The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-23
fs. |. R. sso,

No. 5l5.) (s. !. R. sso. SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION Whereas the battle of Gettysburg fought on the 1st, End. 3rd days of July. 1868 was one of the greatest battles of the world in it's purpose and consequence. and whereas in the several engagements Alabamians mingled their blood freely in common with their Southern brethren, in a cause which they believed to have been just and patriotic; and whereas the 18th and filth Alabama regiments of infantry, in the advance of Longstreet's corps. were separated from the other equally gallant regiments of Laws Alabama brigade, and were sent as a fianlzing column under the command of General (then ColoneD wil- liam c. Oates of the 18th regiment to turn the left flank of the Union line Of battle on Little Round Top Mountain which at that time was the key point to the whole position of the Union army; and whereas Oates's column succeeded in turning said flank and doubled it up with in about one hundred and fifty yards of the top of Round Top. but for the lack of support the command was repulsed and driven back; and whereas many brave Alabamians, after a march of twenty-eight miles that day, fell either dead or wounded right at the turning point of that assault, and whereas the said battlefield is now a beautified nation al park under the immediate management and control of a board of three conn missioners under the Jurisdiction of the Secretary of War, and In said park have been erected hundreds of statues mark ing the spot where gallant Union soldiers fell but no stone. mark or monument has ever been erected on that field to any Alabamian or to mark where any Ala bamian fell; and whereas within the last two years ex-Governor Oates who then was a colonel in the Confederate army who bravely and slxillfu1ly commanded that flanking column has offered at his own expense, to erect a monument of Gettysburg granite on or about the spot where so many of his men fell. appro- priately inscribed to their memory. He filed a formal written application with said battle field commission and subse- quently one with the Secretary of War praying for permission to erect said monument and which was referred by said Secretary to said battle field com mission; and whereas the purpose of the government of the United States in pur- chasing the ground on which the battle was fought beautifying and maintaining 1t as a great national park was to allow the erection of markers and monuments to those who fell on each side, Confed- crates as well as Federals. Therefore be 1t resolved by the Legislature of Alabama that our Representatives in Congress be requested and the Senators from this State be requested, first to inquire of the Secretary of War why 1t is that permis- sion Is not given to William C. Oates to erect monument appropriately inscribed to the memory of Alabama soldiers who fell under his comand fin the battle of Gettysburg on July second. 1883. he hav- ing applied in writing to the battle field comission and to the Secretary of War therefor :n the year 1902. Second to obtain authority from the said Secretary for the erection of the monument at or near the spot where his soldiers afore- said were killed.
 Approved October g. 1908.
 Official.
 J. THOS. HEFLIN,
 Secretary of State.