The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-21
Forty Indiana Regiments and Hat
feries Took Part I'm the Engagement,
and their Loss Was 1926 Men,.
WERE FIRST In THE FIGHT
AND THE LAST To FIRE THEIR GUNS
AT THE CONFFDERATEs.
Address by General Wilder at the
Dedication Of n Monument to the
Fallen Heroes OF His Brigade.

six thousand to eight thousand people, three
thousand of whom were veterans from
Ohio. Indiana and Illinois. attended the ded-
ication Of the ndian monuments and
markers at Chickamauga Park to-day. The
exercises began at 10 o'clock and were all
conducted from a platform erected at the
site of the Wilder Brigade monument, one
Of the most beautiful portions Of the mill
tary park The day was beautiful. bright
and clear. BY the ceremonies of to-day the
State of Indiana turned over to the fed
eral government 113 markers and monu-
ments, costing in the neighborhood of $780,
900. Judge d. B. Mcconnell. president Of
the Indiana ~Chickamauga Commission, pre-
sided at the dedicatory exercises of the
state which took place before
the Wilder brigade monument, and intro
duced Governor Mount. the speaker of the
occasion.
Governor Mount Address.
The Governor. In behalf Of the State. COM
plimented the board on their faithful serv-
ice to the State. having superintended the
locating and erection OF the monuments
and markers on this memorable field. In be-
half of the State OF Indiana the Governor
thanked the commission, which Is composed
as follows: Dyer B. Mcconnell. president.
Logansport; James r. Carnahan, secre-
tary. Indianapolis; r. NJ. johnson, Elkhart;
Milton NJ. Thompson. Fort Wayne; W. M.
Cockrum. Oakland City; Augustus c. Ford.
Bloomington; William p. Heron. Craw-
fordsvila Milton Garrigus, Kokomc; NJ. NJ
Justus, Button; George III. Puntenney,
Rushville. Continuing. the Governor said:
II rejoice that It was my lot to be an
humble participant In the great battle
fought on these grounds ,thirty-six years
ago. I esteem. 1t a signal honor for one
who stood In the ranks OF the common SOL
der then TO be chosen on this occasion to
speak In memory OF the brave soldiers Ok
spot where i fought then, and In the shadow
OF the monument which commentaries that
occasion. How cnanged the scene since tne
Then. amid thunder peals OF artillery, the
tncessant rattle OF musketry, the cheers Of
the charging columns. the smoke OF battle
OF the sun at monday from the awful
scene. Then were these valleys and hill
sides strewn with the dead and dying.
How different to-day, The fallen heroes
Of the contesting armies sleep side by side.
The surviving heroes OF the mortal combat
clasp hands In fraternal union across the
once bloody chasm. Combatants then. COM
yades to-day. United now in a Union to be
disturbed no more. Battalions North and
foreign foe Will ever be able TO Withstand
their united prowess and unfaltering patriot
ism This Nation. with its unified energy,
Will nov move on TO the higher destiny God
has ordained for 1t.
The government owes a solemn obliga-
ton to the brave men who threw them
selves into the breach. offering all for the
Nations life. the preservation of the Union.
No State has shown greater devotion to her
soldiers and sailors than an has Indiana. In
has erected to the memory or these men
the grandes monument ever builded to the
memory OF fallen heroes On this battle
field the State has erected TO
each regiment and battery, and markers to
tell where they fought. To-day we are as
sembled 10 dedicate these monuments and
to turn them over 10 the sacred vigil of
the government
IMPORTANCE OF I'll BATTLE.
ut seems eminently appropriate on this
occasion that some reference to the severity
and Importance OF this battle should be
made. The army of General Rosecrans,
flushed with victory, had for three months
been pushing further and further into the
heart OF the Confederacy. His extended
lines OF communication and increasing re-
moteness from his base Of supplies. the de-
Tense of which required daily reductions of
his available force. placed him at a great
disadvantage. while the contracted lines TO
be defended by General Bragg, by reason
or his falling back upon his base of supplies,
was constantly augmenting his force for bat
tie. In addition to this Increase of available
men Bragg's army was being rapidly re-
inforced both from the east and the west.
1t was evidently a well-planned campaign,
intended by hasty concentration to fall upon
and destroy RosecranS's army. The re-
Inducements by Generals Longstreet, Buck
ner. Bushrod Johnson and others. leave no
question but that the intention was to over
whelm the victorious army OF Rosecrans.
While the official reports as to the numbers
engaged are somewhat conflicting. one con-
ciusion must be reached beyond the perad-
venture OF a doubt, and that is, the Con-
fede-ate forces largely exceeded the Union
forces in this battle.
The battle OF Chickamauga was of great
moment. III the concentrated armies under
General Bragg could crush the army under
strategic point. the very doorway 10 the
heart of the Confederacy, the gateway
through, which sherman subsequently
marcnsd TO the sea; Upon no other battle.
save that or Gettysburg. hung greater des-
tines than upon that of Chickamauga No
hattie OF the war was more stubbornly con-
tested. In no great battle OF the war was
the per cent. of loss so heavy. 1t may be
safeiy assumed that In no great conflict of
modern warfare has the percentage of loss
oeen so great. Upon good authority. the
killed. dundee and missing of both armies
Amounfsd 10 10 per cent. OF the total number
I'm the decisive battle of Waterloo which
determined the fate OF Napoleon. the ratio
or the loss to tho total number engaged Was
put ~ per cent. In the famous charge of
the Light Brigade az Balaklava. where tho
daring six hundred charged into the Jaws
OF death, ~
Cannon 10 the right OF them,
Cannon TO the left of them.
Cannon IN front OF them
Vcileyed and hundred
And yet In this charge. which gained for
them Worldwide renown, ever after reIiey-
ING them from danger and permitting them
20 rest upon their bio0d-bought Iaurels, the
loss IN kiiled and wounded was hut Is per
cent. P''
general Bragg estimated his loss at two
uttns OF MS army. Some reports place Long,
s<Fests iess AZ - Der cent. The loss. as