The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-13
.HOW|TzERS PLAN
HISTORIC MARCH
Battery Anxious to Hike From
Fredericksburg to Richmond
Over Battlchelds.
DEPENDS ON GOVERNOR MANN
Can Only Be Done if Men Are
Excused From Mt. Gretna
Encanpment.

Plans for q hike through the most
ing Land by the Richmond Howitzers,
tn, route being from Fredericksburg
I BY charlottesville and the Wilder
ness to SpotsylVania Courthouse, ana
( thence to Richmond, following lines
/ which formed almost one continuous
battlefield. The trip is contingent on
1 The Governors action on the request
, of thu battery that II be excused from
the Nit. Grctna encampment this sum-
mcr, as many of the soldiers would
he unable To get away from business
/ for two trips. The date OF the Bat
. tliield Hike" Will be set as far as pos
| sible to suit the convenience of Il
majority of the members OF the bat
terry, probably late in June.
start Mt Fredc ricI>sburg.
The plan under discussion provides
for 4 trip by special train to Fred
ericks burg. where the battery will
spend a day as guest Of the citizens
visiting the surrounding battle fields.
the Falmouth Heights surrounding
Chatham on the north bank of the
Rappahannock. the headquarters of
General Burnside. and on the other
side OF the town Maryes Heights. now
the site of the state Normal school.
Leaving Fredericksburg the battery
will march by way of the field of
salem Church to charlottesville,
and. passing the monument erected to
mark the spot where General stone
wall Jackson fell mortally wounded.
W IL camp on the field of the battle OF
the Wilderness, on Il farm owned by
Rev. James Power Smith, II. D., aide
on the stan of Jackson, and new
chaplain of the First Battalion, Field
Artillery.
Leaving the field of the Wilderness
the battery will he piloted by Dr..
Smith along the roads by which
Jackson made his famous dctour
which placed his army in the rear of
the Federal lines at charlottesville,
marching southeast TO SpotsylVania
Courthouse, and thence to Guinea
! station. where Jackson died. The
route thence south will follow the
Telegraph Road, known as con-
tnuous line of battle by Milford tn
Ashland. and thence by the field of
Yellow Tavern. where General j. Il. e.
stuart fell, into Richmond.
Twelve Miles Per Dny.
The marching distance is about
seventy-hve miles, and allowing
seven days, The average march will
he about twelve and onc-half miles
IA day, giving sufficient time for stops
at various points of special interest.
| The battery will carry three escort
wagons with rntions. one ambulance
one field gun for subcalibre practice,
and pistols for target work
Lectures are being planned for each
evening by some officer on the battle
field or scenes visited that day
1t is expected that a score or more
veterans OF the Confederate service
will accompany the battery on this
! trip as they d'd on the march down
the Valley several years ago, visiting
again the scenes OF some OF the
most famous battles of the war.
y committee is now outlining de-
tailed plans for the march, and will
mage Il report in few days
In 1907 the Howitzers marched from,
/ Richmond to the jamestown EXPOSE
/. ton, "a distance of 1874 miles, carving
iull equipment reaching the exposi-
ton ON Virginia day in time to par
tcipate. even though dust covered
aud travel stained, in the military re-
view of that day.
In 1908 the battery made an historic
march down the Valley OF Virginia
from stanton TO Alexandria, a dis
tance of l6S miles. carrying only
three escort wagons in lieu of guns
The hike now beng planned. il is an
ticipated. VIII be the most Interesting
yet undertaken, reversing as II does
an almost continuous line of battle
fields. including the almost continuous
lighting between Grant and Lee in
1851 over nearly the entire area.