Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-12

by an appropriate monument.
On behalf of the committee having the
matter In charge 1t is my pleasant duty
to present to the regiment and the Fort
| Stevens Battlefield Association this monu-
| ment. which has been erected through the
generosity of the survivors and some de-
voted friends of the regiment in memory
| of our comrades who here gave up their
| lives in the service of their country, of
| those other comrades, living and dead. who
were wounded on that memorable day. and
also in honor of regiment that never
| failed of its duty in its three years service
| in the glorious 9th Army Corps.
Col o. v. Tracy.
| Col. o. v. Tracy enlisted as a private in
| the 122d New York Regiment. and because
| of bravery and mertorious service was
| rapidly promoted to sergeant major, second
| lieutenant, first lieutenant adjutant and
| captain. He was brevetted major for con-
| spicuous gallantry in the Shenandoah val
| ley campaign, including the battles of Ope-
guam, Fishers Hill and Cedar creek.
Later he was brevetted lieutenant colo
mel Tor his conduct in the final campaign
and the battle of Sailors creek During
the battle of the Wilderness May g. 1864.
Col. Tracy was taken prisoner, but later he
| escaped from Lynchburg in a rebel uni
| form. and reached the Union lines at Har-
| per's Ferry June 1, 1864.
Accepted by Capt. easier.
| The monument was then accepted by
Capt. G. H. easier, who spoke as follows:
| ION behalf of the Veteran Association of
| the 122d New York, of which 1 have the
| honor to be president, and in the name
| OF that association, l accept this beautiful
| monument, which will ever stand as me-
mortal of the love and affection of the
| Viving members of the regiment for the
memory of their comrades who were killed
| and wounded ON this battlefield forty years
| ago today, and to mark the spot where the
| regiment, in the presence of the immortal
| Lincoln fore Of fha hot
tie, helped to beat back the army of Gen.
Early as it surged up to the very gates of
| the Capitol.
| And Col. Tracy-permit me to congratu-
| late you and through you the members of
the committee for the success which has
| attended your efforts in securing SO fine
! a monument to mark this historic spot; 1t
| is creditable alike to the patriotism of the
| members of the regiment and good judg-
ment of the committee.
| The motives which have prompted us
| TO assemble here today among the most
| sacred that spring from the human heart;
we nave no thought of worldly gain or
nonor we have laid aside our worldly
cares for brief time and given ourselves
| up to touch of sentiment which can but
| uIt us up and make us appreciate coun-
try more and serve her better We simply
| wish to preserve and honor the memory of
our comrades; they lie peacefully sleeping
in the bosom of the land they loved: they
| gave up their precious lives that the coun-
| try might live, and for cause which was
| eternally right.
Il have thought if they could only know
| TO what great heights the country they died
| TO save has risen. If they could only know
| that all bitterness and hatred between the
| north and south had passed away; that we
| were once again united country. II they
| could only know that our country had
| taken her proud place among the nations
| OF the earth beason light to a higher
| civilization. and that the glorious old stars
| and stripes now floats over land and sea-
| known and respected the world over as the
| chosen banner of a free people symbol
/ of liberty and power.
| When we think of the wonderful growth
| and development of our country since the
| close of the civil war our bosoms can but
swell with pride and satisfaction when
| we think that when our country called for
| help we placed our ALL our lives if need he
| on our cOuntry's altar and helped each in
| his humble capacity to bring to a success
| ful close that great struggle for the life of
the nation Our country needed soldiers
| then and 1t needs the influence of the old
| soldiers now. 1t is one thing to save a
| nation and another to maintain and pre-
| serve IT. But the same spirit of self-sacri-
nee winch animated the young men from
| 1861 to 1865 will always carry us safely
| through any emergency. 1t requires as high
an order of courage and patriotism to live
| for ones country as to die for it: the form
| er is sometimes, l think the more dif1cuIt
| ANA as we unveil and dedicate this mon
| ument to our fallen comrades lei us do so
with higher and greater appreciation of
| the sacrl1ceS they made, and as we leave
| this place let renew our obligations of
| loyalty and devotion to this our beloved
| country-the land of freedom and opportu-
| Iity-Ihe hlshest type of civilized govern
| ment known to mankind"
The Monument Unveiled.
AS the last words were spoken the mon
| ument was unveiled amid prolonged ap-
plause and the booming of the battery sta
| toned east of the grounds
| The unveiling of the monument was per-
| formed in harmony with the idea that tIe
| draping American flag should never fall to
| Inc ground after unwilling. but on the con-
| trary should be carried above and allowed
| TO float in the breezeS
| The arrangement and general c ,hen,a for
| the unVeiling and decorations We're designed
| by Fred. D. Owen. and were simple and
| appropriate. Nothing but American 1ayS
| were used.
The beautiful gray Barre granite shaft
| was wrapped in the folds of a large new
| american flag covering for the time being
| the appropriate Inscriptions names of
| Abraham Lincoln and the illustr.ous de-
tenders who were wounded in the famous
| engagement on this ground together with
inc great seal of the state of New York.
| AT the moment of unwilling Capt Cafus
| weaver. who lost one arm in the battle
| Which took place on this very spot forty
| years ago. drew the lacing cord which re-
! leased the folds and the flag Immediately
| opened and revealed the monument in all
| its charms. at the same time the dag began
| 10 ascend to a stretcher run above where
| ~ tooh IT'S position ike OtnGr large flags.
| among the spaces between the trees in in
| clrcllng and protecting those gathered in
| the audience and at the same time forming
| beautiful background.
The monument is a beautiful memorial
| 70 the dead, and the work was done by j.
| r. Manning of the District under The per
| sonal superintendent of Col. B. T. Bing-
| ham.
DR.. Thomas Calver medical director of
| the Department of the Potomac, then pre-
scented an original poem, The March of the
| Gallant Sixth Corps
Col. Bingham's Address.
| By urgent request of the survivors of tho
lid New York, Colonel Benjamin F. Bing-
| ham, past commander of the Department
| OF the Potomac, G. A. R., and chairman of
| the committee on arrangements for the
dedication of the monument delivered the
| principal address. Colonel Bingham's adj
| dress was fully descriptive of the movement
upon Washington, and of the battle and is
| important historically because of his active
participation In it. He said, in part
On the dome of yonder Capitol stands
the statue of Freedom. and the globe