The National tribune., 1908-11-19
STATUE OF GEN. HUMPHREYS.
A Monument to Pennsylvania's GaIlan
Sons.


A Monument to Pennsylvania's Gallant
Sons.
Wednesday, Nov. II, was a great
lay for Pennsylvania and a great day
for Fredericksburg, Va. Dec. 13, 1852.
almost exactly 4S years before. Hum
phreys's Division of the Fifth Corps,
and largely composed of Pennsylva-
mans, made what has seemed in some
respects the most gallant and deter
mined of all the assaults upon the dead
v Stone Wall at the foot of Marye's
flights. Humphreys Division was
largely composed of new troops and
hat was their first battle. Gen. Hum
phreys himself was magnificent speci-
men of the soldier and scholar. He
vas man in whom courage was intel
lectual. and, therefore. rose to the
highest plane. When he received his
orders to assault the wall before which
other troops had recoiled, he recognized
that the only chance of success was the
desperate one of leading his men
forward with the bayonet. If the wall
only by the bayonet. He infused this
idea into his subordinates and they
went farward with determination.
they rose to the highest plane of
| heroism. Nothing mortal could stand
the tempest of death which beat from
Marye's Hights, but it is claimed that
the dead of Humphreys Division lay a
few feet nearer the wall than those of
any other body of troops. The Legislature
IfNf Dam
erect statue in the National Cemetery
to Gen. Humphreys and which would
be at the same time a monument to
the splendid valor of the men whom
he led. Humphreys was a son of Penn
sylvania, of whom the State could well
feel proud.
The Monument.
The monument is near the center
of the National Cemetery and is of
Connecticut granite. 1t stands 20 feet
in hight with the statue occupying nine
feet and the pedestal and base IL feet.
The bronze statue of Gen. Humphreys
is a fine work of art and received high
praise from all who saw it. On the
front of the pedestal is inscribed:
Erected by Pennsylvania to COM
memorate the charge of Cen Hum
phreys's Division of the Fifth Corps on
Marye's Hights. Fredericksburg, Va,
Dec. 13, 1862. 134th, 129th. 126th,
S1st, 131st, 1880, 123d, 155th Pennsyl-
vania Infantry"
The Legislature of Pennsylvania also
made an appropriation for the trans
portation, free, of every survivor of the
Division from his home in Pennsyl-
vania to Fredericksburg and back.
The veterans, many of them accom-
panied by their wives and children.
began to arrive on Tuesday evening and
hoy ttn nif Il
reception. The Court House was the
meeting place, and there the PennsyI-
vanians were greeted by the resident
ConfederateS. On Wednesday morning
Gov. Stuart, of Pennsylvania, and his
staff arrived by special train and
this was followed by another special
train conveying President George F.
Baer, of the Philadelphia e Reading
X. R., and his party consisted of his
wife, Admiral Schley, Gen. Oliver and
a number of other prominent men,
From Pittsburg came IS passenger
coaches bringing 500 survivors of the
Division. Altogether about 1900 visf-
tors We're present. There came on a
drifting rain which marred the
pleasure of the occasion, but the skies
cleared later as the hour for marching
approached. The resident Confederate
veterans and the Fredericksburg COM
pany of the Virginia National Guard
appeared as escort to the visiting vet |
Grams. and the line of parade was near |
ly mile long, with over 1,500 men in |
line. About 5000 people gathered in |
the cemetery. and the exercises were |
presided over by President George F. |
Raer, who was Captain of Co. e. 1880 |
Pa. and led his company in the charge |
on the stone wall. The invocation was
pronounced by Rev. j. Richards BOYLE, |
ID. D., Past Chaplain-in-Chie G. A.
r.. and Maj. Robert w. Hunter. repre-
senting the Governor of Virginia. de-
livered an address of welcome which
was an oratorical gem Judge John T. I
Goodrich. of Fredericksburg, made a |
fine address of welcome on the part of |
the Confederates. He was highly con-
by Gov Stuart, President
Baer and others. President Raer then
for the Commission delivered an adj
dress. thoughtful and soldierly in char
acter. which reviewed the history of
the battle, and concluded by transfer
ring the monument to Gov. Stuart for
he Commonwealth of PENNSYLVANIA.
Gov. Stuart made an excellent speech
IN receiving the monument. and then
Gen. Robert Shaw Oliver, Assistant
Secretary of War, made a speech of
acceptance on behalf of the United
States Government. Col. Alexander X.
formerly editor of the Phila-
1elphia Times, delivered a fine oration.
descriptive of the charge of Humph-
'eys's Division. and setting it alongside
IF Pickett's charge for the loftiest hero
sm. At the conclusion of President
Baer's address the cord attached to tHe
covering was pulled by Miss Leti'ia
daughter of Gen. Humph-
'eys The flags covering the mnnu-
nent fell apart. and revealed the beau
iful and artistic creation, when the
'and struck up "The Star Spangled