The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-12-03
'C0NNECIICUT'S TRIBUTE
IN HONOR OF FIFTH IND TWENTI-
 ETH REGIMENTS


 4he Two Regiments.
 The Connectlclut commissioners ap- pointed by Governor Coffin last year, under special act of the general as- sembly, to perform the duty of erect ing a monument in the National Mili- tary park at Chattanooga, Tenn, which should suitably recognize the services of the Fifth and Twentieth Connecticut regiments in the Chatta- nooga campaign, have accepted the de- sign for the memorial which was sub- mitted to Stephen Maslen of Hartford, and have awarded him the contract
 The commissioners, Colonel Warren w. Packer of the Fifth and Captain Sanford E. Chaffee of the Twentieth, met in Hartford Monday and selected the design made by Mir Maslen, Un- der the act of the legislature the cost of the monument is not to exceed $2,- GOO.
 The Hartford Times says: The mon ument selected is to be of gray granite and will be nine feet by six at the base. The height above the ground line will be eight feet and eight inches. On the face of the monument will be the in- scription:
 Erected by the State of Connecticut
 To Her
 Fifth and Twentieth Infantry Regi-
 ments,
 Chattanooga Campaign,
 1S63-1S64.
 The ornamentation will be in keeping with the character and aim of the mem- orial The state coat of arms, cut in the granite, will be above the inscrip- ton and beneath it, also carved in the granite will be two crossed muskets, held together by a laurel wreath. The conception of the crossed muskets with the wreath of laurel is singularly inter- esting. On one end of the monument will be carved a knapsack with rolled blanket, and on the opposite will be the corps badge of the two commands, rep resented by a. five-point star All of the ornamentation will be carved in the granite. The monument, when con- pleted, will exceed twenty tons in weight. The contract calls for its erec- ton in 1897, the exact date not being fixed. It is expected, however, that the work will be on the grounds at Chatta- nooga and in place during the summer Commissioners Packer and Chaffee were at Chattanooga last year and se- lected the site for the monument. It IS located on Indian Knob, that being the most eligible spot The fighting of the Fifth in the campaign was not at this point, the regiment coming into the line of battle some distance from the site selected The commissioners agreed on the choice, as there was no ground III the series of engagements, where the regiments fought side by side. The monument itself is the most elaborate one that the state has authorized in commemorating the services of it's sons in the war.
 The honor which is to be conferred on the Fifth and Twentieth regiments by the erection of this monument IS thoroughly deserved. The Fifth was practically a Hartford county regiment and it's history belongs to this section of the state. The historian of the com- mand, Judge E. E. Marvin, clerk of the United States court has told the story of it's services in an inimitable way and as the years pass on the rec1tal becomes more fascinating. The Firth has many prominent representatives in law and business, not only in this state, but elsewhere. The distinguished banker. Brayton Ives of New York city, won his spurs in the Fifth, and passed from that command to the colonelcy of the First Connecticut Cavalry. He was an ideal soldier and brave to the last degree Captain George W. Corliss, also of New York city and widely ct Hxyae one of the heroes at Cedar Mountain. When the national colors of the regi- 1nent were carried down, Captain Cor 1iss who commanded the color com pany, seized the regimental color, tore 1t from the staff, and passed it to Will liam F. Smith, a sergeant in his com- pany who finally succeeded in carrying it from the field. It was In this action that Major Edward F. Blake of New Haven and Adjutant Heber s. Smith of this city lost their liveS> Major E. " Preston, the superintendent of agen- cies in the Travellers, and Surgeon John B. Lewis, the companys medical ex- aminer were brilliant representatives of the Fifth in the war. Colonel Packer, who is on the commission appointed by Governor Coffin to erect the monument, loved the old Fifth with a soldiers de- votion. The honor of a brigadier-gen- eralship could not tempt him from it's leadership Captain Marvin of this city, who prefers that title to all other lhonors which he has won in life, is the secretary of the regiment It was Cap tain Marvin's distinction in the Vir- ginia campaigns to be the first to sig nal General Lees invasion northward in 1862. He was in the signal service at the time and sent the first messages warming the Army of the Potomac of Lees advance.
 The Twentieth regiment was also in part recruited in Hartford county. Its first commander Colonel Samuel Ross of the regular army, was a native of Hartford. Assistant Adjutant General John H. Thacher of the Connecticut Grand Army, William CallSins, father in-law of MT c. w. Cook, the retired dry goods merchant, and Sheriff E. J. Smith are well known members of the command now living in this city. MT. Robert Pyne, also of this city, whose daughter was married a few months ago to MT. William J. McDonough of Smith & McDonough, was in the Twen- tieth belonging to the color guard. The