The herald., 1895-06-30
Beautiful Parks Are to
. Mark the Greatest
BattlefieldS
MONUMENTS TO HEROES
September 20 Will Witness Scenes OF
Splendor Where Carnage Once
Held Sway---OhiO Men
in the Lead

The United States government is now
engaged in the transformation of the bat
tlefields of Chickamauga and Chattanooga
into a magnificent military park. To
this end commission was appointed
and the collaboration of many OF the
states sought and obtained.
1t is now announced that the formal
opening of the park will take place on
Septembeb Goth, the anniversary OF the
battle, and the occasion will be celebra-
ted with elaborate military pomp beyond
anything OF the sort in the nations his
tory. The president will himself, 1t is
said. dedicate the park, and he will be at
tended by his cabinet. while the COVER
nors of the states and the militay delega-
tions from each in addition to the ma
tional troops will give dignity and splen-
dor to the scene. In addition to these
it is expected that great number of the
Grand Army of the Republic will be in
attenda nee, as the annual encampment
at Louisville will close just before the
park celebration.
The change effected in the grounds has
been nothing less than marvellous, and
the result is the creation of perhaps the
finest military park i'll the world. For
three years now the work has been car
ried on without intermission. The ma
tional government has expended nearly
million dollars in all on the work, and
the individual states, which have contrib
uted to the number vi twenty -four, have
given half million more. Now the
whole place is adorned by almost innu-
merabls monuments. which are scattered
all about the grounds. each one making
some gallant deed.
Gen. Ii. V. Boynton, the historian of
the commission states that the area
within the legal limits of the park is
about fifteen square miles. The govern
ment has acquired the site of Braggs
headquarters on Missionary Ridge, and
about three acres surrounding it. 1t has
also purchased a spur of the ridge which
iuts out toward Chattanooga, opposite the
left of the line of the assault OF the Army
of the Cumberland. This tract contains
five and half acres, and from it the face
OF the ridge can be seen. Upon each OF
these tracts stands one of the fine OBJ
servation towers which have been erected
in the park. Besides these. the whole
OF the neghboring Orchard Knob has
| been acquired. This was the headquar-
| ters of Generals Grant, Thomas and Cor
| don Granger during the battle uf Mission
| ary Ridge. 1t is an isolated knoll, about
| six acres in extent. and about sixty feet
above the plain, standing half way be-
| tween Chattanooga and the ridge. 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. Forty-four
| acres at the north end OF Missionary
| Ridge including the Tunnel Hill posi-
tion, defended by General Hardee, and
the points assaulted by the Army OF the
Tennessee, under General Sherman, have
| been secured.
Except in the growth of timber the
features of the Chickamauga field have
been changed but little since the battle.
There have been but few clearings in the
extensive woods where the heavy fighting
occurred, but several of the fields in the
forests have grown up with heavy tim
Der, and i'll consequence the nrst studies
OF the lines were quite puzzling. The
plan of establishing the park contem
plates the restoration of the whole field
as nearly as may be to its condition at the
time of the battle. This involves tht
clearing out OF the recent growths o.
timber and replanting clearings, so that
they may grow up to forests. The oG
roads. which were those of the battle
have been reopened and improved, and
roads opened since the battle have beer
closed and abandoned.
Thus far five iron and steel observation
towers. each seventy feet to the uppe
platform. have been erected at prominent
points of the park. Three of these ar,
on the Chickamauga field and two or
Missionary Ridge. OF the former, one i:
near Halls ford. on the ground where
Bragg's army first formed for battle; on,
is near Jays sawmill where the battl,
actually began, and the third is on Snod
grass hill.
The plan Of marking the lines of battl,
IS to designate them both by movements
and historical tablets. The government
erects the monuments to the regular regl
Ments and batteries and also the tablets
The erection of monuments to mark TIL,
positions of volunteer organizations is lef
to the states. The historical tablets ar,
of iIon, with the lettering cast as part o
! the plate. They are each four feet by
three, ana are of several classes, as thos'
for army hearQuarters, corps. division aIiG
brigade. and each has several hundre,
words of text setting forth in CONDENSED
Yet comprehensive form the movement
of the battle ut the point where they ar
erected. Each side is equally respected
in the erection OF these tablets the onl,
difference made being IN the marking o
the U or c to designate whether the tab
let is for union or confederate.
Besides the large historical tablets ther
are guide tablets at every cross road. Civ
ing d distances and direction to the promi
men, points'of the field, and many local.
ty tablets marking the sites of houses ant
! fields which we're landmarks in the battle
points where prominent officers wer
wounded and where notable captures o
prisoners or guns occurred. The fighting
positions of all batteries will be marked