The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-09-20
BENEATH one FLAG.
Veterans Meet on Chiekamauga's Bat.
tIefieId Once More.
EXERCISES AT THE DEDICATION
OF THE NATIONAL PARK.

General Longstreet and General Howard
Prominent Speakers-vice President
Stevenson Presided.
Chattanooga, Tenn, September 10
After an interval of 80 years the Blue and
the Gray today met around the crescent
of Snodgrass Hill, on the battlefield of
Chickamauga, but not, as then, amid
the mist and leaden hail which marked
those dreadful days of 1868, making
the conflict the most disastrous in it's
| casualties to those concerned which his
tory knows. Under one flag a reunited
host devoted to the advancemnt and pros
perity of one common country, the vete-
ran foemen Of a third of Century ago
met today to dedicate as national park,
the grounds made sacred by the blood
of heroes who fought at their side.
Promptly at noon a salute. of A guns
announced the beginning of the execu-
tion of the programme so long arranged
and looked forward to.
Music by the band of the Fourteenth
Regiment in camp ON the field followed
and at subsequent intervals it was heard
with delight.
The addresses of Senator and General
John NJ. Palmer of Illinois and of Sena-
tor John B. Gordon of Georgia, were
preceded by the singing of "America"
by the audience and followed by "Auld
Lang Syne.''
Gen. J. S. Fullerton chairman of the
national park commission, and as
Secretary Lamont's representative,
charged with the duty of directing the de-
dicatory exercises, introduced Vice
President Stevenson, who presided in the
absence of the Secretary of War.
/ Gen. Gordon's address was feature, at
the close of which there were cries for
hongstreet, and that old veteran, still
erect and vigorous, despite his rs years,
introduced by Vice President Stevenson
He said: From this battlefield I APP
peal to my comrades, in gray, and their
sons. to lock shields with the blue, and
1 their sons to;prevent the future occupa-
I ton by Great Britain of Venezuela, and
resist any further entertainments by
England on Nicaragu A
| Vice President stephenson next pre-
sented Gen. Sheffield, who made brief
| Speech. lU0 u6dU Was 81 lutGuS6 Uiittu
Gov. Morton retired. His departure,
accompanied by his numerous staff, was
taken by many of the audience for the
completion of the programme. Conse-
| quently the exercises were abruptly
brought to close. Gen. Dodge, presi-
dent of the Society of the Army of the
Tennessee, presided over the reunion of
| the survivors who served in either the
| Union or Confederate ranks, which closed
the proceedings of the first days of the
dedication of Chattanooga National
Park.
The first speaker was Gen. Howard, who
| said:
The very thought of this occasion
brought to my recolleotions visions of the
past Late in October. SO. it was a
glorious, spectacular welcome, though
one not very friendly in intent that Long
street gave me from the top Of Lookout
Mountain as entered it's western valley.
Stevenson also rather impolitely and
inhospitably disturbed my slumbars as l
was that night sleeping sonndly in his
vicinity by attempting noisy night visit
to my friend Gen. Geary, who was rest
ing with his white wagons at Wauhatchee.
Though in the operations l was compare
lively triumphant and commended in
Cumbel land orders. yet all the horrors OF
a night battle, dark. dismal, bloody, land
unsatisfactory are upon me whenever /
think of MANUFACTURED and Lookout
Valley p AS long as | live cannot fail
to be grateful TO Gen. Bragg, whom /
have understood from his intimate
friends to be little crusty at times of
Indigestion, that he sent Longstreet
away, SO that fighting Joe Hooker might
without his persistent opposition gain q
quantum of glory abovethe clouds. That
move of Longstreet rendered it possible
for me to cross two long bridges and
stand beside Grant and Thomas the 23d
of November, and watch them in battle
1t enabled me to see how the Army of
the Cum berIand went into action, by the
which Orchard Knob was rendered fa-
nous. 1t enabled me also the next day
to creep up the Tennessee with Stein-
wehr and Bushbeck as companions, and
to shake hands with Sherman just as he
was finishing his bridge; and There to
meet for the first time John Logan
Frank Blain, jeff G. Davis and and a
host of others already famous. In brief,
it enabled me to participate ia all the
operations clustering around the Mission
aries Ridge.
now recall wildly the historic names
on both sides of the line with no little
emotion, and, strange to say, the feeling
of comradeship is not confined to our old
comrades in arms. A singular respect
attaches to the names OF Hardee, Cleberne
Cheatham, Stewart, Walker, Hindman,
Breckenridge. Bate Stevenson and Others
who met us at Lookout Mountain and
beyond; who hemmed us in at Chatta.
| nooga; who fortified and defended till
the last the narrow crest OF Tunnel Hill,
and covered the crest and the slopes OF
Missionary Ridge with hostile arms.
| The visions of the past crowd upon me
and tempt me to glorify the work done
here at Chattanooga, of which l formed
an humble part but for the sake OF
higher purpose / forbear.
1t appears to me that this occasion is a
fitting one upon which to review that
American Volunteer.
I know one, a God-fearing, consclen-
tious devoted son Of New England; one
born on farm, and trained to all the
bandiwork of farm life, later an
academic student, teacher OF youth, a
college graduate, and then lastly thee
logical student. Here at a Seminary the
War found him, with a handsome, health
full figure, a smiling face, noble speci.
men physically, mentally, morally and
spiritually of our best American life rs
can be found in New England. He vol
unteered at the first call, as private
soldier. He carried the musket as we
did in those days carrying the piece in
the left hand. AS the war progressed he
passed through every grade. that of End
| Iieutenant. 1st Lieutenant, Captain,