Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1913-10-01
NORTH CAROLINA AT GETTYSBURG.
Report Of the North Carolina Gettysburg
Battle Glound Commission.

To the Governor.
Sir: The commissioners ap-
pointed by your excellency under
joint resolution 81, public laws,
1913, respectfully make the fol-
lowing report of their actions and
proceedings:
In relays the members of the
commission, between June 10 and
July 8. 1918, visited Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania, and the fields
around the place upon which were
fought the great battles of July l.,
2 and 8, 1853. The commission
ers had no difficulty in Identify
ing the several points aud posi-.
tions on those battletields where
North Carolina soldiers marched
and fought, and they are satisfied
after . careful examination and
inspection of the grounds, of of.
fetal reports of those battles
made by officers. Union and Con.
federate, and after the examina.
tion of witnesses who were par
tioipants, that North Carolina's
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 eve-
ming of July ID, they pierced and
broke the Federal infantry lines
on East Cemetery Hill and cap
tured several pieces of artillery;
and that they advanced 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 substan tial tablets
the several positions of the North
Carolina troops which the com.
missioners wish to emphasize, was
denied them by the Gettysburg
National Park Commission under
their regulations concerning the
location of tablets and monu-
ments proposed to be erected on
the battlefield and the insorip-
tions on such tablets and monu.
ments. This decision of the Get
tysburg National Park Commits.
sion was not made on the ground
that North Cardinals claims are
not accurate and true. That
question was not considered.
The commissioners had gone to
Gettysburg with tablets of tenn
porary character already prepared
for the purposes above mentioned
to be substituted afterwards by
moro prominent ones of stone or
bronze. They carried with them
also other material and things
necessary for the carrying out of
the above mentioned resolution.
There is appended the pamphlet
containing the regulations under
which the National comm issioners
acted in their refusal to allow the
North Carolina commissioners to
erect the proposed tablets, and
your excellenoy's attention is
specially directed to sections Is,
10. II and 18.
The commissioners, feeling that
Justice to the North Carolina
troops and proper regard for the
truth of history entitle them to
erect these markers, propose to
make further efforts to have them
placed in proper positions on the
battlefield. With this end in
view they contemplate taking up
the matter with the Federal au-
thorities and will prepare, to sup
port this request for memorials on
the ground, full statement, ac-
companied by maps, official re-
ports, afhdavfts and other evil
dence of the part taken by North
Carolina troops in the battles
around Gettysburg.
The States Commissioners in.
vited Hon. Walter Clark, who
has done more to put into perma.
nent form historical accounts of
the mum bers and deeds of our sol.
diers than any other citizen of the
state, to join them at Gettysburg
for purposes of consultation
They also employed G. B. Park as
artificer and practical helper on
the ground.
Several members OF the com.
mission attended the commemora.
tion of the fiftieth anniversary of
the battles.
Respectfully submitted.