The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1913-08-20
4. A. R. ENCAMPMENT
HELD next MONTH
DR.. S., j. HILL OF THIS CITY is
ASSISTANT ADJuTANT GEN
ERAL - CHATTANOOGA WHERE
ENCAMPMENT WILL BE, HAS
MUCH OF HISTORIC INTEREST.

The forty seventh annual G. A. r.
encampment will for the first time in
it's history this year be held in the
south, Sept. Is to 20. Chattanooga,
where the famous battles of Mission
Ridge, Lookout Mountain, and Bloody
Chickamauga were found is to be the
scene of the coming convention. 1t
IS quite unique that the south should
entertain the G. A. r. fifty years after
the close of the war.
Fargo people are very much inter-
ested in the coming convention as DR..
S. J. Hill of this city is assistant ad
jutant general and G. c.. Vallanding-
ham Of Valley City Is adepartment
commander. The late e, C. Gearey
was a member of the National Council
of Administration.
The very dates selected by the, Off
cials Of the Grand Army cover the fif-
t1eth anniversary of the last named
battle. viz. Chickamauga-Sept. 1920,
1853.
1t is probable that the attendance of
about 100000 at the confederate reun-
ion will be largely surpassed in Sep
have drawn crowds ranging from 20O,-
coo to 100000 visitors, even though
held in cities which could not vie with
Chattanooga in scenic attractions,
transportation facilities. or historic as
sociations.
In view of this enormous influx of
visitors 1t is well to point out Chatta-
nooga's preparedness. The executive
committee of the Incorporated En-
campment association is composed in
large part Of the leaders who served in
similar capacity in May. The records,
properties, employees and experience
are all carried forward into the new
organization, thus assuring that blum
ders due to inexperience will be obvi-
ated. The confederate reunion welded
the public spirited people of this city
together into one enthusiastic unit
capable of doing things in an even bet
ter, bigger and Drawer way. No vet
eran or other visitor need doubt the
city's cordiality or ability-Chattanoo
ga has whole-souled determination
to make the first G. A. r. encampment
in the real south, epochal in respect to
attendance and enjoyment.
OF the historic scenes around Chat
tanooga which appeal not only to those
who fought in the civil war but TO
the public generally, Chickamauga
may well be placed in the front On
this field there fell in round numbers
$4,000 men, which, when divided,
shows about 25 per cent of each army
and 81 per cent on each side Of the
troops actually engaged. Then there
are Lookout mountain, the scene of
thrilling charge by the federal troops
against obstinate defense; Missionary
ridge, stormed by the northern troops
without orders, and taken. Casualties
in all the battles of the Chattanooga
district numbered about 47,000. Part
of the field of Chickamauga is now oc-
cupied by garrison of United States
regular troops, this post soon to be
increased for a brigade. Many thou
sand acres form a government reser-
walton, the Chickamauga- Chattanooga
National Military park, on which there
are. 1000 memorials, and monuments
in memory of the troops who fought
lon the bloody ground. Beautiful wind
ing roads give access to the points of
interest throughout, following in as
large degree as possible the roads of
war time. Lookout mountain ~ and
Missionary ridge, in part, are included
in the historic ground which now has
government attention. A crest road
on Missionary ridge, affords one of the
view of the entire valley,
including city and river.
Silent but eloquent testimony to the
operations around Chat
tanooga is found in the National
cemetery, where lie buried about 10000 |
soldiers under the sod of a beautiful |
rolling tract in the city itself but with |
IN cannon shot of all the battles of the |
and in a we'll ordered con- |
sederate cemetery, where an attrac- |
i've entrance and large monument |
mark the south's devotion to her be-
owed defenders.