The National tribune., 1907-12-19
GEN. TURCHIN INDICATED.
The Brigade Association Wins the Loca-
tfOn OF Its Monument on De Long
Point.

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The Brigade Association Wins the Loca.
tfOn OF It's Monument on De Long
Point.
Editor National Tribune: The above
are the headlines of circular letter
dated July II, 1907, and sent out by
Comrade S. F. Stewart, Evansville, Ill.
Chairman of the Historical Committee
of Turchin's Brigade, advising the sur
vivors of that brigade that the long
contested claim, namely, that on Nov
25. 1863, the brigade assaulted and cap
tured the knob on Mission Ridge, now
called the De Long Point, had been
sustained after thoro investigation by
the present Chickamauga and Chatta-
nOoga Park Commission, whose findings
and conclusions were approved by the
Secretary of War This action will To-
cate the Turchin Brigade tablet on the
crest road, rs feet north of the OBJ
servation tower on the De Long Point
and 2,025 feet north of where the tablet
is now located.
Fifteen years ago. or, to give dates,
in September. 1892. Gen. Turchin and
several soldiers of his old brigade went
over the battle-ground and after an in
vestigation and measuring from point
to point the General asked the Parl;
Commission to place the tablet of his
request was denied Two years later
Gen. Turchn and about 40 members of
his old command, in a petition, claimed
the De Long Point o. the place cap
tured by his brigade. Again he was
turned down, in long report signed
by the Chairman of the Commission,
which was approved by the War De-
partment July 2, 1896 A year later
Gen. Turchin presented the matter to
ar1t r T
Foraker, who commanded a company
in the assault and capture of the De
Long Point. Secretary Alger referred
the matter to Col. II. NJ Duffield, who
reported adversely to the claim, and
the Secretary of War approved his re-
port.
Gen. Turchin's health prevented his
attendance at the Annual Reunion of
the Brigade Association, and a commit
tee consisting of one comrade from each
regiment and Gen. Turchn were duly
chosen and authorized to prepare and
present to the Secretary of War evil
dence in support of our claim of hay-
ing taken the De Long Point, on Mis-
sion Ridge. and to be known as the
Historical Committee of the Brigade
Association. Comrade S. F. Stewart
was chosen Chairman of the commit
tee, and his effective work has demon
strated the wisdom of his comrades in
selecting their Chairman He soon be-
came convinced that the military map
which accompanied Gen Grants Off
cial report of the battle was Topographic
ically wrong, and the map made by
Gen. Turchin was correct, but the trou-
bic was to convince the War Depart
ment and the Park Commission of that
fact. Comrade Stewart Travelled hun
dreds, yes, perhaps more than 1000
miles, made numerous trips to Chatta-
nooga. measured Mission Ridge again
and again for miles. and altogether has
prepared and presented more than 500
naSeS of typewritten evidence in sup
port of our claim. to the War Depart
ment and to the Park Commission. re-
Guesting an investigation of the same
Tor years, Comrade Stewart says. most
of the letters he received from the War
department or from the Park Com
mission on that subject contained the
information that two Sec
retaries Of War have fully investigated
YOUR claim and decided against YOU"
Only within three years has Chairman
Stewart been able to furnish proof of
I he Typographical errors in the Grant
map, and. strange to state, after he ha
discovered and proved these errors by
measuring the Ridge ne found, thru
senator Foraker, further and conclu-
siye proof of it in the War Department
N map of survey of the boulevard
along the crest of the Ridge made by
he Park Engineer Is years ago, but
ignored by the former Park Commission
al these years.
L am sure that every comrade of the
old brigade will join Chairman Stewart
in his closing paragraphs: I'VE regret
that our gallant brigade commander is
not with US TO enjoy the knowledge of
his vindication."-S. A. Mcneil. Secre-
.ary, Turchin's Brigade Association
Redwood, o..