The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-09-26

led to by Thousands of VcteranS
53of Both Armics.
Chattanooga, Tenn, Sept. 21.-One
OF the bloodiest battlefields the world
ever saw was formally dedicated here
today as memorial park for the edi-,
fication and enjoyment Of the Amer
lean people for oil time. 1t was the
dedication of the battlefield Of Chicl1a-
manga, whose beautiful ravines and
mountain sides We're strewn with near
~ 10000 dead and wounded men 30
years ago. E.&F#sf[ @&r%
Two generals, with silver gray hair,
who headed thousands Of men in the
atfray on opposite sides. made the
principal speeches at the dedication.
They were Generals John NJ. Palmer
and John B. Gordon. The feud which
stirred them to, strife then has been
dotted out, and to-day they and their
followers are as brothers of one ma
ton and of one family. .as
1t is doubtful if the world ever be-
fore saw another such scene as was
that at Chickamauga to-day. Certain
~ there never was one more impress
sive. 1t was witnessed by no less than
$4,000 of the North and South, and at
least half Of them took part in that
bloody civil war of which Chickamau-
ga battle was part.
The ceremonies took place at Snod-
grass Hill, whose sides for a mile
were so thiclzly covered with dead 80
years ago that the survivors say one
could walk all over it from crest to
base, stepping from one PROSTATE body
to another. . 49,. g.. 80
Hours before the exercises began the
battlefield was alive with those who
had come to attend the dedication.
The first event of the day was a dis
play of arms by Battery F, Fourth
United States artillery. Then there
was battalion regimental drill, show
ing the new tactics and field move
ments. These exercises at arms were
of great interest to the veterans, to the
"rebels" and "Yanks," though the old
fellows expressed the belief that
those engaged in such tactics would
have fallen as grass before the scythe
if placed against those adopted during
the battle of Chickamauga.
1 Vice President Adlai E. Stevenson
presided over the dedicatory exercises.
He was introduced by Gen. John S.
Fullerton, chairman of the Chickamau-
ga and Chattanooga National Park.
When the vice president came forward
he was greeted with loud applause.
Sang "America."
The audience was called to order at
II o'clock, and at that hour Snodgrass
Hill was covered with people. The
great natural area selected by the ma
tional commission on Snodgrass Hill
was so arranged that nearly every one
| of the tens Of thousands Of auditors
could hear the speeches and addresses
| throughout. BY way of beginning,
| there was a national salute of A guns
| by the artillery, followed by the Star
| Spangled Banner. played by one of the
| United States infantry bands. 1t was
cheered to the echo by the veterans OF
the blue and the gray, and, in their
patriotic enthusiasm, many Of the griz-
zled veterans shed tears. When the
applause had ceased, Vice President
Stevenson made a brief address, ap-
propriate to the occasion. When he
had finished, prayer was offered by the
Rt. Rev. Bishop Gailor of, Tennessee.
s"America," the beautiful national an
them, was then sung by the audience,
| accompanied by the band, and every
one of the fifty-odd thousand people
assembled, blue and gray, sang it as
if inspired. The great volume Of sound
rolled up as great tidal wave, and
long before the song was ended, tears
were coursing down the cheeks OF
thousands of the old veterans. It made
the hearts Of even the most hardened
Of the battle scared veterans thrill
and those who shed tears were proud
of it. Not one of them was ashamed
of it, nor was there any one to- shame
them.
Gen. John NJ. Palmer, the venerable
senator from Illinois, who, 80 years
ago to-day, risked his life on the bat
tlefeld, made the first dedicatory ad
dress. When he first came forward
his voice was husky and had tremu
lous sound. And never in all his life
unless perhaps when he was directing
his men at Chickamauga, 80 years ago
did he speak more earnestly.
| Another patriotic tune followed Gen
Talmer's speech, and then the battle
SCARED veteran of the Confederacy
whom Lee called his Fright ARM" Johl
3. Gordon of Georgia, was introduced
He was greeted with no less applause
than was accorded to Gen. Palmer
and he spoke with fully as much en-
thusiasm, feeling and patriotism.
If one may judge by their sentiments
and the sentiments Of the thousand
Of Federal and Confederate veteran
who heard them,n one can doubt tha
the sectional line between the Nort]
and the South is wiped out Thos
who have heard Gen. Gordon before
said his address to-day was the effor
of his life.
There was another big crowd i
Barnum's big tent. 1t was a grand re
union Of the Army Of the Tennessee
Union and Confederates, and Shel
mans and Bragg's armies. The BIZ
tent, which has held many larg
, crowds, never held one greater tina
, that Of the present one. Gen. Grer
, vile Dodge, of the Society of the Arm
Of the Tennessee, presided. After mt
? sic by the band and prayer, he intro