The National tribune., 1909-06-03
THE MONUMENT TO THE REGU-
LARS AT1GETTYSBURG.


LARS AT1GETTYsBURG.
The dedication of the monument TO
the Regular troops at Gettysburg on
Memorial Day was made a great occa-
sion. with the principal address by
President Taft. fIn this the President
reviewed the history of the Regular
Army, and spoke of the glorious ser
vice which # had been to the country.
If we had had a Regular Army OF TO-
600 men in the War Of 1872 we could
have captured Canada and spared our
selves many humiliations we endured
in that war, as well as the great ex-
pense of raising a paper army Of 400,-
600 or 500, 900 men. The Regular Army
gave us our brilliant successes in Mex
leo, and after the civil war 1t opened
up the entire Western country, and
made possible all. the civilization that
has come to that unbrOken wilderness.
1t was absurd to have the apprehen-
sions in regard to the Regular Army
that our fathers entertained when the
Constitution was framed. The Regular
Army could never be dangerous to the
people of this country, while, on the
other hand, it had been and could be
of the greatest possible service to them.
More than half of the Regular Army
was engaged at Gettysburg. and its
fighting there was worthy of its high
reputation There is nowhere a stain
on the escutcheon of the Regular Army
wherever it has been called to duty,
whether in the Indian-haunted West,
on the hills of Santiago or in the jun
giles of the Philippines.
The monument was unvailed by Miss
Helen Taft, while the 18th Coast Artil-
lery Band played The Star Spangled
Banner" The National salute was fred
by Battery D of the Sd U. s. Art. Secre-
tary Of War Dickinson made an address,
transferring the monument to the Get
tysburg Commission, which was ac-
cepted by Leut-Col. John P. Nickel
son. The President drove over the field
accompanied by his brother and Repre-
sentative Daniel F. La Feal. Maj.-Gen.
J. Franklin Bell and Brig.-Gen. w. w.
Wotherspoon went with the party to
point out the places of special interest
and give an outline of the battle. The
automobile trip lasted two hours, dur
ing which the party. covered about 30
miles.
In his address Secretary of War Dick
inson, speaking from Southern stand
point, pointed out the evils which would
have followed the establishment of
Southern Confederacy. He said:
"The veryocornerstone was of laminae
principle, ordained to disintegratfon.
Commercial and other conditions would
as now have brought about the dissolv-
ing of the Confederacy. What would
have come from this we can only con-
lecture, butdt is we'll within the bounds
of reason that the good would have
been dwarfed In comparison with the
evil. 3ius - !E
There would have been hate and
rivalry between the North and South
as intense as ithatobetween France and
Germany, with a asborder line far more
extended, people less amenable to con-
troll, and causes for friction more nu-
merous. A Gordon of forts would have
stretched from the Atlantic to the west
ern border of Texas. Army and naval
establishments would have devoured
the substance of the people, and mill
ernment. The civilization OF ali the
States would have developed on differ
ent and more critical lines"
The following are the inscriptions on
the monument:
Erected by the Congress to commem-
crate the services of that portion of the
Army of the Potomac composed of cav
airy. artillery. infantry and engineers
of the Regular Army CT the United
States in the Gettysburg campaign.
June-July, 1868.
The artillery, consisting Of 26 bat
teries, was distributed over the field
among the several army corps, and
placed in position where their services
were most needed. Brig.-Gen. Henry
J. Hunt, Chief, of Artillery.
-Four regiments of cavalry, under
Brig.-Gen. Wesley Merritt, took posi-
ton on the right flank of the Confeder-
ate line of battle.
Eleven regiments of infantry were
on the field. 20 with the Second Divi-
sion, Fifth Corps, and one at headquar-
-ers, Army of the Potomac.
Battalion of U. S. Engineers, Capt |
George III. Mendell, commanding. Cas-
Ialties: Killed, II officers, 159 enlisted
men; wounded, 81 officers, SCI enlisted !
men; missing, six officers. 275 enlisted |
men.
Tablets bearing the names of the AZ |
organizations and the names of their |
Small monuments, one for each Of the |
in the Gettysburg campaign, |
ire erected, one at the location each |
occupied during the battle.