Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-17


to the LIST New Jersey Brigade, and after
ward to other brigades in the Army of the
Potomac, participating in most Of Its bat
ties from West Point in May, 1862, to APP
credit to itself and the state.
Story Of the Thirteenth.
1.-THE remaining regiment to be men,
toned is the thirteenth. A natural mOdesty
makes 1t difficult for me to speak of the
deeds of this regiment. in which it was my
privilege to serve; but proper considera-
ton for others and the exceptional record
of the regiment prevent my remaining
silent.
THE regiment was organized as one Of
five regiments required as the quota of the
state, as Indicated in a telegram from the
Secretary of War, dated July s. 1862. 1t was
quickly recruited and was fully organized
equipped and Differed Ivy August o. when
IT was mustered into the service of the
United States. 1t left Newark August 81.
1852, for Washington, where it arrived Sep
TENDER 2, and went into camp on Maryland
Heights. 1t was assigned to the Sd Bri-
gade, 1st Division, 18th Corps. and imme-
diately moved forward with the Army of
the Potomac the Maryland campaign.
Seventeen days after leaving home 1t en-
gagged in the battle of Antietam, where it
lost 149 in killed and wounded. After An
tetam came Charlottesville and Gettys-
burg. and then the transfer to the western
army under Sherman. The campaign to
Atlanta followed, and then the memorable
march to the sea, after which came the
campaign through the Carolinas, the final
peace. the march to Washington. the grand
review and the muster out. Through all
its service the record of the 18th Regiment
Is wholly creditable to the state from which
1t came and the nation for which 1t fought.
This completes the list of the New Jer-
sey troops actually engaged in the battle
of Antietam. Their mention would not be
complete If did not refresh your memory
a nf ha ia rf IA q
New Jersey troops who fought on this field
were here from motives of highest patri-
otim. There came a time later in the war
when the states found 1t difficult to respond
to the call of the government for troops,
and bounties had to be paid, at first of
moderate and afterward of large sums, to
secure enliStments. and many millions were
expended on this account. But no bounties
were paid in New Jersey until after the
battle of Antietam was fought. The fact
that the nation was in danger was sufficient
to enlist the service of every New Jersey
soldier who fought in this battle. To their
lasting honor let this fact be recorded
Loyalty of New Jersey.
1.-The support which the state of New Jer-
sey gave to the general government was
constant and loyal Her war governors
Charles S. Olden Joel Parker and Marcus
L. Ward, differing in their political aftila-
tons, but united in their patriotic purpose
held up the hands of the President and sus-
tanned the army in the field by responding
with promptness to every call made upon
them. The state not only furnished all the
troops required by the various calls of the
President. but sent surplus of over ten
thoNsand, the number actually furnished
being $500. 1t looked after the wife, the
dependent children or the widowed mother
of the absent soldier, expanding in this way
over two and a quarter millions of dollars,
and, above all, 1t gave at all times, even in
the darkest hours of the conflict, a moral
support to the Union cause that was gen
uine and unfailing.
THE healing influences of time have re-
moved the redneSs from most of the scars
made by the war. 1t is difficult for some of
us who do not like to feel that we are old,
or growing old, to remember that forty
years have passed since the battle whose
anniversary we celebrate today. 1t is high
ly proper on this occasion to tell again the
story of that important event.
Governor Murphy then quoted from an
address made on the field year ago by
General e. A. Carman, the old colonel of the
18th Regiment, giving history Of the en-
gagement.
Terrible Tale of Death.
" The battle of Antietam was in some re-
spects the greatest and most momentous
battle of the civil war. Gettysburg alone
exceeded 1t in the number killed and wound
ed but that was q three days fight. AS
many were killed and wounded in one day
at Anuetam as in any two days at Gettys
burg. There were less number killed and
wounded in the two days at Chickanlauga.
the greatest battle Of the west, than in the
one day at Antietam. In percentage. reduc-
ing the loss to equation Of one day, we
have 20 per cent for Antietam, 8 per cent
for Chickamauga and per cent for Gettys-
burg; that Is to say. that the fighting at
Antietam was twice as desperate as at
Chckamauga and three times as desperate
as at Gettysburg. Over SO 600 men were
engaged. and the loss in killed and wounded
numbered 2C.S56 1t was the bloodiest day
In American history.
1.-The result of the victory prevented the
recognition Of the confederate states by
England. which would undoubtedly have oc-
CURED had the Union forces been defeated.
and 1t was followed by the proclamation Of
emancipation
Governor Murphy then spoke of the cost
of the war. which in money had been esti-
mated at over $3.50, 100000. nearly twice
the valuation Of all the property, real and
personal, Of the eleven rebellious states. and
Aore than six times the value of all the
Slaves owned by the then slave-holding
states.
The cost of the war in lives he stated to
be 35952s.
He spoke Of the sacrifices made In the
war time by the people Of the north, and
the inestimable services of the great figures
of that day. many Of whom he mentioned
He closed as follows, addressing President
Roosevelt:
''Mr. President, the state of New Jersey
In grateful commemoration of the highest
sacrifice Of her patriotic sons has erected
this monument to her dead on this field In
her name present 1t to the nation through
you"
President Roosevelt. as he arose to accept
the monument on behalf Of the federal gov
eminent was accorded an ovation. He
spoke as follows:
The Presidents Address.
Governor Murphy, and you. veterans of
New Jersey. and you. men of the Grand
Army. and all others here. 1 greet you:
thank you Of New Jersey for the monu-
ment to the troops of New Jersey who
fought at Antietam, and on behalf Of the
nation I accept the gift We meet today
upon one Of the great battlefields of the
civil war. No other battle Of the civil war
lasting but one day shows as great a per-
oentage Of loss as that which occurred here
upon the day on which Antietam vas
fought. Moreover. in its ultimate eZects
this battle was of momentous and even de-
cisve Importance. for when It had ended
and Lee had retreated south Of the Poto-
mac Lincoln forthwith published that i'm
mortal paper. the preliminary declaration
of emancipation; the paper which decided
that the civil war. besides being a war for
the preservation Of the linton ahou}h no O