Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-01
APPEALs,fO CONGRESS
Representative Pearre to Act
for Maryland Citizens
AND INTRODUCE BILL
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES TO RE-
PEACE, OLD ONE.
- s.sffc - ~
Memorial to President Washington at
South Mountain-The Reno
Tablet and Others.

Tablet and Others.
| Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
BOONSBQRO, Md. August III, 1903
Representative Pearre OF this district will
be asked at the coming session of Congress
to introduce a bill providing for the erec-
| ton on South mountain OF a permanent
and substantial monument in memory of
George Washington to replace the present
| tumble-down affair. This monument, II It
can be dignffied by that name is Attle
more than a pile of native mountain stone.
1t was originally erected as shaft and
lookout by the Masons Of this county in
| 1926, in honor of their brother Mason and
the American patriot and statesman, Wash
ington, and is, It is claimed, the first monu-
ment raised in fhsniory Of the father of his
country For this reason the citizens of
Washington county are unit in declaring
that Congress- should perpetuate the first
Washington monument by replacing the
stone pile with substantial tribute.
The monument is situated on the highest
peak of South mountain. From Its top can
be seen one of natures prettiest panoramas.
| Away below Is Pleasant valley, Wnlie
BOonsboro nest1es at the base OF the noun
! tain. A view of many miles can be mad or
1
and orchards, 'II1nfedfat ely below the crest
Is the histeffc Battle ground Of South noun
tain. which iss spEead out like map. Inc
monument has. been rebuilt by citizens OF
this town a number of times. ~.
| Several years ago unknown vandals DleW
| up the greater part of the shaft with dyna-
mite, Indignation ran high and II the per
petrators had been caught they would nave
| Jared badly. Since that time the monu-
ment has been left IN its present dilapidated
condition. A strong petition favortng gov
| eminent monument will be sent to Con-
gress next winter, it Is said.
| Where Reno Fell.
Your correspondent yesterday visited an.
| other memorable monument on picturesque
South mountain, that which marks the spot
| where General Reno fell during the battle.
| It stands but a few yards from the famous
Wise house, on the old Sharpsburg pike.
over which the main body OF confederates
retreated to the Antietam. where the battle
| was fought. oiYhepUnion masses also fol-
lowed this psRerto Antietam. The Wise
house is a l6gs structure, which stood be-
tween the lines or the two armies, on the
hottest part OF The battlefield. during the
South mountain fight. 1t still bears many
traces Of the battle. being peppered all
over with Da lIs1in with her here and
The Reno moniipent is a pretty gray
granite shaft iaboIt ten feet high. 1t is
fenced In by, fhaHYe mountain rock. which
| formed the stone rswalls or fences behind
which the man lii blue and those In gray
| fought fortyfpnas years ago., The monu-
| ment is in gepd condition. hut the grounds
| about 1t beapaevidepces Of sad neglect The
monument isstnserihed. on the face fronting
the battlefield :sn,xse. ..t,.. ). -
Reno. Ninth >AEmy Corps. Sept. Ia.
1s tss 80 cen 9essa Hes
Reno, commanding the Ninth Army Corps,
o. 81 volunteera c~aa xilssd in battle. Sept
Vera as CRU. 1 5Ss e as
| busco. Chapuitepec,t Roanoke Island. New
| Berne. Camden. Bull Run. Chantilly and
South Mountain" en- the other side Is
this inscription: Erected by the survivors
| of the Ninth Army Corps to their COM
mander and comrade, Sept. II, 1880"
On the 14th Of this month wifi occur the
| forty-arst anniversary OF the battle of
South mountain and the death Of Reno
| The citizens here have learned that on
| that date a number Of veterans Of the old
| 9th Corps propose to make q pilgrimage to
their commanders grave I'm the lonely pass
Of South mountain.
Crampton's Gap.
George Alfred Townsend, who has beau
tiful country home on South mountain,
has decided. without charge to the govern
ment, a piece Of ground at Gapland. known
in history as Champions Gap, on which
a new battle monument has just been
erected. This Is the granite marker Of the
New Jersey brigade in honor Of its deeds
at Champions Gap during the South noun
tain fight. The upper stone weighs two
tons and the base one ton. Both are rough
monoliths, and the bronze tablet Is bOlted
to the upper stone. 1t stands inside the
army correspondents memorial Enclosure.
The New Jersey brigade lost 174 men while
attempting to force the pass. In their
front was a brigade consisting Of Georg1ans
and Mississippi rifiemen. The adjutant of
the 4th New Jersey, Lieutenant ]. 8. Stod-
diford, was killed at the top Of the pass,
which was carried after severe fighting.
The man who is said to have fired the
first shot across the Potomac e. IN the civil
died several days ago at Williamsport, at
the age of nihety-two years He was
member of the home guard at the begin
ming of hostilites. detachment Of
Hogue,s confederates put in its appearance
on the opposite side of the river, and Mr..
NOVEL; was the first man to open fire.
Quite a skirmish was carried on for a
while. when the men in gray retired.
One of the most severe storms of the sea-
son passed over South mountain Saturday
evening. Great masses of black clouds
tumbled along with great rapidity, coming
from the west, and producing dense dark
ness. A heavy rainfall and wind storm fol-
lowed. The dark clouds seemed to hover
for few moments over the peaks of the
mountains. and. then natures artillery
opened fire. The lightning flashes were in
cessant while the thunder crashes were
almost deafening and appeared to make
the very earth tremble. Several dwelling
houses and barns in the valley beyond were
struck, 1t is said. and one large tree was
splintered. into kipdling wood The scene
was terrible and awe-inspiring one.
Unwilling Ceremonies.
The citizensI ofBoonsboro' and vicinity
are preparing 70 Httend en- masse the cere-
monies incident 20 the unwilling Of the
monument oaIAHaetam battlefield on the
18th instant IN. memory of the New Jersey
soldiers who fffell IN that sanguinary con-
aict. The fact that President Roosevelt
will be present and deliver an address is
the drawing card. After the Antietam
ceremonies many Of the Jersey veterans
will visit the mondment of the New Jersey