Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-10-16

of the great acts performed here thirty
two years ago. In the city tablets are
erected at anumber Of different points,
indicating forts, lines of breastworks,
headquarters. etc. Orchard Knob,
General Grants headquarters during
the battle Of Missionary Ridge, General
Bragg's headquarters on the Ridge, the
first place reached by the Union forces
on the Ridge-all of these are made
government reservations and on the
two latter high steel observation towers
are erected The National cemetery,
one Of the largest in the country, con-
taiDs the graves OF a host of Union sol
diers. Along the top of Missionary
Ridge in its entire length, some four
miles, the government has built mag
nifcent road and the view from this,
both to the east and west, is exceeding
ly fine.
The making of a National Military
park on the battlefield of Chickamauga
is a new thing in the history of the
United States, but no more proper
place could be selected than here, for
the battle here fought showed the
courage and bravery OF the soldiers on
both sides equally well, and the result
Of it was such that neither side bad any
reason to brag over the other. The
park, as now established, contains
some 5000 acres, but the battlefield
covers more ground and in course of
time more land will be added to the
park. Much labor has already been
expended IN clearing out underbrush,
building of roads, erection Of observa-
ton towers and placing Of tablets W bile
nearly every state in the Union has
nr GH -, i
eating the positions of the different
corps, divisions, brigadps and regi-
ments. Many of the monuments are
very costly and artistic, by far the
largest number belonging 10 Ohio regi-
ments. that state having had more sol
diers engaged than any other The
dedication of the battlefield on Septem-
ber 20. thirty-two years after the battle
was fought, was reunion of the Blue
and the Gray" prominent men from
both sides being present and taking
part. Among the ''boys" on both sides
the best of feeling prevailed, all being
apparently equally well pleased to meet
each other In friendly gatherings. The
Confederate camp" Organizations of
the same character as our @. A. R.
posts of Chattanooga kept open house
during the entire week and made well
come all who visited it. The city was
very extensively decorated with the
National cOlOrs and once in while the
display of Confederate flag would in
dictate that some sympathy for the "lost
cause" still existed, but the "boys"
took no ofense at it and looked upon
1t rather as symbol of reunion.
If possible, still more so, than in the
immediate neighborhood Of Chatta
nooga the country from that city to
Atlanta is alive with the memories of
the war, for almost every foot of the
soil was fought over, again and again,
first by Sherman and Johnson or Bragg
and later by Thomas and Hood Few
visible marks of the struggle remain,
but the names of Dalton, Resaca, ALA
toona, Big Shanty, Kenesaw, Marietta
and MANY other places recall the
stirring events that here took place.
Here and there traces of the earth
works and forts still remain and in Al
latoona Pass, close to the railroad track,
is grave Of Confederate soldier with
a neat headstone on whiS b is engraved:
IAN unknown hero, he died for the
cause he thought right the spot is
tended and kept in order by the rail
road men. On Kenesaw mountain,
famous for the signal sent from there
by General Sherman to General Corse
at Allatoona, is a hotel on the spot
where the signal station was. The
country is generally billy and heavily
timbered. patches of cultivated lands
are seen, but the villages along the line
are generally poor and dilapidated,
with few evidences Of thrift and enter
prise, and the farms are still worse.
Atlanta has been called the 'Chicago
of the South" presumably on account
Of the enterprise and pluck shown by
It's citizens. Almost entirely newly built
since the caose Of the war, it now pre-
sents fine and attractive appearance.
The streets are wide, the business
houses solid and substantial, and many
OF the residences exceedingly tasty and
costly. 1t is laid out on very liberal
scale, extending for miles out IN the
woods and ravlneS, where it would al
most seem that the foot of man had
never trod. Not the least of its enter
prise Is shown In the inauguration of
its exposition. True, it is the Worlds
fair on small scale, but it is not so
very small, and it is really wonder
that,a city of 100000 inhabitants can
successfully start and carry out such an
enterprise. The grounds are beauti-
fully laid out and the buildings large
and handsome. A number of states
have separate buildings, and several |
foreign nations are represented in the |
department of liberal arts. It is well |
worth a trip to Atlanta to see the ex-
position, and it's citizens are entitled to
great deal of credit for planning and
carrying out such an underta king.
w. T. r.