New-York tribune., 1900-03-21

THREE MORE CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELDs
TO BE INCLUDED IN THE SYSTEM

Washington. March 20 CspeciaD.-The present
system of National military parks promises to be
materially expanded before the end Of this Con-
gress. Already portions of five of the most con-
spicuous battlefelds of the Civil War have been
acquired and marked military reservations
National parks having been established and more
or less completed at Gettysburg, Antietam Chicka-
mauga. Shiloh and Vicksburg. There now
pending in the House Of Representatives. all re-
ported favOrably from the Committee on Military
Affairs three bills to create additional parks on
the battlefelds OF MurfreesborO Stone River. of
Atlanta and of Fredericksburg and the Wilderness.
There IS every indication that all these measures
will become laws before the adjournment of the
LVIth Congress
The Stone River bill was introduced by Mr.. Rich
ardsou. of Tennessee, the leader of the Democratic
minority II proposes to set apart about eleven
hundred acres of the field over which the armies
of Bragg and Rosecrans fought on December 81
1862. and January , 1853. The park is 70 include
the Stone River National Cemetery. twenty acres
in area. in which some eight thousand Union sol
diers are buried An appropriation or NJOUO IS
made to meet the cost Of survey. road construc-
ton and the other preliminary Work Whlch nlust @
precede the actual acquisition of the proposed park
land A memorial association Incorporated in Ten
nessee holds options on most or the ground needed
for park purposes al IS prepared 70 uans1er
cordance with previous legislation Stone River
Park commission is created. composed OF three
members all Of whom have taken part in
the battle of Murfreesboro Two 70 be ap
pointed from civil life and one is 10 be an Army
officer on the active retired list, detailed by the
Secretary OF War for such service
The Atlanta Park Dill introduced by Mr..
Livingston. of Georgia It contemplates the acqui-
sitfon of a tract 1900 acres in area, which
were fought the engagements Immediately pre-
ceding the fall OF Atlanta commission OF three
members is established, with the qualifications
fixed in the Stone River bill. and S1000 is appro-
priated to begin surveys road making and condern-
nation proceedings
The third bill reported to-day from the Military
Affairs Committee by Mr.. Hay, Of Virginia.
templates ultimate purchase OF tract of eight
thousand acres within whose limits were fought
the battles Of Fredericksburg Salem Church,
Charlottesville. the Wilderness and Spcttsylvana
Court house. In this IL has been calculated
that more battles We're fought. more engaged
and more lives lost than in any similar portion OF
the surface of the globe In these battles fully five
hundred thousand troops were engaged, and the
losses on both sides aggregated 10000. The Mill
arv Affairs Committee reports that the eight thou
sand acres desired can be purchased at average
cost of s. an acre The Government already has
title a small portion Of the feld-that taken for
the National Cemetery at Fredericksburg, in which
1880 Union soldiers are buried. commission is
provided for. with powers similar 10 those granted
in the other park bills.
With the creation of these three parks eight
of the greatest battle grounds of the war will be
preserved and marked for historical study-one in
Pennsylvania. in Maryland. one in Virginia.
in Tennessee. two in Georgia and one IN Mis-
sissippi.