The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-05
SELECTED A SPOT.
Committee From 10Th
Regiment Visit
Antietam.
LAND FOR MONUMENT BOUGHT.
Col. Russell and Capt. Earle
Return From Southern
Battletields.
LAND FOR MONUMENT BOUGHT.

Col. E. ]. Russell, president of the
18th Massachusetts Regiment associa-
ton, and chairman of the committee
charged with the duty of erecting a
suitable monument on Antietam battle
field, returned last night from a trip to
Washington. Antietam and Gettysburg,
having been away since Thursday. He
was accompanied by Capt. D. NJ. Earle,
also of the 18th regiment, both of whom
were actively engaged in the battle of
Antietam, the latter having received
two wounds, one of which was through
the breast. They were delegated to
select a suitable spot where the regi-
ment fought, in the most advanced po-
sition of the Union line and submit
plans and designs for a monument,
which shall tell of the great loss sus-
tanned Ly the regiment in the memora-
Bile charge of Sedgwicks division, in
which it occupied the most exposed po-
sition in the front line, as it's loss of
65 killed and 255 wounded within 20
minutes fully attests.
They were cordially received at the
war department by Gen. Carman of the
Antietam board, who accompanied
them to the field. Before leaving the
war department, however, they made a
hurried call on Secretary of Navy John
D. Long, and Assistant secretary
Charles H. Allen, whom they found in
conference in the secretary's private Of
flee
At Antietam, no difficulty was expert
enced in locating the position of the
regiment in the battle, and the spot Sc
lected received at once the hearty ap-
proval of Gen. Carman. Land rs by 35
feet was readily purchased of George H.
Poffenberger, nearly opposite what is
known to the boys who were there as
1.-The little house and barn in front"
fronting on Confederate avenue" very
near the rock on which is chiselled,
18th Mass. Regt" Near the centre of
the lot is a large boulder, or ledge,
which will make a foundation as last
| ing as the name and fame the regiment
won for itself on that very spot in the
bloodlest battle of the war, and where
| it sustained one of the most remarkab BILE
losses Of the war.
| Saturday and Sunday were spent at
! Gettysburg where the regiment was ac-
lively engaged with the second division,
End corps, in the repulse of Picketts
famous charge at the "copse of trees, "
and where Gen. Ward met his death,
| and nearly all of the 400 monuments
there were visited with a view of Sc
curing a dsign for the monument at
Antietam. The 18th monument, near
the copse of trees and the Ward monu-
| ment on the Emmittsburg road were
| carefully inspected, and both found to
| be in excellent condition, the new
bronze medallion of Gen Ward, which
recently replaced the marble now
adjoining Post los walls, shows upon
the field a marked improvement over
the marble, and was most pleasing to
| the committee.
The return was via Harrisburg and
| Allentown. At an early day, plans for
the monument will be formulated, and
there should be no fear that the funds
| necessary to carry to completion so de-
sirable an object as placing upon Antie-
tam field a monument worthy of this
grand old Worcester county regiment,
should not be forthcoming from the
friends of the regiment, as well as from
| the few survivors who may feel able to
contribute.
| AS soon as the monument is assured,
plans for its dedication will begin, and
| during the next summer the grandest
and probably the last excursion of the
regiment to its former battlefields will
take place, and Gettysburg, Antietam
and Washington will be visited, and
repetition of the excursion of June, 1898,
on a larger scale, will afford to all vet
Grams Of the war one more opportunity
to get into line, and the public the last
chance to visit those famous fields with
the survivors of a regiment whose serv-
ices the loyal and patriotic citizens of
Worcester county have in no unstinted
measure recognized and appreciated.