The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-22


Gen Stephen d. Lee commander in chief
of the United Confederate veterans, is
in the city to take up with the legisla
ture the question of the state making
appropriations for monuments over its
old soldiers at Vicksburg park. General
Lee is one of the commissioners of the
park and has been putting in much time
this week so far with members of the
legislature Concerning the movement the
General has addressed to the Legislature
the following letter:
War Department
Vicksburg National Military
Park Commission,
Vicksburg, Hiss January p, 1907
The Honorable. the Members of the Ala
bama Legislature:
conference.-the have the honor to in
vite your attention to the work in the
Vicksburg National Military Park, by the
United States and by states as follows:
The fighting ground during the siege
and defense of this city in 1863, about
1277.G6 acres, has been purchased. Con-
federate Union. Grant and five secondary
avenues have been laid out and con-
and the public roads in tine battlefield
make a total of twenty-seven miles of
park roadway, all OF which will be metal
ed with fine quality of concreting gaVel
--s.25 miles have been metaled to date
Fifteen bridges have been built at con-
tract cost of $112,449. The park commem-
crates the campaign, siege and defense
of Vcksburg (1arch 29-July a. 1869, ana
15l iron tablets now in place, tell the story
of each brigade. division and corps Of
both armies; 306 iron battery and APP
proach tablets have been cast and are
en- route to the park; twenty-eight
bronze tablets have been cast for the
commission; fifty-eight iron guide boards
are now in place. One hundred and TWEEN
ty-fve old cannon of the kind and ealibre
used i'm the siege and defense, have been
received from the war department and III
have been mounted field carriage-5i
OH the Confederate and 81 on the Union
line; thirteen will be mounted ON siege
carriages The lines of intrenchment OF
the two armies will be exactly restored;
the lines of all the Union approaches. or
saps, will be marked by iron tablets. The
work thus outlined has been, or will be
done by the national commission, under
direction of the Secretary of War, at the
cost of the United States. Six hundred
and severty-five thousand dollars have
been appropriated by Congress for the
work and additional appropriations will
be made until the park is fully estab-
lshed.
Twelve states, Illinois. Iowa, Massa-
elusetts, Michigan. Minnesota, MISSISSIPPI
ri, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Wisconsin,
have appropriated $G2300O for the Vicks-
burg park an average of $2642 for each
command
Illinois has finished state memorial of
white Georgia marble, In the form of a
dome, nfty-four feet in diameter and
sixty-two feet high. The names about &c.
300 of the soldiers who then belonged To
the seventy-nine Illinois commands en-
gagged in the operations commemorated by
the park. will be inscribed in bronze on
the interior wall of this dome. The cost
of the completed memorial Will be $780,
900 The state has also placed seventy
nine monuments and eighty-hve markers
In the park Iowa has placed thirty-two
monument inscriptions and will soon place
fiftY-nine |ronze markers; her state men,
oral - under eonstruction-a granite peri
style with SIX bronze panels in alto relief
and a bronze equestrian figure in front of
the center, at contract cost of 100000
Massachusetts New Hampshire and
Pennsylvania have placed state meporials
in the park The last named bears this
inscription Here brothers fought foi
their principles. Here heroes died for their
country and united people will forever
cherish the precious legacy of their noble
manhood" Mnnesotas state memorable
rock-faced obelisk of South Carolina gran
lite, ninety feet high is under contract
and work on it will soon begin. The state
also places three monuments and three
markers in the park. Ohio has placed
thirty-nine monuments and twenty mark
ers and is expected to make an additional
appropriation for state memorial. Miss
issippi will place beautiful state men,
orial and about twenty-five markers in
the park. Wisconsin will place seven
teen monument inscriptions and seven
markers and is expected to make another
appropriation for a state memorial and
for additional markers. Michigan, New
York and Rhode Island will each erect a
fine state memorial. This summary shows
that ten state memorials. 40 monuments
and 1885 markers have been appropriated
for by the legislatures of twelve states
About twelve more state memorials and
not less than $50 additional monuments
and markers by states can reasonably be
expected.
The varied and picturesque beauty of
the battlefield can not be described, but
must be seen to be realized and appre-
ciated. When the park is finished and the
twenty-eight state interested have placed
- 1IBeE.sz. - - s1... . .1-.'