The record-union., 1895-09-16

CHATTANOOGA (Tenn.), Sept ID
Nearly third of century ago the bat
tletield of Gettysburg was dedicated as a
National Cemetery. On that occasion
President Lincoln delivered an address,
which was recognized as the philosophy,
in brief. of the great struggle then I'M
pending between the North and South.
In this address, in words long since MS
toric, he formulated the doctrine that
''this nation under God shal! have new
birth of freedom, and Government OF
the people by the people"
On Thursday and Friday of this week
the Chickamauga and Chattanooga
National Military Park will be dedicated
with ceremonies nc less imposing than
those at Gettysburg, made memorable by
Mr.. Lincoln's presence. The time
chosen has especial appropriateness, III
that it is the thirty-second anniversary OF
the fiercely contested battle of Cblcka-
mauga, in many respects one of the most
decisive of the war, and one IN which
American pluck and endurance were
shown TO greatest advantage.
The Vice President of the United States
will preside. The Secretary of War and
their presence will lend dignity 10 the
occasion. Others present VIII include
nearly all of the surviving Federal and
Confederate leaders who participated III
the battle. Among these are ex-senator
Henderson of Nebraska. General ii. v.
Boynton of Washington City, General
Dodge of Iowa, Generals Horace Porter
and Daniel Buttertieid OF New York,
General Palmer OF Illinois, General Cor
don of Georgia, General Wheeler of Ala
bama, Senator Bate of Tennessee, eX-
Senator Y althau OF Mississippi, Gov
ernor Roach OF Alabama and o. .. How
ard retired) OF the regular army.
The Chickamauga and Chattanooga
Park embraces the entire battlefield OF
Chickamauga and the approaches. The
area within the legal limits of the park is
about fifteen square miles. The ap-
proaches III the vicinity OF Chlckamauga
are mainly roads over which the armies
reached the field. Ihpse about Chatta-
nooga lie mainly along the lines 0i baltic.
Those over Mount Lookout cross hook
er's battlefield, and lie near WalthalPs.
yyLiIe the crest road along Missionary
Ridge follows Bragg's line OF battle in
front of General Thomas Army OF the
Cumberland and General Sherman s
Army of the Tennessee.
Nearly all these approaches, as well as
tie roads within the park, have been
built by the Government in the most
solid manner. Two OF the number, the
Crest and the State roads. are constructed
Oh q fiftv-foOt right OF way. The scenery
along q part of this military boulevard Is
such as viii give the drive national rep
utation. When to these remarkable
charms of valley, city, river and Bald
Mountain, a comprehensive and distant
view OF the battletieids Of Lookout Noun
tain. Orchard Knob and Missionary
10
that is without parallel.
The Government has acquired the site
of Bragg's headquarters on Missionary
Ridge. and about three acres surrounding
it. Among other purchases which it has
made in that vicinity Is that OF Orchard
Knob. This was the headquarters OF
Grant, Thomas and Granger during the
battle of Missionary Ridge. II Is an iso-
lated knoll about SIX acres IN extent.
The Confederate works and those erected
after the Union forces captured It are still
well defined, and the general appearance
of the knoll remains unchanged. The
old roads have been reopened and inI-
proved, while roads opened since the bat
tie have been closed and abandoned.
The first steps in the development OF
the National Military Park embraced
only the battlefield of Chickamauga.
This part OF the project had its origin III a
visit TO the field seven years ago by Cen
eral Ferd. Nandervere, noted officer
of the Army ofthe Cum oerland, and Gen-
eral Boynton, at that time the Washing
ton correspondent OF the Cincinnati COM
qaeYciaJ Gazette, who commanded the
Forty-fifth Ohio Regiment at the battle
OF Chickamauga. In a series OF letters to
the (onBterciuL gazette describing the
condition of the field and reviewing the
campaign and the battle, the park scheme
was thus suggested:
s'The survivors of the Army of the
Cumberland should awake 10 great
pride in this undertaking. Why
should il not, as well as Eastern fields,
he marked by monuments and its lines
be accurately preserved for history?
There was 10 more magnificent lighting
than both armies did there. Both sides
might well unite in preserving the field
where both, i'll military sense, won
such renowD."
II viii be seen that from the first the
plan differed essentially from that of Get
tysbaTg, where up TO that time only the
Union lines had been marked. The sug-
gesIion was received with such favor in
the North that at the next annual meet
ing of The Army of the Cumberland, held
at Chicago few weeks later, committee
of five was appointed to take the neces-
sarv steps 10 inaugurste a movement for
the purchase OF The ground on which the
battle was fought. General kosecrans,
President of the society, appointed IS
mem bers OF the committee General
Henry NJ. Gist, General Charles L. Man
derson, General Russell 4. AIger, General
Absalom Baird and General Henry Y.
Boynton.
The committee met in Washington.
February -, 1882 General Manderson
presided. 1t was agreed TO invite such
Confederate veterans OF the battle ol
Chickamauga as were IN Washington to
unite in forming a Chicamauga Memo
rial Association. This joint conference
was held on the following day In the
room OF the senate Committee on Mill
tary Affairs. Those present were Gem
erals Rosecrans, Baird, Reynolds. Gist,
Manderson, Boynton and Colonel Kel-
logg, OF the Union officers, and Generals
Bate OF Tennessee, Colquitt OF Georgia,
Walthall of Mississippi. Morgan aud
Wheeler of Alabama, Wright OF Ten
nessee. and Coionels Bankhead OF Ala
bama and Morgan OF Mississippi.
Thus the project grew. enlisting in its
service distinguished citizens ia the
North and South. When the question
arose in the winter following the organ
iZation of the association for asking Con-
gress for aid for the purchase of the bat
tlefield, General Boynton conceived the
idea Of enlarging the scope of the scheme
so as to embrace the notable fields oi
Lookout Mountain and Missionary
Ridge aud the lesser affairs OF the battle
of Chattanooga.
A bill was drawn authorizing the Secre-
tary of War, through commission of his
own selection, TO establish the park. Il
was placed in the hands of General
Charles II. Grosvener. an influential
member OF the House OF Representatives