The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-13

ern boundary of the village, and the cem- etery is on very high ground and gives the name to the ridge, which Is almost inaccessible except where Pickett charged. In many places are the earth and stone breast works which sheltered the union forces who seemed to need no shelter on those rock bound heights.
 Our line was distant about one mile on Seminary Ridge so called from a Luther an seminary yet there, and was about six miles long. The enemy having inside line could and did reinforce from any part of the line acrass to threatened points. Pickett charged one mile and a quarter in an open field and whilst his men cover ed this distance reserves were brought up to meet him.
 There are over five hundred monuments on the field besides markers and govern ment tablets some of them are costly. some quaint and artistic Several in gran ite reprdesent the sharpshooter lying be- hind pile of rocks taking aim. One in white marble is a perfect representation of tent with a canteen hanging on the end of the ridge pole. Many of the mon uments are based on huge boulders, and some of them are fashioned out of the bouders. At the blody angle is an aaar, approached by granite steps. On it's top in bronze is an open book four feet across inscribed at the top, High Water Mark of the Rebellion" This point is thick with monuments and only one, that of Gen. Armistead. is Confederate. In fact. that and one to the Second Maryland are the only two monuments to Confederates on the field.
 Tablets of Brigades.
 There is an avenue running along the respective lines of battle and iron tablets inform the visitors as to the brigades, regiments and batteries occupying the po- sition before the battle commenced There are many cannon posted al points actual ly occupied by batteries during the bat tie. I walked from the town along the union line over Cubs Hill to Spangler' 8 spring, from which both sides got water, now beautifully enclosed by the govern ment, and returned by Confederate ave- nue. My valuable guide could rattle off like a photograph, his account of each scene. but I stopped him with the state ment that I knew more than he did, but the carriage stopped at each tablet whilst I read the inscriptions but when I got again to Devils Den the fascination over came me, and I dismissed the carriage.
 To appreciate the scene, to breathe again the spirit one must walk over boulders where no vehicle can go and I wandered on foot from monument to tab let until darkness The squirrels play round Devils Den and I disturbed many young rabbits in the deep grass over which golden rod and many autumn flow CTS cast their sunshine. In the mouth of one cannon a bird had built her nest. In one respect the field is not satisfactory. Whilst a mile over wonder the tablets tell you where each Confederate regiment formed it's line of battle, when you get in- to the union line and find that in places it was driven back a quarter or half Of a mile, and monuments of union regiments are thick and tell of fearful losses there is no way to inform the visitor who in- hicted these losses, or what command overcame rocks, heights and soldiers. There is one notable exception, one monu- ment says Barksdale's brigade drove them 300 yards when they rallied and with re- Inducements recovered the lost ground Another monument tells that it's colo mel was killed with a bayonet on that spot. trying to recapture his flag. but does not inform us what command took the flag.
 Owing to want of knowledge of the ground three of Laws and two of the Texas regiments fought with Benning' s brigade, separating them from the rest of their comand. Wofords brigade nearly cut the enemies line and gave name to the Valley of Death, but there Is nothing to inform the visitor who broke the lines. who captured the guns. who scaled the rocks and heights. True there are pom things, but not one visitor in thousand cares for or remembers the maps He wants to see for himself on the ground.