The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-11-12

any q the Northern states ia our Civil
TIE GREAT STATE or rlsAsYLvANIA.

THE GREAT STATE or PLsksylNANlA.
PENNSYLVANIA was in advance Of
effective measures for prosecuting the
war, Tor the Gaze ut her soldiers, cent
more men % the field than any oth"r
state. who we're more systematic 10
their organization That STATE was first
To send commi-, ions 10 the a'm'es TO
special care If war soldiers, and provided
that every soldier Of hers, who shouli
die ia camp or on field, should 80 taken
to hi home for sepultufe at state *
pense.
WHAT TWO DESTITUTE ORPHANS pIp
Not only so bot Pennsylvania has
been foremost ia provij.ag To- o'phanr
of soldiers TSO destitute orp ian- were
the pioneers IN this grand aud glorious
undertaking One SUNDAY morning ~
Gov. Curtin. Penny lyaEiA'S whf doN-r-
nor. was on his Nay L. church h- war
approached 10y two d.. titute orphans
whose fathers were Killed In the army
That was their simple pea bat IL cGught
the ear and touched the heat ~ that
splendid man They We're sup lied, aud
thu thought OF provisions enf schools
for the hund, eds 81 Others, Were they
could be- cared for. made tie Impress
upon him and he went t0 wOrh Tor thelf
construction. II wa one oi lis recon
mendatiOns in his message 10 TIE lrgis-
lature. VIII ch at first did not 'AForahly
impress the members, bnt triOfe tn
consideration IL that suit ct. over one
hundred Of these helpless ones being con-
l.. Q .sf.. IaIf rUI
was more eloquent than word. and the
members were filed with Ire ~ en-
thusiasm that increased nriil ample
provisions had been made s. here the
orphans ware educated and entered tae
business liz eqlal 70 the more fortunate
children.
Thee thng- looking alter the soldier
ia times Oi war. and hls de- ii'ute or
phan In times Of peace. did not impoV-
ershed the state that went 10 war
uader debt I nearly forty millions, on
the contrary today Il il OLE OF the
wealthiest states in the Union aud prac-
tlcally free from debt
THE PURPOSE OF THE GATHERING.
The speaker then stated that the vet
erans of the Blue aud Gray had met TO
unveiI a monument TO commemorate the
valor Of the Pennsylvania soldier made
memorable 10y his suitsring-. sacrifice
and daring deeds upon the BATTLEFIELD OF
Fredericksburg. He knew thai the vet
Grams OF the Gray would not shudder'
at the monument TO be unveiled. The
splendid harmony and good soliiery
feeling have long slnce passed that point
and now we can unite IN doing honor 10
the true soldier oibOth sides Oithecontest
"There are Ike monuments on every
important battlefield II the Civil War.
many erected to the heroic soldiers OF
Lee. and many erected to the heroic
soldiers OF Grant. They no longer stand
as monuments OF triumph for either the
Blue or the GRAY. but are accepted by
every veteran OF the North aud South as
monuments OF heroisim OF our American
soldiery.
A MONUMENTAL PROPHECY.
Col. Mcclure closed with 8 thought
that will thrill the hearts OF the South.
Hear him:
The day is not far distant when the
statue OF Lee, the most beloved Of all
Southern men, who stands In history to-
day abreast with the few graf soldiers
ui the nineteenth century, will grace the
streets Of our national capital along
with that OF Grant as a tribute OF the
Nation to the greatness OF American
commanders, aud hope at an early day
to see Virginia and Pennsylvania unite
In placing on Seminary Hill, at 1ettys-
burg, an equestrian statue OF Lee, with
the right CONCEDED to the South toembeI-
ieh that memorable field with s'atues
OF her herioe leaders"
The exercises ended with "Auid Lang
Syne" and benedction. and thus closed
one of the most interesting events con
nected with the war which has occurred
here since hostilities closed in 1865.
THE MONUMENT
The monument Il situated In the cehter
OF the National Cemetery. IL If ~ stony
Greek Connecticut granite, hone fnlsh
surmouDted by an heroic statue oi Bri-
gsder- General Andrew Atkinson Hum
phreys, Bird Division, 9th Army Corps.
The monument stands 20ieet In height.
the bronzed statue being Q ieet thepedes
,al and base about II feet. On the front
OF the monument is the following In
scriptiOn.
Erected by Pennsylvania tocommem
crate the charge OF Gen. Humphreys
Division Of the 9th Corps on Marve's
Heights. Fredericksburg. Va. Dec. 18th.
1852. 184th, 129tb. 126th, Dist, 1alst,
183rd, 123rd, 155th Pennsylvania
Volunteer Infantry"
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