The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-05-05
WAR HEROES H0NORED
Federal Governments Work In
Restoring Battle Fields.
SCENES TRUE TO OUR HISTORY.

Recent Transformation Of ChirLa-
manga Battle Field Described by
William ~. CurtiS-sImiIar worL
Being Done ut shiloh and VicL.-
burg uriou~ Experience In To-
eating site. Of Engagements.
Under the authority Of congress the
FEDERAL government has purchased
1000 acres Of land covcrin. the, hattle
neiu or 'hivkamau-a - has restored
II as nearly as poS> ole To the condition
in which IL WAS at the opening OF the
fight on sept. IL and ~. 1859. between
the Union forces under General Rose.
Grams ami the Confctcrates under Con
eral Bragg. says William +. Curtis. the
chicago Record Herald's corresDond-
ent. writing from Chattanooga. Tenn.
Inc government has also purchased
strip 90 land running the entire
length II Missionary ridge. including
the Sitce OF the intrcnchments which
were captured 10y assault by the Union
troops ON the 10th OF November follow
iuS. Eighty miles Of roads have been
constructed from Chattanooga through
these parks and other battle fields in
the neichhorhood OF the city. aud the
landscape has been heautificd rs much
as could Ice done without cfTacing land
marks that existed before the battles
and altering the topography. The
movements OF both armies have been
traced with great skill and fidelity
throughout the entire series OF engage
ments. and the locations OF important
struggles and other episodes have been
marked by monuments and iron tab
let's containing historical not9, and sta
ustics. More than Sl.7J0. 600 has thus
been expended Tor the purpose Of pre-
serving the scene OF one of the most
desperate and heroic conflicts I'm hu-
man history and perpemating the evil
dences OF bravery and devotion in both
armies.
In similar manner the government
is now laying out the battle fields Of
shiloh and Nick>burg. and interesting
dcdicatory ceremonies were held at the
former few days ago.
The old roads OF the battle field have
been rcopened. the underbrush has
been cleared from 3.3oo acres upon
which the lighting took place. five steel
observation towers. each seventy feet
high. have been erected in order that
visitors may get bir,lseye view OF
the field: G43 historical tablets OF iron
containing explanatory inscriptions
have been erected 10 mark the move
nfntS OF corps. divisions. briCades and
regiments OF both the armies. and 36S
distance and locality tablets have been
placed As guides FOR those who desire
io follow them as they moved forward
and back ii their assaults and retreats.
The old lines of earthworks and forti-
ncaiionS have been restored exactly as
they We're At the close OF the battle.
The position or each battery OF artil-
lery that participated has been marked
with guns OF the same pattern and cal
her OF those actually used. Forty
three Union batteries are represented
by los guns and 40 Confederate bat
teries by 96 guns. Some OF the guns
were actually engaged in the battle.
Nine monuments in the form OF pyra-
mids OF shells mark where Ave Union
and four Confederate brigade COM
manders fell. and similar pyramids
fourteen army and corps commanders.
The location Of these spots has been a
work OF great interest as well as pains
taking labor. and there have been some
curious experiences. For example,
some years ago Colonel Bishop of the
Second Minnesota. with one OF his ser
geants, came down to assist General
Boynton in determining the position
occupied by that regiment, which had
an important part in the engagement
They knew that 1t was intrenched at
the top of n hill and that 1t repealed
several assaults by the enemy. The
Conrederates charged again and again
to drive the Second Minnesota from
This commanding position and capture
a battery which was doing terrible ex-
ecuion under its support. Colonel
Bishop picked out the hill without diff
hculty, but new trees had sprung I'D,
the surface was covered with under
brush, and the exact position OF the
regiment was difficult TO determine.
Finally the sergeant said:
Il remember that lay on nv belly
in the grass at the end of a little ra.
vine, and ! think this is the ravine.
Our ammunition was almost exhaust
ed, and we crept around to gather up
whatever we could ind on the bodies
Of the dead and wounded that lay
around us. | got my pockets full and
rrawled back TO my place. / put the
"a rtifdSes on the grass on one side OF
ne and the caps on the other and fred |
iWay until the enemy withdrew. I re- !
member leaving the unused cartridges
and caps upon the ground" And as he
said the word he began to stir I'D the
caves that covered the soil. In a few
moments he found handful of old
fashioned cartridges and caps which
ne had left on the ground that day. A
beautiful group Of bronze by dorado
Tart OF Chicago. representing the color
bearer OF the Second Minnesota wound
"a and defended by some of his com
AIDES, marks the place today.
Up to date seventeen states whose