The evening times., 1900-03-20


FIr Hay OF Virginia. from the Commit
tee on Military Affairs. today presented a
favorable report on House bill 5044 TO ss-
tablish the Fredericksburg and Adjacent
National Eattlehelds Memorial Park in the
State Of Virginia
This bill provides that for the purpose
of preserving and suitably marking for his
torical and professional military study the
famous battleRelds in Spottsylvania oOun-
ty, Va. known as Fredericksburg. Salem
Church Charlottesville the Wilderness,
and Spottsylvania Court House all of them
within a radius Of eight niles. and on
which limited territory the late distin-
guished Union general, John G. Newton.
after careful Investigation, declared that
more great battles were fought. more men
engaged. and more execution done than on
any other spot of similar area in the
world; and upon the ceding Of Jurisdiction
TO the United States by the State OF Nir-
ginia over all lands and public highways
called for by this act. and the report OF
the Attorney General Of the United States
that the title to the land over which ju=
rlsdiotion is ceded and the r ght OF the
United States to occupy, use. and improve
the highways is perfect. the following de-
scribed highways in the State Of Virginia
are hereby declared to be approaches TO
and parts of the Fredericksburg and Ada
cent National Battlefelds Memorial Park
Highways as Approaches.
First-The Telegraph Road from the
national cemetery gate along the line OF
the old stone wall to the Sunken Road.
and the Sunken Road to the intersection
of Hanover Street and the old Pike Road;
thence the old Pike Road to its intersec-
tiOn with the Plank Road about one mile
west OF Fredericksburg.
Second-The Fredericksburg and Bowl
ing Green Road from Fredericksburg to
opposite the Smithfeld mansion and to
the nearest point TO the field fought over
by General Franklin and Gen. StOnewal
Jackson on the 18th Of December. 1862.
Third-The Plank Road from its june
tion with the old Pike Road. about one
mile west Of Fredericksburg, running
through the hattleields Of Salem Church.
Charlottesville, and the Wilderness TO
Parkers Store. near where Generals
WadswOTth and jenkins we're killed and
General LOngstreet was wounded.
FOurth-BrOck Road from the old Turn
pike Road running along the line Of the
Union breastwOrks; thence to TOdd's Tav-
ern. now known as Finchvil1e. on by the
Sedgwick monument. near the Bloody An
gle. lnEOlgu the OdlllGNtlQS OF lne VII
derness, TOdds Tavern, and Spottsylva-
MIA Court House to Spottsylvania Court
House.
FiftE-The Fredericksburg and Spottsyl-
vania CoGrt House Road, running by the
battlefield on Fall Hill and the Union
breRstworks near Spottsylvania Court
House. from Fredericksburg to Spottsylva-
MIA Court House. Each and all of these
described roads aud highways, after the
passage OF this act, is to remain open as
free public highways. and all public roads
and rights OF way now existing through
the grounds Of the park. and approaches
thereto, are to be continued as such
Duties OF Commissioners.
Il shall he the duty Of the Commission
ers. under the direction OF the Secretary Ct
War. to cause and superintend the open
ing Of such roads as may be necessary e
the purposes Of the park and the repair
and improvement OF the public roads lead
ing tC the same. and to ascertain and def
uitely mark the lines OF battle OF ali troops
engaged in the battles of Fredericksburg
Salem Church. Charlottesville, the Wild
erness. and those about Spottsylvania
Court House, so far as the same fall with
in the lines Of the park; and for the pur-
pose Of assisting them in their duties and
iu ascertsining these lines. the Secretary
or War is 10 have authority TO employ al
such compensation as he may deem rea-
souable and just, to be paid out OF the ap-
preparation made by the act. some person
recognized as well informed in regard 10
the details OF the battles.
The report regites that the bill proposes
to set apart 5000 acres. which can be pur-
chased at the average price OF IS an acre.
In this area were fought the great battles
OF Fredericksburg. Charlottesville the
Wilderness. and SpOttsylvania Court
o. r,F-
Hsmuton's Crossing, Laurel Grove the
Bloody Angle Todd's Tavern, and the Pc
and Ny Rivers.
Troops from every State. North and
South. We're here arrayed in opposition, to
the number Of at least 500, 900. and the
losses in killed and wounded and missing
on both sides aggregated 129. .S3S In the
National Cemetery on Marye's Heights
there lie 16.5OO Union soldiers. and fire.
quent additions are made from the ex-
humations on the battlehelds.
The general officers who were killed on
these fields on the Union side were Major
Generals John Sedgwici, Hiram c. Ber-
ry, and Amiel W. Whipple. Brevet Major
Generals James s. Wadsworth and Alex
andsr Hays. Brig. Gems. George d. Bay
ard. Conrad +. Jackson. Edmund Kirby,
James C. Rice. and Thomas J. Stevenson
and on the Confederate side Lieut.. Gen.
Thomas J. Jackson. Brigadier Gems. Thom-
as r. R Cobb. Junius Daniel. Abner Per-
rim, Maxey Gregg. f. F. Paxton. ]. NJ.
Jones, Leroy A. Stafford, aud Micah Jen-
king
Entrenchments We'll Preserved.
Il Is said that over the entire feld the
entertainments are in remarkable state
OF preservation protected in large pars
by heavy growth Of timber, which, how
ever, is disappearing.
The report says: But there are other
attractions in this section. Fredericks-
burg was the home OF the mother of
Washington, and there she was buried.
Almost within sight OF Fredericksburg
steeDles were born Washington, Monroe.
Jefferson Madison the Lees Of both OF
the Revolution and Of the great war. and
Zachary Taylor.
In Virginia the great war began and
ended. and not an acre OF this soil. con
scvrated by the loss of more men than fell
on all the other battlefelds OF that war
has yet been dedicated as a national park.
The proposed project has received the
approval OF the Secretary OF War. Of the
State Of Virginia. OF the Grand Army OF
the Republic. Of the Society OF the Army