Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1911-05-26
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association Incorporated by the legislature Of
Pennsylvania and this patriotic organization had
expended more than 100000, had acquired 6OO
acres Of land and erected more than three nun.
dred monuments when in 1896 the congress OF
the United States provided for the establishment
of Gettysburg National park and placed it under
the direction of the secretary OF war.
A magnificent park has now been constructed
which encloses the widest limits OF the battle
field and the erection of memorials and markers
still goes on. In the soldiers cemetery alone
more than four hundred memorial shafts and
tablets and more than one thousand markers
have been set up at q cost aggregating several
million dollars When the present scheme OF
roadways Is completed there will be between 100
and, $50 miles Of nne macadamised highway ex-
tending to every part of the battlefield. while five
iron observation towers on various parts OF the
field enable sightseers to enjoy the birdseye
views which are helpful In enabling one to
understand the movements Of the opposing forces
that made up the far-fung battle line
The cemetery in dedicating which Abraham
Lincoln delivered the immortal address familiar
to every American originally contained the bodies
of 1856 soldiers removed from all parts OF the
field where they had been hastily buried The
number Of graves has been greatly increased since
that date and there is yet ample space for the
veterans who may desire to rest at the scene
Of the supreme struggle between the Union and
the Confederacy. One of the features Of the
national cemetery is the ivy-clad rostrum-a
memorial shrine for the dead who sleep around
It and which is used for the exercises held each
Memorial day.
The battle of Gettysburg is Of such compare
lively recent date that vivid reminders Of 1t are
to be found on all sides. The little dwellings,
occupied as headquarters by Generals Meade and
Lee respectively are yet standing in an excellent
state Of preservation; the earthworks on Gene
terry hill are yet intact Culps hill still holds It's
bullet-scarred trees and the buletmarked boul-
ders are to be seen on every hand at the Devils
Den. Plans have also been made for the accu-
rate restoration of those portions Of the field
such az the famous peach orchard which figured
conspicuously in the battle. but were obliterated
or lost much Of their old-tme semblance In the
days following the war and before the launching
of the project for perpetuating the battlefield az
one of the most interesting object lessons Of
American history
A boon enjoyed by presentday visitors to Get
tysburg that will be sadly missed by those sight
seers who come q generation hence is the pres
ence on the battlefield as guides Of veterans who
participated in the thick Of the fighting. To hear
these men recount their personal experiences anc
point out by the aid Of undimmed memory every
locality that figured in the crucial battle Of the
war Is to gain an impression more vivid and
thrilling than can be hoped for by those who
must depend for their knowledge Of this military
drama upon what they may have read in the
histories.