The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1913-12-04
The Gettysburg National Park.

The Gettysburg National Park.
The Gettysburg National Park, includ-
ng the Soldiers Cemetery, has been con-
secrated for all time by the heroism of
the American soldiers. The State Of
pennsylvania and the Federal Govern
ment have joined hands in erecting on
tnis spot the most deliberately and accu-
rately marked battlefield in the world
ana 1t has more monuments and mem.
orlals than all other battlefelds in the
world. The position of every body of
troops of the Federal army has been dis
tlnctly outlined and the movements of
tne opposing armies can be clearly
traced today. The United States Com
mlssloners are now engaged in mapping
out the relative positions of the Confed-
crate soldiers with view to perpetual
ing the desperate and heroic, though
fruitless, efforts of the Confederates for
supremacy. The Gettysburg Battlefield
memorial Association was Incorporated
oy the Legislation of Pennsylvania to
noio and preserve the backgrounds of
Gettysburg with the natural and artif-
cial defences as they were at the time of
the battle, and to erect such memorial
structures as generous and patriotic
people may aid to erect, to commemorate
the heroic deeds and struggles, and the
trlumphs of their brave defenders. An
preparations from nearly all the States
whose troops were engaged here, to-
gether with sum raised by the sale of
certificates of stock, placed at the dispo
sal OF this association total of $780,
ooG, all of which was expended in the pur
chase, Improvement and maintenance of
the grounds, so that in 1895, when by
deed of conveyance their holdings were
made over to the United States. thew
had acquired about 800 acres of the most
important parts of the field and had con-
structed II miles of avenues and erected
more than 800 monuments. February
., 1875, Congress provided By special an
actment for the estab ishment of the
Gettysburg National Park, to be in
charge OF a Commission appointed bv the
Secretary of War, who under his direc-
TINS were to superintend the opening
OF additional roads, mark the lines of
battles of all the troops, and acquire
lands occupied by infantry cavalry and
artillery and such other lands as NAV be
deemed necessary to preserve the inn
portant features of the battlefield. In
the National Park more than 500 memo
rial shafts and tablets. in addition to
1000 markers and tablets, representing
more than one million do .ars, have been
erected. They are constructed of marble.
stone and bronze. Many of them have
been erected at great expense and are
Very handsome. When completed there
will be more than ], 200 miles of macada-
mlzed driveway at Gettysburg Five
steel towers for observation have recent
ly been erected by the Government at
the highest points of the battlefield.
Seminary Ridge is guarded here and
there by guns; Cemetery Hill has it's
earthWorks yet intact: Culps Hill retains
its bullet-scarred trees; Cemetery Ridge !
has long line of monuments; @Little
Roundtop is surmounted by a bronze
statue of its brave defender, Genl War
rem, Big Round Top has on the summit
steel tower which affords fine view of
all the field; Devils Den is marked by it's
bullet-scarred boulders; the Peach Or
chard the wheat field, the whirlpool of
death, the bloody angle-every part of
the field tells its story of haroism, of
blood and death which will live as long
as valor stirs the human heart and show
the loving care of a generous people in
erecting monuments to the heroic dead
and preserving and adjoining a spot that
will be ever memorable as the high water
mark OF the Rebellion. Gettysburg it.
self is replete with mementoes of the
battle. Here is to be seen the house in
which Jennie Wade was killed. the John
Burns house, the Wilk house in which
Lincoln wrote his famous address-in
fact, all the churches, school houses and
other buildings used as hospitals. The
memoria. church of the Prince of Peace
has been erected as a memorial of all
soldiers who fell at Gettysburg and con.
tains on its walls many tablets of indi-
vidual heroes. Gettysburg has good
Motel accommodations. All important
places can be reached by trolly and auto
mobiles are now used to carry visitors
to all parts of the grounds.
AN OLD VETERAN.
who was at Gettysburg in July, 1863, and
July, 1918.