladies and eight gentlemen.
This party formed in procession and
the gentlemen escort with the ladies
passed through the lines of the veterans
and to the first gun, and when they stood
beside it General Underwood gave the
COIuIudUu. NOnseCTate Gue guns.
Colonel Stewart advanced to the piece
and with him went Lieutenant-C Colonel
France, carrying triangular bolt of STEEL
and General Noel, who bore a heavy
hammer.
Colonel Stewart spoke the first words of
the ceremony: This gun, having fired
it's last shot on the field of battle, will
now be silenced forever" Lieutenant
Colonel France placed the spike in the
vent of the gun.
Spike the gum" commanded General
Underwood. Down came General Noel's
sledge on the head of the spike, driving
it home and rendering the cannon for
ever harmless.
Colonel Stewart then escorted Miss
Lucy Lee Hill to the pedestal beside the
spiked cannon, and Miss Hill said:
b This cannon, with it's GLORIOUS record
on fields of battle, having been silenced
forever, [ do consecrate to the memory
Of the valorous soldiery, and we now
monument 1T as a military decoration for
their bravery and honor unto DEATH.
The ceremony was repeated at the other
guns by the other mem bers OF the cvnse-
Grating party with slight changes in the
phraseology Of monum entation. as2-
Fayette levitt, chief Of staff. then as
sisted Mrs. Katie Cebellito the central ped
estal whence the lady delivered the final
words OF conservation. saying:
These four cannon, being guns cap
tured from the union forces in the bat
ties of MuIfreesboro and Chckamauga
and afterward manned by the confederates
and fought on the southern side in the
battles of Missionary Ridge. Resaca, Dal-
ton, kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree
Creek, Atlanta and Franklin, we're finally
recaptured by the federals in the battle
of Nashville and subsequent engage
ments. They constitute field battery of
light artillery Of distinguished battle rec
ord and they are bprp pprnappDt
parked, never again to belch forth deadly
missiles IN the horrible splcndor of war.
All hail the sienced guns we consecrate,
which, with the shot and shell piled in
monumental decoration on this burial
plot, are henceforth dedicated as a mill
tary tribute to valor, fortitude, and
death. -
decorate the monument "com mmanded
General Underwood, and then Miss Cath
crime Stewart, Miss Marion Sullivan ana
Mrs. II. l.. Walker, dressed Iii white and
escorted by tmee staff officers bearing
floral decorations, approached the inscrip-
tlon face of the monument and in turn
placed a white cross and laurel wreath
on easels at the center and corners of the
base, dedicating them to the chivalrous
bravery of the dead there buried, and
kneeled upon the lower steps with their
arms folded on their 5osoms while the
Arion octette chantcd AS God Wills.
ing to the front, the three ladies still
kneeling, recited requiem poem. After
this ceremony the monument, guns and
pile of shot were GOV sred with flowers.
Then the field was cleared and Colonel
Turner OF the First regiment marched
graves and three volleys-the final mill
tary tribute-were fired over the graves.
A bugle blast and taps" were sounded
and the ceremony of the day was over. ,