The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-12-13

!. N Walker and Rear Admiral George
Brown of Indiana, General A. T.
| Vaughn and General w. H. Jackson OF
| Tennessee. Colonel Fred Grant of New
| York, General Robert Mccullough OF
| Missouri, General E. A. Alger of Mich
igan, General T. N. Waul of Texas,
Colonel j. *. P. Thompson of Iowa,
| General John B. Gordon of Georgia,
| Colonel j. G.. Everest Of Illinois, Gen
eral &. W. Pettus of Alabama, Colonel
John P. Rae Of Minnesota Suisse
| quently the board Of directors was en-
larged and in this way and to- fill
vacancies caused by death or resigna-
ton the following were from time to
time added to it's membership: General
John Macarthur, General John McNul-
| ia and General Joseph Stockton of I'LL
nOis, General j. S. Kountz and General
| A. Hickenlooper of Ohio, Colonel Nell
| son Cole, General F. NJ Cockrell and
Major Leo Rassieur of Missouri. Major
B. M. Harrod of Louisiana General J..
C. Tappan of Arkansas, Captain J. S..
Pitcher of Tennessee, Colonel William
! Humphrey Of Michigan, General John
M. Wilson of D. c., Hon. VIM. Nj. Olin
| OF Massachusetts, Major S. A. Losch
and General J. P. S. Goblin of PENN
! sylvania, Colonel Harry Weissinger of
! Kentucky, General John B. Sanborn
| of Minnesota. During all this time
vacancies were caused by the resigna-
lions of Directors Jackson, Alger,
| Walker and Mccullough, and by the
death Of Directors John M Stone,
Leggett Vaughn, Fairchild Davidson,
Rae, McNulta, Humphrey, Cole and
Losch.
This association at once began the
work in hand, and so vigorously was
it prosecuted that the bill establish
ing the park, as prepared by the Sec
rotary under the authority of the ex-
ecutive committee and substantially
as finally adopted, was presented in
congress by General Catchings, favor
ably reported by the house committee
on military affairs, and placed on the
calendar, very early in 1885, The Sec
rotary and other gentlemen represent
association were in Washington at
this time, as also in January, 1897,
January, 1898, and January, 1899. In
the meantime the efforts to secure in
dorsement of the project, chiefly by
the personal work of the secretary,
had met with great success. Strong
memorials and resolutions urging con-
gross to act in the matter were
adopted by the United Confederate
Veterans, the Grand Army, Loyal Lee
gion, Society of the Army of the Ten
nessee, and nearly all the soldier Or
CARNATIONS both north and south,
and in many cases committees were
appointed to give them added weight.
Joint or concurrent resolutions asking
congress to pass the bill were also
adopted by the legislatures of fifteen
states; and as the passage of the bill
in the house was assured whenever it
could be called up, hundreds of per-
sonal letters were addressed to the
speaker asking for it an early consider
alton. This being finally accorded, it
went through both houses without op-
position and was promptly approved
by the president as already stated.
March 1 of the same year, Lieuten-
ant General Stephen D. Lee, of Mis-
sissippi, Captain VIM. T. Rigby, of
Iowa, and Captain James G. Everest
of Illinois, were appointed commits
sioners under the provisions of the act.
The commission at once organized by
the election of General Lee as chair
man, General John S. Kountz as secre-
tary and historian and G. L. Longley
as clerk-the last two selections being
approved by the secretary of war.
March Is, 1899, the commission met
again in Vicksburg and entered active
ly upon the great work before it.
No place on the Mississippi river be-
tween St. Louis and New Orleans has
more beautiful and healthful location
than Vicksburg. Situated upon range
of hills from one to three hundred feet
above the water level, in the olden
time the river swept twice at it's feet
the channel first running nearly north
ward and then turning southwark, with
a long narrow peninsula between the
two. In 1876, during high water, this
peninsula was broken directly in front
of the city, SO that now the river proper
only touches the town at it's southern
extremity; but fine body of deep
water, called Lake Centennial, still ;
exists at the upper bend. And it is
through this that the great govern
ment work, now in progress, expects
to defect the Yazoo river, and thus
replace the. city upon a permanent
water front
The Confederate line of defense in
1868, consisting of redoubts, redans and
lunettes on the higher points, con-
nected by curtains of trenches or rifle
pits, followed a high, rugged and al |
most unbroken ridge from the river
below, having an extension. Of eight
miles. From this main ridge spurs
set cut frequently, separted the one
from the other by and ending abruptly