Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-17
Veterans Wandering Over Lookout
Mountain Paths.
REVlSIfING SCENES OF 30 YEARS AGO
Varied Emotions Called Up by the
Occasion.
MANY LEADERS ON HAND

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Tenn, Septem-
Der 17.-Famous warriors, leaders of Union
and cor federate forces are arriving in num-
bers. 1t has come to that pass where less
than the commander of a brigade is a per-
son Of small consequence in the crowd The
situation has also reached the stage where
it matters little which side the soldier
fought upon as to the interest with which
he is regarded. Every one seems deyoured
with curiosity to hear the details of the
great battles from the men who led The con-
tending armies. Three big ex-confederates,
Gen. John B. Gordon of Georgia, Gen. Joe
wheeler of Alabama and Gen. n. N Cox
OF Tennessee. were the centers of interested
groups at the hotel last night Gen. Cox
and Gen. Wheeler figured conspicuously in
the Chickamauga fight and are. of course,
replete with historical "reminiscences
The National Park was thronged all dav
with sightseers, who traversed the mag
nificent roads in vehicles and tramped
through the woods locating salient points of
the battle. The park commission has mark
ed and designated every acre Of the ten
square miles, SO that 1t is possible for one
to start in at the beginning and follow the
nght as 1t progressed during the two days
struggle. The place where the gallant Pat
Cleburle hurled his ranks of gray-coated
hghters against the enemy, the spot where
the Minnesota volunteers held their hill the
nvelong day against repeated charges and
retired at nightfall, when the enemy was
tired of facing the leaden hail, the ridge
.Where Gen. h. V. Boynton planted the flag
that charge after charge failed to dislodge
and hundred other points of equal inter-
est were surrounded by eager crowds all
day. Old men who took part in the bat
ties, and have been limping through life
these two and thirty years, found their
youth again when they reached the memor-
able spot, and would go storming up the
declivities as If they never knew an ache
or pain.
The appearance of the country is said to
have changed but little. and they have no
trouble in locating themselves. / found
one old fellow leaning against big pine
tha trunk. and occasionally chuckling ghee-
fully to himself, IT'S the same tree fired
from behind when the enemy charged up
the hili," he said. Il tell you. was glad
to get behind it, too
1t is easy to imagine that the grea. pine
seamed to him an old friend. The veter-
ans roked around in the ground for mimic
balls and slugs of lead, relics of the hattie.
and many of the deadly missiles were
raked up from the mold where they had
lain since 1859.
for the greater part of one whole day was
annex of hell. attracts all of the visi-
tCrs. Nearly every soldiers knew that
place, coming somewhere near 1t in the
it's horrors and its glories At this time.
however. the horrors of the battle are en-
tirely ignored. Every man speaks but OF
the glory of the affair, of the stubborn re-
victories.
Tribute is paid only to valor and tri-
umphs, and it is seldom one touches the
minor keys of misery that come In Its
train. Sometimes you come across an old
man and his wife. who are visiting the
spot where their boy went down; then IL
1lI f41lr will tall
srarkling eyes, of his lads career and
glorious death, but her eyes speak another
story-it is then you hear the minor key:
AT the battlefield there Is very httie OF
the spirit of reunion between the opposing
veterans The confederate and Union lines
are shown in distinct lines OF demarka-
ton, and the visitors naturally follow their
sympathies in looking over the held he-
union NAV be all we'll enough over the oc-
casional civic campfire, far from the scene
of the strife and when the canteen has
made its rounds of the circle, but the slght
of these hills and ravines. OF guns ana bat-
teries. of monuments marking fallen lead
ers is too apt to arouse memories too STIR
ring for peace and brotherly love to nestle
very closely in their breasts.
At intervals over the field are scattered
camping parties of veterans who have ar
ranged their tents upon the familiar places
and are making bivouac upon the old
camp ground. To many OF them II Is the
first visit since those piping days OF war,
and to them. Of course, the occasion pos
sesses a spirit of sentiment which others
cannot realize. The dedication ceremonies
are to be of an elaborate order and VIII be
attended by immense throngs. Gen. Boyn-
ton and others in charge OF the proceed
ings are working night and day complet-
ing the details and will make the affair
success. Col. Bright, the sergeant-at-
arms of the Senate, has sent an advance
guard of his employees to prepare for the
coming of the congressional party, and the
officials will be taken care Of in good or
der. N. .. NJ.
Everything I'm Readiness.
BY Associated Press,
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, September H.
Everything is in readiness for the de1ica-
ton Of Chickamauga battlefield as a ma
tional parkThe big grand stand and the
big tent, which for years did service for
Barnum, are up, and the national commits
sioners are now resting on their oars, wait
ing for the men who will take part in the
exercises. The crowd Is far larger than the
citizens of this city had expected. They
put the limit at 10000 strangers, and al
| ready more than that number are here, sEd
every hour special trains are coming in,
adding thousands 20 the crowd.
Gov. Mckinley of Ohio is expected to-
night at 9:30. He will be accompanied by
Gen. Howe, his staff and party of friends.
Gov. Matthews of Indiana and Com
mander-in-Chief of the Grand Army j. N.
Walker, with their STATS and a number of
friends. came in this morning on a special
train Of Wagner coaches.
Vice President Stevenson and a party of
| friends are expected on a special train at 8
| o'clock this evening.
Among the distinguished arrivals are Gen.
j. C. Kirk of Kansas, Gen. ]. b. Morgan Of
| Quincy, ex-Gov. Campbell of Ohio, Gen.
| John Beatty, c. H. Grosvenor, Gen. Aquilla
| Wiley and Capt. ]. c. McElroy, all OF Ohio;
Col. VIM. Vance. Capt. Peter Hand and Dr.
| H. W. Brewer. Maj f. A. Blodget OF Chi
cago Gov. Altgeld of Illinois and his staff
are to arrive this evening.
Gov. Morton and his staff are expected to-
| morrow morning. The senatorial and con-
gressional parties will arrive on special
| train tomorrow morning. Gen. Absaion
| Bayard and Gen. J. ]. Reynolds Of Wash
ington and a party Of friends came in to-
day.
Granted n Respite.
RICHMOND. Va, September 1.-THE
supreme court at Staunton today granted