The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1913-09-25
n#Ecrs II The Merit: G:sG;iaa ds::gS-
b;fg Battle Ground Commission.

BURG Battle Ground Commission.
Raleigh, N. c., July IA, 1918.
To the Governor.
Sir:-The Commissions appoint
ed by your .lcncy under JOINT
Resolution Ill, Public Laws, 1913,
respectfully make the following re-
port of their actions and proceed
ings:
In relays the members of the Com
mission, between June 19 and July
8, 1918, visited Gettysburg, Pennsyl-
vania, and the fields around the
place upon which were fought the
great battles 'of July 1, 2 and 3,
1868. The Commissioners had no
difficulty in identifying the several
points on those battlefelds where
North Carolina soldiers marched
and fought, and they are satisfied
after careful examination and III
spection of the grounds, Of official
reports of those battles made by
officers, Union and Confederate, and
after the examination Of witnesses
who were participants, that North
Cardinals claims that her troops
bore the brunt Of the first days
battle and suffered greater losses in
killed and wounded in the three days
battles than did the troops of any
other State; that on the late evening
of July End, they pierced and broke
the Federal infantry lines on East
Cemetery Hill and captured several
pieces of artillery; and that they adj
vanced as far, or farther, than any
other troops engaged in Longstreet' S
Assault on the Afternoon Of the third
days battle, are all we'll founded.
To mark by substantial tablets
the several positions Of the North
Carolina troops which the Commits
sioners wish to emphasize, was de-
MED them by the Gettysburg Ma
tional Park Commission under their
regulations concerning the location
of tablets and monuments proposed
to be erected on the battlefield and
inscriptions on such tablets and
monuments. This decision Of the
Gettysburg National Park Commits
sion was not made on the GROUND
that North Cardinals claims are net
accurate and true. That question
was not considered.
The Commissioners had gone t
| Gettysburg with tablets OF L tempo
rary character already prepared fol
the purposes above mentioned to IL
substituted afterwards by more per
manent ones Of stone or bronze
They carried with them alsu otile
material and things necessary 70
the carrying out Of the above men
toned resolution.
There is appended the p&inph'e
containing the regulations un3e
which the National Commissioner
acted in their refusal to allow tn
North Carolina Commissioners t
erect the proposed tablets, and yon
Excellency's attention is special
directed to sections Is, l6. IT and L
The Commissioners, feeling tbs
. justice TO the North Carolina trocI
and proper regard for the truth {
history entitle them to erect the=
markers, propose to make furtEe
efforts to have them placed in lroI
4 er positions on the battlefield. Wit
this end in view they conteinpla.
J taking up the matter with the Fec
I eral authorities and will prepare, t
support this request fer memo1ia
: on the ground, full statement, a.
: companied by maps, official repoi t
- affidavits and other evidence Of II
"A part taken by North Carolina trooi
> in the battles around Gettysburg.
The States Commissioners invite
y Hon. Walter Clark, vino has dol
y more to put into permanent for
T. historical accounts Of the numbe
: and deeds of our soldiers than ar
other citizen Of the State, to jo
> them at Gettysburg for purposes
y consultation. They also employs
. Mr.. c. 3. Park as artiticer and prs
y tical helper on the ground.
Il Several members of the Commi
sion attended the Commemorate
Of the Fiftieth Anniversary of tt
Il battles.
porrco&F,,11x,