New-York tribune., 1900-05-31
ON THE FIELD AT ANTIETAM
MONUMENT TO THE MEN WHO WORE
THE BLUE AND THE GRAY UNVEILED.
SPEECH BY PRESIDENT MKINLEY-MANY
OTHER PUBLIC MEN PRESENT-A
MARYLAND MEMORIAL.

MARYLAND MEMORIAL.
| Hagerstown, Md. May 30.-In the presence Of
President Mckinley and many members of his
Cabinet. more of United States Sen
ators and twice as many members of the House.
the Governor of Maryland and prominent men
from all parts of the country. there was dedi
Gated to-day on Antetam battlefield a monu-
ment to the memory OF the Federal and Con-
federate dead who fell that bloody field.
There also present hundreds of veterans
who fought for the Lost Cause" and thou
sands who fought for the Union.
Side by side shoulder to shoulder. they stood
with uncovered heads throughout the ceremony
which marked the transfer of the monument
from the State of Maryland to the National
Government. great throng, which had come
from all about the adjoining country to witness
the spectacle and to greet the Chief Executive
of the Nation, aided by their presence the i'm
pressiveness of the ceremony and added to the
significance of the occasion.
The train which brought the President, the
members Of his Cabinet and the Congress party
from Washington reached the battlefield at
noon where they welcomed by Governor
John Walter Smith, of Maryland. and his staff;
AdjutantGeneral Saunders, delegation of the
officers of the Maryland National Guard, and
several posts of the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie of the Division of Maryland. together with
members of Herbert Camp of Confederate Vet
erans several camps of Sons of Veterans of
both armies, and survivors of Brockenbroughs
Maryland Artillery, which fought with the Con-
federate troops and distinguished itself at An
tietam. These were drawn up in line to greet
the President, who, together with Governor
Smith. watched them as they passed in review.
WHERE MKINLEY SERVED.
The dedicatory ceremonies opened by
rToxrl yhn nj
General Henry Kyd Douglas. director of cere-
monies Prayer was offered by the Rev. B. F.
Clarkson, who was followed by Governor John
Walter Smith in an address of welcome. Colo
mel Taylor. president of the Antietam Battle
field Commission of Maryland then presented
the monument to the National Government, and
Ehu Root, Secretary of War, in a brief address.
accepted it on behalf of the United States
Secretary Root in his address accepting the
monument said:
1t is a grateful duty which now perform, to
accept on behalf Of the Government OF h the
men of Maryland who fell on this historic field
1t commentaries the dauntess vaor OF the
men on both sides of the great conflict which
shook to it's foundations the Government Of the
country and brought into high relief the noblest
qualities of race peaceful in it's purposes, slow
to anger. long suffering, but of warlike fibre and
terrible in its capacity for strife and for victory
(Appause)
All over this fair world dotted fields where
have taken mems blood. Ten thousand
times thousand deeds of valor have lapsed
into oblivion, and the warfare or mankind from
the days of savagery until now has mainly been
remembered only to cause a shudder and
prayer that It might not recur. Upon what
grows from the blood that stains the sod de-
pends a battlefed's claim to commemoration.
And from the great conflict which found of
its eliminating hours in these valleys and upon
these hills has grown harvest of blessings for
this country and for mankind emitting the scene
To n,-in r,1o opd he fn he
remembered.
From the stern discipline of those years of
warfare there arose more mutual respect which
is the only foundation of unity and perpe
tuty in land. (Applause) From those
struggles there arose the power to command and
the power to obey; the habit Of discipline. the
capacity for loyalty, the charging of heart and
nature which makes men capable of rising above
the greed for gold and the selfish interests of
the hour and devoting life, even unto death, for
a flag. for a cause, for a nation. (ApplauseD
This monument commentaries not merely the
valor and the sacrifice of the who fell at
Antietam. but it commentaries the relaying of
the foundations of the Republic Not only the
men who rell at Antietam. but the men who
survived. are to be commemorated by this
structure for they have waged that greater
battle of civilization and patriotism. We
not without conspicuous illustration here to-
day.
On the second day of Antietam, when the Fed
eral line was hurled against Lees right, Ohio
regiment stationed by the banks of the
creek not far to the left of the bridge on which
was centred Lees terrible fire of shot and shell
and away to the with the supply wagon
was commissary sergeant. boy of eighteen
who the days and the hours wore away re-
membered that the men Of his regiment would
be fainting and weary for the food left in his
charge behind. And then the boy, without
ders. compelled by no soldiers duty, loaded his
wagons. called for volunteer drivers, and on
from the rear to the front through the shower
| of shot and she'll braving death every instant
brought to the front and to the faintng soldiers
| of his regiment the reinforcements of food and
| strength that enabled them to go on with the
| conflict till the end (Applause.) The regiment
was the I'D Ohio. its colonel was Rutherford B.
Hayes, afterWard the nineteenth President of
| the United States (appause) and upon that
| field of battle the Colonel and future President
recommended for commission that boy of
eighteen for gallantry in action, and the com
| mission came. The commissary sergeant is
William Mckinley, the twenty fourth President
| OF the United States. Enthusiastic applause1
Then followed short addresses mainly Of a
| reminiscent character. by General John B
| Brooke James Longstreet. Orlando B. Wilcox
j. Z. Duryee Senators Foraker. Burrows
Daniel and others who We're prominent on the
| opposing sides in the great struggle These
were followed in turn by Congressman George
| B. Mcclellan, of New-York, and other members
| of the Senate and House of Representatives
| Chief" and General Douglas introduced Pres-
| dent Mckinley. who delivered the address of the
| day. He greeted with much applause and
| said:
PRESIDENTS PATRIOTIC WORDS
! only for moment that may make acknowedg-
ment for your courteous greeting. and express in
| patriotic occasion for which we have assembled
| IN this presence and on this memorable field I am
gad to meet the followers of Lee and Jackson and
Craft and Mcclellan and sherman and SSerdan 9
s eae1 @ be ether not wit NTH arms in their hands
| spect for each other IN their hearts (Appause.)