The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-19
ON THE EVE OF DEDICATION.
BOYS IN BLUE AND GRAY ASSEM-
BLING AT THE BATTLEFIELDS.

nary to the Grand Event To-day-A
Burning Welcome TO the Park of
the BattIefeIds-CeremO and
0ratiOns by the Various States of
Their Individual MOnuments-BriI-
liant Assemblage and Eloquent
Addresses at the Reunion of the
Society of the Army OF the Cumber-
land
Chattanooga, Tenn, Sept. 1s.-Chatta-
nooga extends a burning welcome to her
thousands of visitors. The heat is un-
usual, even for the sunny southland. Ma
tives and strangers alike suffer. Unless
there is a change there will be great dis
comforting attending the dedication Of
the park. 1t is situated some distance
from the city and the trip to and fro Is
enc Of some moment. Otherwise there is
nothing to suggest in the way of change or
addition to the plans made by the city
and her people for the reception and en-
tertainment of the host of visitors.
The decorations are not only profuse,
but tasteful and elegant, covering the en-
/ tire city. The arrangements made to take
sands, have enabled the whole multitude
to hnd quarters without seeming to ex-
/ haust or overtax the resources of the city.
The principal event of the morning was
/ the arrival Of Gov Mckinley and party
from Knoxville. This evening the Society
Of the Army of Tennessee arrived from
Cincinnati to attend in a body the reunion
Of the army of the Cumberland. They
Will meet tomorrow night in the reunion
with the survivors of the Confederate
Army Of Tennessee.
The day preliminary to the formal dedi-
cation of the Chickamauga and Chatta-
nooga natural park was devoted largely
to exercises in connection with the dedi-
cation Of the state monuments erected at
various points within the park. owing TO
the absence of Secretary Lamont, the
monuments We're presented in each in
stance to Gen. Fullerton, president OF the
National Park Commission.
Michigan led off in this pleasing patri-
otic service the commission occupying
for that purpose the platform on Snod-
grass Hi, on which general dedicatory
exercises viii take place tomorrow. The
monuments and markers erected upon the
battlehelds of Chickamauga, Chatta-
nOoga, Missionary Ridge ana Orchard
Knob were presented to Gov. Rch, by
! Capt. and eX-Congressman G. E. Belknap,
! president of the state park commission.
Accepting the monuments, Gov. Rich
| said, with other things. "All the nations
of the earth have honored their soldiers,
| whether fighting for the best or worst
| causes whether lighting for the defense
\ Of home or country or for the extension
I of territorial limits, or to crafty the
| ambition of the commanders Then should
/ not this country honor her citizen sol
| diery who were inspired by the highest
Impulses of patriotism and undying love
| Of Country ana the peoples government
/ when each soldier felt a personal RESPONSE
! bilty for the result, a soldery that show
I ed resources and bravery never eNcelled,
and seldom, If ever, equaled, fighting a
! foe on their own soil, who were inspired
by one purpose, that of driving the iIf-
vader from the soil and establishing
government of their own, foe chiValrous
and brave by nature and education conf
dent Of their own powers and success,
educated for generations to rule they had
demonstrated their lighting qualities un-
der Washington, and in the war of 1862,
and many of those actually lighting the
battles of the rebellion had seen actual
and successful service in the Mexican war.
Yet the union troops, of which the Michi-
gan troops formed an important part,
unVersed and unframed in the art of war,
and the most of them too young to be
trained in the art of anything else except
love of country and reverence for the old
flag. by their bravery, perseverance and
endurance, and finally by excess of num-
ber's conquered this almost matchless
foe"
After Gov. Rich had accepted the mon
uments in behalf of the state, Gen.
Henry NJ. Duffield of Detroit, who COM
manded the Ninth regiment in war,
/
uments were then turned over to Gen.
| Fullerton, and with prayer by Rev.
| Washington Gardner, secretary of state,
the exercises ended.
The Ohio dedication followed. under
direction of Gen. John Beatty, president
of the board of commissioners. This
event of the day. Bishop Joyce of the
Methodist church offered prayer, and
addresses We're made by Gen. Charles
II. Grosvenor ex-Gox. james E. Camp
bell, Gen Aquilla Wiley, who turned
the monuments over TO Gov. Mckinley,
and he in turn to Gen Fullerton.
The following are extracts from Gov.
McKinleys speech at the dedication of
Ohio monuments:
Mr. President and Members of the Ohio,
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National
Park Commission and my fellow citi-
/ receive the Ohio monuments from
your hands in behalf of the state of
Ohio to be dedicated as perpet-
ual memorial to the Ohio soldiers
bear in this public manner TO express to
the commission the thanks of the state,
whose representative it has been, for the
able and satisfactory performance or its
duties. 1t has executed the trust con-
fided to it with singular intelligence and
fidelity; and will enjoy the lasting graft
tude of the people Of the state.
Nearly a third of a century ago this
place was a field of war and the scene
of an awful and disastrous two days bat
tie We come back after these long years,
which have been years OF momentous i'm
port to our country and civilization, to
unite in the dedication of this great bat
tle-feld as a national park. which shall
forever memorialize the Valor of the
American soldier and testify to the
strength and glory of the American union
The opposing forces here were fairly
matched. The confederate somewhat out
numbered the union, but in courage and
determination neither was at a disadvant-
age-both were equal in persistence and
prowess. The commanders on both side
were among the most skillful and distin-
guished of their respective armies. They
were military giants in command of
mighty forces, and the conflict here wag-
ed was one which has few parallels in the
annals of history.
In many respects the battle of Chicka-
mauga was unlike any other battle of the
civil war. The gateway in the noun
tains was to be either won or lost here
While the success of the union arms here
was extremely important to the union
cause the overthrow Of the union arms
here and the holding of this territory was
Indispensable TO the confederate cause.
1t was desperate struggle for the mas
terry; and standing now upon this field
the former scene of so much blood and
carnage recalling all that happened here.
and all that was dCne here.
we are filed with increased interest and
astonishAent, and stirred to the depfhs