The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-01-08

activity and connect in the mind the vcn-
de-fui plans by which the siege and de-
fence were carried on through forty-seven
terrible spring days, wnen the armies
were continually dropping shells into the
others lines and the sharpshooters were
picking of men at every opportunity
and nobody knew at what instant there
would be an attack and attempt 20 carry
the lines or where it might occur.
The Confederates had 70, $50 me-, protect
ing miles of lines along the hills In the
rear of the city and along the river 'front.'
and although the Superior union army.
aided by the skill of the best engineers
tried in every way TO carry the detenceS'
they never succeeded in taking single
position inside the Confederate lines
When the latter surrendered. it was from
sheer exhaustion. because they had onie
sufficient men to hold the lines. ana tHeS
had to be at their posts night ana oAs'
watching and alert, eating ana Sseepii's
in the trenches and ready TO jump 10
the parapets TO repel and attack al an!
moment. They were not starved OUT
and never whipped out, but worn out Dy
their own faithfulness.
Wherever a southern state or northern
one had troops in that great event MARI
ers are to be placed designating thelh'
and each state is TO have monument
IN show that il cherishes the memory OF
the deeds of the heroes who fought there
so MANY wears ago that they have nearly
all passed across the lines and made
their surrender to a power to which all
must yield.
So far. there is but one monument IN
place. and that is the handsome proh@e
figure of soldier standing on Il rous"
boulder which Massachusetts recehuy
placed in position. not far from the ioca
ton of the headquarters of Generai Grah'-
Near there positions have been oesisna'eu
for a number of other northern ihoiiu
ments. The commission will have charge
of these. and will, when they are IN
place, keep the grass green ana inc
flowers blooming about them
The headquarters of all the generals
will be marked. as we'll as those OF the
troops
So far. no southern state has placed a
monument or marked the POSITIONS Oh i'o
men. but Louisiana has sent q com'nls
sion which has located the positions Ok
the troops from this state. and IL ohlS
remains for the legislature to make the
proper appropriations for erecting marx
ers and the monument
Perhaps few people realize the prornl-
nence which Louisiana troops took In that
siege. but a trip with Captain Risoy VIII
make IL clear at once that no southern
state had more men there and that the
Iouisianans held especially important and
difficult places. which they defended with
the greatest heriism. Along eight miles
of trenches with forts and other works
there are many places made famous oy
our soldiers, but one in parucaier oe-
serves the attention Of the Louisianans
1t is the position in the Confederate me
which commanded an especially exposeu
and dangerous part of the defences n
small fort on the apex of a steep ana
narrow hill, from which almost every
point in the great battlefield, covering
more than 1.2O0 acres Of rugged nils
with PERCEPTIONS sides, leading 10 deep
ravines and narrow valleys. which must
have been beautiful natural scenes that
the spring days, and which are now
among the most beautiful natural scene
that the south has, may be seen Far
across hills and valleys are the lines from
which the union forces kept up their fire;
in the rear the hills between these lines
and the city held by the Confederstes; In
front further extensions of the union
lines. and stretching beyond towards and
To the river the Confederate trenches and
forts
II was the Third Louisiana which held
that little fort, and it is called the Re
dan. There more men were killed than
at any other point In the battlefield
The fort was three times attacked and
blown up. and large portion OF the top
of the hill was removed, but the assail-
ants were drived back every time. and
when the surrender took place the fort
was still securely held. The Sixth Mis-
houri occupied position in the rear OF
the fort. and when Logan's men Slapped
the hill and blew up the fort and rushed
in to take the position, the Missouri men
dashed up 10 the support OF their com
rades. and the attack was repulsed. There
is scarcely a more beautiful point to be
conceived, nor one where the Louisiana
monument would show TO a better advan-
tage Captain Rigby is enthusiastic about
that position. and believes that Louisiana
should place her monument there by all
means 1t is the most noted place in the
battlefield.
There are many other prominent places
which Louisiana will mark. out none that
are superior TO this one From that posi-
ton the road passes on. winding past the
point where General Grant met General
Pemberton. and past the fort which Gen
eral Stephen d. Lee commanded and
which the Iowa troops. with which Cap
tain Rigby served. attacked, and on the
day before the surrender were so close
to that the Confederates threw ciods
down on them Ii is quite 4 coincidence
that these two men, who were opposed
to each other at that time. should now
be associated together on the Park COM
mission and the most devoted friends
The commission is anxious that every
spot made memorable by troops Of either
side should be marked IL will De years
before IL is done. and yet II should be
done quickly before those who were
there have passed away. IL possible.
Louisiana has many reasons for doing
something that will make her prominent
there. She Is. next 10 Mississippi. the
closest state To the battlefield and visi-
tors 70 New Orleans and people from all
owe rthe state may readily visit H. She
held important positions and fought as
brzvely as any state ia the defence Of
the city. and she lost PROBABLY more men
there than any other state
The legislature Of Iowa has devoted
tI5s 90 20 the purpose of building 4 mont
meut and marking the positions OF the
large number Of Iowa troops Illinois
VIII give sss8.scb. and New York will do
sal I.nlrtsianz at,cslld not y. l.rtf-.d M