The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-06-24
The BattIefIGldS Park
The ARMY COMMISSION AND THEIR
ESCORT CONTINUE AND COMPLETE
THEIR INVESTIGATION
INTERVIEWS WITH DISTINGUISHED
VISITORS.

battleiields Of Spotsylyania, by the
commission. detailed by the War De-
partmeut, and their escorts closed in
our last issue with their investigation
on Wednesday evening
The party divided and spent Wednes-
day night OF the following houses ::
Messrs Absalom G.. Chewning, Joseph
Moore and Joseph kronk, where they
had good nights rest and splendid
supper and breakfast.
At an early hour Thursday morning
they entered the plank road where Gen
Longstreet met the advancing army
under Gen. Grant, and where the bat.
tie of the 9Th Of May, 1864, was opened
with all it's fury They Investigated
the grounds aud points of interest be-
tween there and where the plank road
Is crossed by the Brock road Among
the places of special interest Is the
stone erected 20 mark the spot where
Gen. Lee attempted 20 lead the Texas
brigade into action and where his horse
was led 90 the rear 10y Texas major
This stone is located near what Is
known as Taps Old Field and the
Southwest angle, formed by the plank
and Brock roads. where large number
of Federal soldiers were inferred IN a
regularly land out cemetery, which WAS
enclosed by a temporary fence. This Is
said 10 be by the Federal soldiers the
first national cemetery ever laid ont
The fence WAS destroyed and no trace
of il can now be seen The Federal
soldiers were taken up and placed in
the National Cemetery in this city, and
all that Is now visible of the place Is
the many depressions IN the earth
where the dead were dlslnterred. This
place was inspected with peculiar in
terest by the visitors The line of in
vestigation was then down Brock road
towards Tcdd s Tavern. now known
locally as Finchyille Down this road
is the main line OF works of the Union
army. sometimes ON one side and some
times on the other of the road
1t is very noticeable that where the
works were constructed, partly by logs
the line is almost obhterated, but where
constructed by earth they are wonder
fully preserved Especially Is this the
case from in front Of the Carpenter
House, on through the Stephens old
field near Brock Crossing From this
point on to Todd's Tavern and the
SedgwiCk monument, nothing was SO
noticeable rs the bad roads which were
severely criticised by the visitors, ex
cept the works just before reaching
rodd's Tavern where severe cavalry
fight took place. led by Gen Stuart on
the Confederate side and Gen Pleas
anton on the Federal These works
are well preserved, but aIe not IN the
park limit
When they arrived ~ the S-dgwick
monument there were several citizens
Of the county awaiting them who gave
the party cordial reception. After
relieving Nc George ". Perry of a
large number Of bullets found On the
battlefelds, which were distributed
among the visitors the inspection Of
the works was commenced, leading
around 10 the Bloody Angle
When this point was reached the
party left their carriages and inspected
the works Of both armies held by Gen.
Edward johnson on the Confederate
side and Gen. w. 5. Hancock on the
Union side How these works i'm
pressed these military men, several Of
whom were engaged In the battle, may
be Judged by a rem ark made by one of
the ex- Union officers. who gave II rs his
opinion that a thorough investigation
# these fields by the cadets II West
Point would be worth more TO them
than a year S training in the military
school at West Point.
After investigating the lines and
McCoull house, which is yet filed with
bullet holes the party were driven 70
Spotsylvania O. II where, after ex-
aiming the old records and interesting
documents exhibited by the genial and
polite Clerk Of Courts j. p. IL Girls
mond, Esq they sat down to sump-
tuous dinner in the old Historic Hotel,
now kept by II A Garner, Esq About
/ o'clock the journey to Fredericksburg
was commenced Reaching Mine Road
the party turned 10 the right and was
conducted TO the battlefield at Hamil-
tons Crossing, where the desperate
engagement took place between Frank
lin and Stonewall Jackson.
After looking over this field the
party returned to Fredericksburg dusty,
dry, fatigued but delighted with their
trip from start 10 finish
One of the best known correspond
| ents Of the press of the country said
| that he had learned more Of the war on
| this two days visit TO the battlefelds,
than he could have learned in twelve
months reading, and the other mem
bers Of the party endorsed the express
sion.
All the visitors left on Thursday
evening train, with the exception Of
NIkco1or xrhn had pbarnp
of the detail of the War Department and
Engineer W. H. Owen, who remainded
over until Friday morning, and made
q more thorough investigation OF the
Fredericksburg battlefield They left
for Washington on the 10 :3S a. m train.
While we have not heard from any Of.
fetal source the nature Of the report Of
this commission, and while it may not
vet be formulated iE the minds Of the
commission. we feel confident the re-
| report will be all that the Battlehelds
Park Association can desire.
AN INCIDENT WORTHY or MENTION.
Accompanying the party were three
eA Officers, two of the Union army
Mai o. + Hine and Col. Charles
/ Blrd-dDd one OF tDe OOnItutIdte army
Capt S J Quinn-who were present
at the battle OF the Bloody Angle, and
who saw the two trees that were cut
down by bullets before they were sepa-
rated from their stump. and all three
agree as to their location. 1t is worthy
| of mention that these three officers, who
were participants, should have visited
together this same spot 30 years after
wards to mark and perpetuate these no.
table fields to coming generations.
After the return of the party to the
city Thursday night, a representative
of The Free Lance obtained short in
terviews with the leading members be-
fore they left on the g. 30 train in which
they gave expression to their opinions
and impressions, as follows;
Gen. Horatio G. King, of New York
president of the National Battlefield
Park AssociatiOn-"Th arrangements
a L oil ~