Evening star., 1914-07-26

passed. but the whole face Of the country is
changed. Scrub oak and pine are springins up
A few decreplt houses and leaning chimneys
are ar a that remain Of the once &C., fieasan v,aee et
house itself is half ruined; its roof going to de-
ening at distant day to fall in the general
and mortar half hidden by weeds alone m mark r.
s Ialnsd, @ their families bessa4sa and themssiyss
pressions Of sympathy in their misfortune ~
Centerville is even more of desert. Once q
slope ss or his ridge and @e summarizing nm view Of
fertile valleys for many miles We tb it sand and
asnns 6'ns nenees e ss0"5 of IN" 'A
The first Bull Run field has been stripped
n4se se H se rne Of IL the
miles beyond toward Warrenton. is more dis
tinctly marked with traces of battle Here the the
splintcred and in many places the forest looks as
If having been visited by smallpox.
The bones of soldiers of both armies are scat
tered over the fields and one may find skulls
enough to build a monument.
There was submitted to Congress in 1902
a memorial that these monuments which
stand on private land and are under the
protection of the families owning those
lands. should be taken over and cared
for by the government. In that me-
mortal it was urged that the government
is bound by the highest dictates OF
honor and propriety to care for the said
monuments, and to carry out the patri-
otic and pous purposes Of its servants,
who caused the erection of the same In
order that said purpose may be fully ap-
parent, the following quotation is made
from the special service prepared for
the occasion the conservation of the
monument:
Dearly beloved, forasmuch as devoat and
patriotic men. with the consent and appreciation
Of the authorities. moved by the inspiration of
the Blessed Spirit and their love Of country and
of the natural decency of things. have inclosed
this field in which repose the remains OF tne!r
given their lives in sacrifice to the cause Of
union and liberty, and have also erected these
monuments and separated them from all unhal
lowed and common uses, in order to testify their
regard and I'LL mems minds with greater rever-
hearts with more u Devotion which pcns and ',i pa
triotic work has been approved OF and graciousy
accepted by our Heavenly Father. let US not
manner. and lei W Us faithfaily and ID devoutiy beg
His blessing our undertaking."
In connection with that memorial of
1902. Albert N. Seip. who had been a
Signal Corps officer. and was then living
at 1904 T street in this city. submitted
historic facts worthy of narration and
preservation. He said that in the spring
of 1885 he was a signal officer in the De-
partment of Washington. attached to the
Stdli Ol IeH CrdITDle, commanding tno
1st Separate Brigade. with headquarters
at Fairfax Court House. The battlefields
Of the first and second Bull Ru lay only
a few miles to the west of that headquar-
ters. "and we frequently had duties in that
neighborhood and frequently escorted
parties from Washington visiting those
famous fields. which at that time abound
ed in skulls and other human bones"
Mr.. Seip tells of the determination
among the soldiers in the camps around
a ny no 1o ,CS f11St
across the river from Washington to
crest mouments on those backgrounds.
and then he tells how the work was done
by the men and officers. He kept diary
and the following facts concerning the
dedication of the monuments is from that
diary:
ION the 10th instant dune. 1850 the I'd In
fantry Band from Gen Meade's headquarters ar
ceremonies of the monuments erected at Bull Run
by the troops Of our command. On Sunday.
Washington and, a procession being formed, we
moved forward toward the battlefield. The
1861 was erected near Mrs. nenry's house within
a short distance of the spot where l'irketts
and Grifhn's batteries Tegulars) were captured
and upon the field where the principal contest
after had been eomeled to a
was constructed out Of red Stones, trimmed with
stone hammers, and was in height about twenty
feet. hundred-pound Parr3tt shell snrmounts
field are embedded at the base. Upon white
shield is this inscription: In Memory OF the
Patriots .,I Who Fell at Bull Run July q, 1851
vanced with arms reversed to the monument, pre-
ceded by the Rev. DIR. McMurdy. who conducted
the impressive funeral services in very solemn
manner, The surplice worn by him was used
In WashingtOn's church and the stole the
same at the funeral OF President Lincoln
After lunch the Groveton monument. erect
ed near the railroad where many of
men killed, wis dedicated with similar
ceremonies; The shaft is about fifteen feet high.
surmounted by pyramid OF shot and shell gath
cred from the field. The inscription it bears is
In Memory of the Patriots Who Fell at Grove
ton August %. 20 and 80, 1852 All our dead
rcverently buried by our brigade"
Lieut.. Seip had a copy of the photo
graph which hangs in the library Of the
War Department taken at the dedication
Of the monuments.
A number of the names of the soldier
masons and soldier-laborers on these
monuments have been preserved The
stone for the Groveton monument was
taken out of cuvert on the unfinished
railroad One of the workmen, Samuel
Brown of Dime. Armstrong county. Pa,