The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-30
A FIELD OF MONUMENTS
GETTYSBURG Is WONDERFUL IN IT'S
WAY, BUT DRAWS FEW VISITORS.
The Memorials OF This Cfvil-war Bat
Works of Art--Heroes Recalled.
etrvshurr Is fast becoming a reminis-

Philadelphia Times.
Gettysburg Is fast becoming reminis-
cence-
The town has three epochs in its history
the village period. the period OF the three
days battle and the period since the battle.
During the village period Getty sourg was
typical PENNSYLVANIA country town of the
first half of the century. 1t had few bust
ness enterprises and was very quiet and re-
spectacle The battle made IL famous Since
then II has been a memorial city of monu-
uents and celebrations-a rural city Of pill
grims and guides.
II A. only a few years since the dedication
of monuments and the unwilling OF statues
were OF frequent occurrence. Within one
week in July, 1855. there was grand re-
union OF the Grand Army OF the Republic
on the battlefield, with a sair sprinkling or
ex-Confederates, and the dedication or
numerous memorials to the troops engaged
IN the battle, including the First New
Jersey Brigade, comprising the First, Sec
ond, Third, Fourth and Fifteenth New Jer-
sey Infantry; the Excelsior Brigade OF Ne"
York, comprising the Seventeen. Seventy
first, Seventy-thiTd and Seventy-fourth New
York Volunteers. Sickles's old command,
and the Irish Brigade. also Of New York.
comprising the Sixty-third, Sixty-eighth
and Eignty-eighth New York Volunteers,
which stands in what is known as the
LOOP" Among the regimental monuments
dedicated were those 10 the One-hundred-
and-fifty-first Pennsylvania, at the edge OF
Reynolds Grove; the Fifth and Thirteenth
New York Infantry. on the Eleventh corps
avenue: the Thirty-ninth New York, on the
first days field, Reynolds avenue; the
Ninth or Eighty-third New York, which
grrhe Dalr
seminary; the Sixty-seventh New York,
on Culp's Hill; the Fortieth. Forty-first.
Fifty-fourth. Sixty-second, Sixty-fourth'
Eighty-sixth, e-hundred-and-ninetee
One-hundred-and-forty- and One-hun-
dred-and-seventy-fft New York; the Ninth
New York Cavalry the Fourth New York
Independent Battery, the Fifteenth New
York Battery, Batteries B and d, First
New York Artillery, and the Sixty-second,
sxty-eighth (Scott Legion, OF Philadelpnlal,
Einety.tifth ana One-n H ,hs Iist
long as IT is, does not comprise all the mon
uments and markers dedicated during tnat
busy week
MEMORABLE OCCASION.
The throng was a great one and II in
cluded many of the soldiers and civilians
distinguished in the civil war. Governor
Beaver delivered the address of welcome TO
the old soldiers Of the First Corps at a
reunion held at Reynolds Grove, TO which
the response was made on behalf OF the
corps by General Robinson, followed by ad-
dresses from Frederick Smythe, war Gov
ernor OF New Hampshire; Professor Will
nams, as the representative Of William
Sprague, war Governor OF Rhode Island;
Governor Ormsbee. OF Vermont, and 9th,
ers. General Longstreet also spoke and
was greeted with yell. Governor Rusk,
OF wisconsin. was represented by Col. II; b;
Hatshaw, and among the most distinguished
of the Wisconsin soldiers was General
Fairchild, past grand commander OF the
G.. A r On the platform at the Wisconsin
ceremonies the empty sleeve of General
Fairchild and the empty trouser leg of
Governor Beaver were side by side. one
legged Colonel Mcfarland; OF Harrisburg;
delivered the grafton at the dedication OF
s the monument OF the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ffty-first Pennsylvania General Sickles
New York. and Orlando p. Potter was the
orator. Generals Robert Nugent and Dem
mis- F. Burke spoke in glowing periods for
the Irish Brigade and the Rev. DR.. j. II.
Twitchell. OF Hartford, Conn.,, was the
orator IN behalf of the Excelsior Brigade.
Major General Slocum delivered the ora
tion at the dedication of the memorial 10
Greene's brigade At the reunion services
on the Sd OF July General Siclxles presided
and speeches were made by General Goro .1
Governor Beaver, General Hooker, OK the
Confederate army; Governor Curtin, Gem
eraI I,ongstreet, General Slocum and Gen.
eral Curtis. This was the second reunion
OF the Fourth OF July tie orator was
George william Curtis and tie poet George
Parsons LatnsoP such mo e9ur reTn,oE ~ before
ard no battlefield may ever witness such
splendid pageantry again -.
became fewer every year, but the unveinng
of those splendid works OF art the eques,
TRAN statues OF Buford, HanSoe "a, AN, anu
The Hancock and Meade statues were un-
yelled on the same day In 1895. The next OF
these tributes TO the soldiers OF Gettysburg
will be the unwilling OF the equestrian
statue TO Major General John +. Reynolds
on the thirty-fifth anniversary or the nrst
day'J battle. Warren already has statue
on Little Round Top, and in time othSr SOL
dIers will be able to command slnilar
tributes. among them Slocum; on cup
Hill sykes in the wheat field and Stckles
at the peach orchard. In the meantime the
. interest will center in occasional reunions
of the survivors IKE that on 1ne pa &c tha
minIstrations OF pilgrims and guides IN trac-
ing the varying fortunes Of the three days
OF battle.
"GUIDEs" OF THE PLACE.
When the guides became an institution at
Gettysburg IL is difficult to say. They We're
not born to the vocation nor were they the
immediate outcome of the battle and the
battlefield. but like Topsy in uncle Tom 8
Cabin" they "growed." In the first rush
20 the field after the battle every visitor
felt the need of guidance in finding the
points Of interest and understanding at the
different places Of contact. Those who had
friends or acquaintance in the town had
no difficulty in securing the necessary
help A time went on almost every eltizen
OF Gettysburg became an accomplished his
torian OF the battle To this day there Is
scarcely a Gettysburger 10 whom every
part OF the battlefield is not as familiar
as The open pages OF a well-conned book.
Exsn the bows know the history Il every
monument and every marker and can tell 1t
with n facility and eloquence that are char
acteristic of the inhabitants OF no other
town and the jewellers on no other battle
field. i have had no more agreeable and
Instructive an experience than an afternoon
drive with former AsSemblyman Ziegler TO
Little Round Top. with Lawyer Weaver 10
the Devils Den or with Farmer Weikert 10
his house adjacent 10 the wheatheld and
the peach orchard. But the servic - OF such
as these cannot be bought while almost
from the outset strangers sought assistance
that could be had for a price The mutual
advantage OF such an arrangement soon be-
came apparent TO the guide and the Pill
grim and in a few cases the amateur te-
came n professional. Ten years ago. when
the influx OF visitors 10 GettySburg Was al
its height. there were perhaps a dozen OF
these Battlefield guides. but as the number
OF strangers decreased from year TO year
the number OF guides diminished, and now
i know personally only one--Guide MinniCh.
Here "a a man for you to know, said
General Sickles 20 me the other day. as Min
rach approached W. He knows the battle
field thoroughly. he has studied IL carefully;