The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1913-07-24

A weeks celebration, which Louis.
Williams declare will be the greatest
and most spectacular In the history
OF celebrations In America, will be
held in the Kentucky metropolis for
seven days, commencing September
20. and will be the climax OF Sc
ries OF celebrations held In dozen
lake cities. to commemorate the suf
ferings and victories OF American
arms in the War OF 1912 as well as
20 focus attention on the achieve
ments OF century OF peace. The
crucial and decisive engagement Of
the War of 1912 was the battle Of the
Thames. fought and won on Canadian
soil October 8. 1913 The series OF
celebrations. which will be held In
America will close in Louisville, Octo-
Der 8. 1918, and just one hundred
years from the hour that Col Richard
NJ Johnston. afterward Vice President
OF the United States. slew the Indian
chief Tecums sch. President Woodrow
Wilson will probably be addressing n
crowd OF 100000 people In Louisville,
the home OF many OF the troops who
fought In the battle of the Thames.
Kentucky was assigned the closing
and choice date OF the celebration
because Of the distinguished part
played by the Kentuckians in the War
Of 1912. Kentucky began 10 play her
part In the generation before the war
opened. when she sent Gen. George
Rogers Clark and other Louisville
soldiers into the hostile wilderness
which they wrested from the French
and Indians and out OF which was aft
erward carved the great States Of
Ohio. Indiana. Illinois. Wisconsin and
Michigan
Kcntucky was the last state which
could have benefited from the war. In.
nsmuch rs II was brought about chief.
" by the British imprcssment of
American scamen. none OF whom
were Kcutuckians. whereas should
war prevail the unfriendly Indians on
the frontier OF the border states could
be expected to commit atrocities from
which Kentucky had already received
the name Dark aud Bloody Ground
However. IL was chiefly Henry Clay, In
the Kentucky Congress onal Dclega.
ton that forced prgsidout Madison %
declare the second war with Great
Britain. and Kentucky furnished for.
q per cent Of her fighting population
10 go into that war. aud AZ the close
Of the war of the listed dead more
than eighty per cent were the names
Of Kcnuckians Kentucky troops 10
man were massaCrcd AT the River
Ralsln and again at the FIRST attack
on Fort Mcigs
when the time came TO man Porrys
ncw-howu ships. he selected KentuCk
iaus unaccu-tomed TO the motion OF
the lakes To mount into the insecure
rigging and from that vantage point,
with their praCticcd eye and unerring
aim. fired down upon the British and
won the battle OF Lake Erie. Prao-
tically every officer and soldier in the
battle OF the Thames was kentuck.
ian. excepting alone Gen. William
Henry Harrison. who. however. held
his commission as Maior-General from
the kentucky legislature. The charge
OF the Forlorn Hope, about the brief
est. most terrible and most heroic at
tack narrated in the annals OF war
fare, consisted exclusively of Ken
lucky soldiers when nineteen Of them
and their twenty horses went down
10 certain death II was the Ken.
lucky sharpshooters who are credited
with having won the battle OF New
Orleans after the war had In reality
closed
Kentucky proposes to reproduce
most OF these scenes of the war OF
1912 In the Louisville celebration. The
battle OF the Thames will be repro
duced on land in Cherokee Park, to-
geographically situated similar to the
land on which was fought the battle
OF the Thames. and every detail of
the sham battle will be as nearly
historically correct as can be done.
Louisville will take advantage OF her
magnificent river frontage in order
TO celebrate suitably the battle OF
Lake Erie. The actual battle will be
depicted In a gorgeous entertainment
of fireworks and all morning and all
afternoon preceding the engagement
there will be boat races. life saving
feats and aquatic sports. A historical
pageant, depicting various scenes OF
the war of 1912 will also include a
magnificent floral parade, such as
made Louisville famous year ago.
and will include civic and military
parades many miles in length. Drills
and exercises by 10000 costumct
school children will be held In the
First Regiment Armory; a mammoth
reception will be given to the descend
onts OF Kentucky soldiers and sailors
of the war OF 1912, and series o;
costumed balls will be given In Their
honor.
Exceedingly low railroad rates,
probably as low as one cent per mile.
from a distance OF several hundred
miles OF Louisville. will be granted
and efforts are being made to secure
TO other Kentucky points rates from
Louisville for the week Immediately
following the celebration, TO enable