The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1903-12-17

Scenes Of Civil War strife Made
places Of Beauty.

Our Ave great battlefield parks. the
scenes OF as many historic episodes OF
the civil war, are now OF the point
OF completion. So far a. the govern
ment's work Is concerned they are
practically finished. though the states
are stili engaged in erecting mOuu-
ments 10 mark the places where their
own regiments fought and bled. Hun
dreds Of such substantial memorials
have been put up at Antietam alone.
many of them OF striking beauty. and
more than 100000 has been expend-
ed for the same purpose at Chieka-
manga. where Georgia. Tennessee,
Missouri and Maryland have each
uplifted c~enotaphs in honor OF both
sides IN the struggle.
The work of the government in Gre
ating these parks has consisted In
buying the lands, as far as practical
BILE, building roads and observation
towers. preparing historical tablets
(of which about 1000 have been
placed at Chickamauga alone to mark
positions OF troopsl and erecting o
uments 20 the regulars engaged. X
has been the chief aim TO restore the
battIeaelds and give to them as near
" as possible the appearance they
had when the battles we're fought Al
Chickamauga more than 300 cannon
have been placed in the positions oc-
cupied by the Union and Confederate
batteries. the original guns secured
and mounted on carriages exactly like
those which belonged 10 them forty
years ago.
The idea Of national battlefield
parks originated in the brain OF Gen
II. V. Boynton. whose proposition to
establish such a memorial at Chicka-
mauga was adopted by congress In
1890. Chickamaugs was the First Of
these parks, that Of Gettysburg hay'
ing been ND to that date a private
enterprise under the management Of
an association representing various
states which had bad troops engaged
In the tight But Gettysburg was TAX
en- by the government Nt0 It's v
hands. and aftsrward the FIELDS Of
shiloh and vlcksbnrg were similarly
marked out and set aside ~ historic
and sacred ground.
The Gettysburg park II more prop
erly called by that name than any OF
the others. on the field the visitor
cannot drive anywhere he likes, a. NJ
! Chickamaugn, most Of the area being
covered by farms with strongly
fenced roads. So valuable is the land
that Il cannot be bought at q moder
ate price. and the states have con
/ tented themselves with purchasing
venue 100 feet or 80 IN width along
the lines OF the battle. a. the sides
/ Of which monuments are erected and
tablets set up. Many o. the monu-
mouts are very beautiful and costly.
But the Southerners have not taken
much part or Interest In the Gettys-
burg park. The government owns
about 1900 acres there.
In the Viskshurg park Uncle San
owns 1900 acres. II l. the newest Of
the battlefield parks. and the only one
In which any considerable amount Of
work remains 20 be done by the GOV.
eminent. The states have Just begun
{, put up monuments there. and mi
nois. which had the greatest number
% regiments engaged In that siege.
recently appropriated $500 o for the
purpose. The field r. ON the blum 100
feet above the river. touching the lat
ter both above and below the city.
and liz most striking feature topo-
graphically Is the ridge on which the
Confederate. works and batteries were
situated. Deep rayines and spurs 81
ridges running out from the hills
make the ground exceedingly ruEred
some Of the raves which the rebels
dug for their ovn -cnncsalmeut sill
remain and viii be carefully pre-
served.
The Antietam battlefield, which Is
nov finished. 50 far AZ government
work is concerned. s. ala ovned By M.
%dividuais. only the roada being open.
It's area II gently rolling country. rich
farming land, with a few deep "a.
vines. and L. easily taken In By
a glance of the eye Through Il run
the ancient HaEerstown turnpike aud
~sharpsburg road, along which have
been pnt up tablets that Indicate the
movements Of troops. The govern
meut owns ue roads. All the states
that were represented by troops IN the
great hght are erecting monuments.
and only the other day Ohio dedicated
ten new lei
The battlefield OF Shiloh Is more
heavily wooded than any OF the other
parks. Situated about 100 feet above
the Tennessee river. which run along
It's border. Il Is a rolling country,
with farm clearlngs here and there
, The government owns thirty miles OF
Z hne roads hat run through IL In vnri
Gus directions. as well a. 5000 acre.
Of rs territory Many states are ~
? present engaged In putting up monu
, mentH on this Held particularly lndi
ana. Ohio. Illinois and PENNSYLVANIA
! n should have been mentioned that
Uncle Sam furnishes the fcundntioui