Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-09-17
DEDICATED TODAY IN PRESENCE
OF LARGE ASSEMBLY.
ROOSEVELT SPEAKS

Gov. Murphy, State Officials and 1000
New Jersey Veterans Attend Cere-
monies-March to Battlefield Stir
ring Sight.
Sharpsburg, Md, Sept 17-Under
lowering skies the magnificent monu.
ment erected on the historic battlefield
of Antietam by the grateful state of
New Jersey to its men who fell in that
bitter engagement, was dedicated to-.
day.
Notable Occasion.
The occasion was rendered particu-.
larly notable by the presence at and
participation in the ceremonies by the
President of the United States and
Governor Murphy, chief executive OF
New Jersey. The special train bearing
the President and Governor Murphy
and party arrived here at 9:10 o'clock.
Governor Murphy was accompanied by
several prominent state officials and
his entire military staff.
1000 New Jersey Veterans Present.
Special trains bearing nearly 1000
New Jersey survivors of the civil war,
arrived just after the presidential
train The trip of the President from
Jersey City was devoid of special in
terest.
March to Battlefield.
At 10 o'clock President Roosevelt
and Governor Murphy accompanied by
Senators Kean and Dryden of New Jer-
sey and hundreds OF citizens left
Sharpsburg station for the famous old
DuEkard church on the battlefield of
AAtietam There the brigades of vet
erans former in fours and escorted
the President and the distinguished
guests to the monument.
General Ovation.
In a short address President Roose-
veIt accepted the monument in behalf
of the federal government He was ac-
corded an ovation as he rose to address
the assemblage. He said:
Governor Murphy; and you veterans
of New Jersey and you, men of the
Grand Army. and all others here,
greet you:
/ thank you Of New Jersey for the
monument to the troops OF New Jer'
sey who fought at Antietam and on
behalf of the nation | accept the gift
We meet today upon one of the great
battIefields of the civil war. No other
battle Of the civil war lasting but one
day shows as great percentage OF
loss as that which occurred here upon
the day on which Antietam was
fought Moreover. in its ultimate ef-
fects this battle was of momentous
Importance, for when it had ended,
and Lee mad retreated south of the Pc.
tomac, Lincoln forthwith published
that immortal paper, the preliminary
declaration of emancipation; the pa.
per which decided that the civil wal
besides being war for the preserva-
ton of the union. should be a war for
the emancipation of the slave, so that
from that time onward the causes OF
union and of freedom, OF national
greatness and individual liberty, were
one and the same.
Men OF New Jersey, I congratulate
your state because she has the right
to claim her full share in the honor
and glory OF that memorable day; and
because on that day you had the high
good fortune to serve as a lad with
credit and honor in one of the five
regiments which your state sent to
the battle. Four Of those regiments
by the way, served in the division com
manded by that gallant soldier Henry
w. Slocum, whom we of New York
can lay claim to as our own. The 9th.
N,. on1Nt hot s,, t1l,
Murphy served, although practically
an entirely new regiment, did work as
good as that of any veteran organiza-
ton upon the field and suffered pro
portional loss. This regiment was at
One time ordered to the support of a
division commanded by another New
York soldier, the gallant General
Greene, whose son himself, served as
major general in the war with Spain
and who is now, as police commission
er Of New York rendering as signal
service in civil life as he had already
rendered in military life.
Gives Credit to Grand Army.
If the issue of Antietam had been
other than it was, it is probable that al
least two great European powers
-WOulu nave EISCOSullSu lue lHQGpGnu'
ence of the confederacy; so that you
who fought here forty-one years ago
have the profound satisfaction of feel
ing that you played we'll your part in
one of those crises big with the fate OF
all mankind. You men of the Grand
Army by your victory not only render
cd all Americans your debtors forev.
ermore, but you rendered all humanity
your debtors. If the union had been
dissolved, if the great edifice built
with blood and sweat and tears by
mighty Washington and his compeers
had gone down in wreck and ruin, the
result would have been an incalcul
able calamity, not only for our peo
plo--and most of all for those who. in
such an event would have seeming.
ly triumphed-but for all mankind
This great American republic would
have become memory OF derision;
and the failure of the experiment OF
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