The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-09-04
The United States Government could

The United States Government could
not have selected a more appropriate
field for the building of a military OBJ
ject lesson to exemplify the bravery
and heroism of American patriots than
these battle grounds, and future gen
erations will learn there for years to
come the mearure and standard of
American valor and gallantry.
1t was on the 18th of September, 1853
that the first bombshell at Chicka-
mauga burst over Reeds bridge and
scattered CONSERVATION among the
armies that had encamped on two op-
posite hillsides close at hand. The
Union army had sent detachment of
calvarymen down to the bridge to re-
connoiter. They had been instructed
to cross the bridge, ascertain the where
about of the enemy's lines and tear up
the planks on the bridge in order that
the Confederates might not use it in
crossing Chickamauga creek. The
cavalrymen had just finished loosening
the planks on the bridge when bomb
exploded over their heads aud they
were sent off galloping down the creek
to find another crossing place, the shell
displacing several of the planks they
had on Reeds bridge.
There was great deal of skirmish-
ing Immediately after the first shot
from the Confederate batteries which
had been concealed near the bridge in
the thick underground that covered
the hole face of that region of coun"
try. But the battle of Chickamauga
proper did not begin in dead earnest
until the next day when General Bragg
in charge Of the Confederate forces
clashed with the Union troops under
command Of General Rosecrans and
precipitated what was promised In the
very outset to be one of the deadliest
battles of the Civil War. The Union
soldiers were at considerable disadvant-
age, not being accustomed to the
mountainous country about, but they
were waging furious fight all the
morning of the 18th of September and
would have certainly whipped the bat
tie but for the timely arrival Of Gen
eral Longstreet from the Virginia cam
paign with his legions Of tigers.
Longstreet landed his men from the
train on the Western and Atlantic
Railroad on the 18th at a little station
called Ringgold. They had not been
on the battlefield half an hour before
they found themselves right in the
thickest of the fight. They entered
the engagement with that determine.
ton which marked Longstreet's SOL
diers during the entire war and did not
cease fighting when night came.
The next day was Sunday, the Goth
of September and the two armies were
in fierce engagement all day. It was
late in the afternoon of that day that
Longstreet's men broke the Federal
line near the old Brotherton House.
The exact spot is at the corner of
vast field and neck Of woods, and Is
marked today by four handsome his
torical tablets Of iron which the Nat
ional Military Park ommissioners
have had placed to mark this impor-
tant incident in the battle.
Even after Longstreet had thus
broken the backbone of the battle.
General Thomas, of the Union army
held his ground on Snodgrsss Hill
with obstinancy and bravery seldom
equalled in battle between such des-
perate men. He was finally ordered
by General Rosecrans to retreat and
did so with seeming reluctance. If
he had not held out so manfully as he
did, nobody can tell, but that the Con-
federates would have followed up the
army Of Rosecrans and swept them for
back into the mountains of Northern
Tennessee before General Grant and
General Sherman could have arrived
on the scene to get in their deadlywork
which followed subsequently when
1.-THE battle among the Clouds" and the
battle of Missionary Ridge were
fought.
About the Dedication.
There will probably be more old sold
iers from both sides gathered at the de-
dication of the National Military Park
at Chickamauga than have every as
sembled since the war.
The celebration of the event will oc-
cur on the 10th and Goth of next Sept
nmber and already the City of Chatta.
nooga is making every preparation to
entertain the armies in blue grass most
royalty. The President of the United
States will deliver an address and form
ally dedicate the park. Both House of
Congress nave been Invited to attend
and all the governors of the States that
from the Union.
The annual encampment of the
Grand Army of the Republic will be
held in Louisville, KY. the week prior
to the dedication and it will be con-
venient for thousands of the veterans
from the North to run down to Chatta-
nooga, which is not a short distance
and witness the grandest demonstra-
ton every had by the two armies, that
fought under Grant and Lee. 1t will,
in point of fact, be a rousing reunion
between the men of the South and the
North and will do much toward oblit-
Grating sectionalism and binding the
men of America in the spirit OF broth
erhood which should predominant all
else.
There is already vast deal of inter-
est manifested in the undertaking
through the South aud the West and
the North in common, and the cele-
bration gives full promise of proving
the climax to the recent season of IL
berality and loyalty between all Sec
tions of the Republic.