The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-09-19
Many Thousands Attend the
Exercises on Chickamauga
Battlefield.
Members Are Camping Where
They Camped Over Thir-
.. ty Years Ago.
The Park One of the Largest,
If Not the Largest, in
the WCr,I.

rle have been pouring into this region
almost as thick and fast as they did 80
years ago. But they are not all men
this time, and they are not armed,
though some of the old veterans, both
Of the North and Of the South, are at
tired in their old army regimentals.
Many of these old fellows have their
wives and children with them, and they
have been looking over the battlefield
where they fought so fiercely. No one
will ever know the number Of people
that have come here from all parts of
the North and South The visitors were
strung along from Sherman Heights to
the far end of Chickamauga. ALI the
hotels, inns, taverns and boarding
houses are full and thousands are
camping where they camped on the
night Of Sept. II, 1853. The exercises
were confined to the dedication Of the
various state monuments and the formal
turning over Of them to the national
government. The states that dedi-
Gated their monuments are: Illinois,
Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin,
These exercises all took place at the
platform and amphitheater erected foI
the national dedication exercises at the
foot of Snodgrass Hill, the famous
Horse Shoe Ridge of General Thomas
battle.
It IL Great Park.
The park is of unusual dimensions.
1t extends, with its approaches, from
Sherman Heights, in Tennessee, six
miles north Of Chattanooga, to Glass
Mill, in Georgia, distance Of 90 miles.
The broad boulevard between these two
points is owned In fee simple by the
government as part Of the park, and full
jurisdiction over this, over the Is square
miles Of the Chickamauga field and over
many miles besides of old approaches,
has been ceded to the government by
the States of Tennessee and Georgia.
This central drive runs, for eight miles,
along Bragg's line Of battle on the crest
of Missionary Ridge. It passes along
the fronts of Shernan's army, Thomas
Army Of the Cumberland and the army
under Hooker. II overlooks all the
battle fields about Chattanooga, includ-
ing Lookout Mountain, and runs for 10
miles through the center of the fighting
ground of the three days battle of
Chickamsuga. Of the territory over
which jurisdiction has been ceded to the
United States for park purposes, 10
miles square has been already purchased
in q single block on the Chickamauga
field.
Tho Fields Will BE Restored.
It is the intention Of the park COM
mission to restore the fields as
nearly as possible to their con-
dition at the time of the battle, to close
all new roads and reopen and improve
those used in the battles and over which
,iIe ..r.n.cS moved to and c-'o-l the ec,d3.
The lines of battle have all been ascer-
tained and vast amount Of work to-
wards permanently marking them has
been done. This is accomplished by
historical and guide tablets, which point
the way to and explain the movements
upon every portion of the lines.
There is no distinction in the prepara-
ton of the tablets between Union and
Confederate forces, nor in any other de-
partment of the work Of establishing
the park is there any difference. The
design is to mark with historical accu-
racy the identical ground Of engage.
ments which occurred on these fields,
and thus present an object lesson in ac-
tual war such as no other nation has at.
tempted. Besides the historical tablets
prepared by the government the
states are erecting monuments to mark
the
Position Of Their Troops.
Ohio, which led, has 65 monuments
and 5s granite markers for minor posi-
tions in place. Minnesota has five monu.
ments to her two organizations, and two
of these are the most costly of any yet
| erected. Massachusetts, has a fine gran.
ite and bronze monument on Orchard
Knob In Chattanooga. Indiana has 81
monuments in course Of erection; Hi.
nois 38; Wisconsin 10; Michigan IL
Missouri one Confederate and foul
Union; and all these states have numer.
Gus markers. Kansas has three excel
lent monuments to her one regiment
Pennsylvania is working energetically