The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-19

f''' y" We 49,
tysburg VIII again be
brought to public attention
carly in october. when the long
plannSd bronze static' of Cen. Alex
andcr Stewart Webb Will be set mp
with elaborate ceremony. For nifty
years granite and metal statues to
leaders in the h!g battle have ben
erected on the site - their brave
deeds until the total numocr reaches
the hundreds, airl tn, putting up uf
n new C1c often fails 10 rous' tn
enthusiasm expected.
But tho mpnuncnt t. Gen. Web,
IL regarded "a an epoch in Gcttys-
bug; remembrance, and especially $50
for Tho cry ~: New York. of which
the dcGd'Dtlc,r was a native and a
distinguished resident thrJushnut "a
long ami useful HE.
II has ,ot2 been conceded that the
pivotal poir; uf the great hattl" was
on thc.third day at tn" P'ouly Angie.
where pickctt's c|e.cnrit Il charge ot
a mile in, the face of a mur1,rous ar
tillcry lire vas halted and beaten
back. Gen. Webb was tie" prl',r IN
,'Abliiiiil 1T AtlsN ItNl''AN llltNllls SI''
Nobody has ever disputed the lauryls
and the hpuurs that were his due.
The mD"umrut To I've erect Il is Il
tardy recognition " his services.
New York state Yluro has over "a
hundred m num,uts. markers and
tablets ON the fed of G. ;'vShurg.
telling Of thu achievements Ell i'S in
fantry, cavalry and artillery orElni-
cations. Pennsylvania las many. and
other states are well nap ~ the lis
They all commemorate some phls'
of the battle. But T., sIo, on the
fisld. according t. veterans, equals in
crucial hEht.ns Importance Ia"
Bloody AnG.o, lorr Goa. Webb held
command.
sThc monument Is To- hc erected ON
tire east side of Hancock avenue.
about 200 feet from where the con
fcdcra,c Gru. Armis;cad. 40 the head
Of the charging columns. lrlprd the
stone wall, AMI w.'h hat oc his up
lifted sword. cheorrd his men up To
the VERY muzzlcs ~ the Federal cal-
non before he was shot to d ath. The
site is but nifty or sixty PAGES from
where tho heroic Gushing dnniu''y
hrcd a last shot from his battery as ne
died. 1t IS the SPOT long krown as
the High Water Mark Of tho C"nfcd-
crate invasion, and an open book in
carved stone ap states.
In the selection f the exact site
for the Webb monument there has
been NOR or less soldier discuss ON.
Gen. Webb was known as "a fight
tinker" Whore the fray was thick
est he was apt - be found regard
!, - of where his RAM might require
him To- ho. ThutS" who fought with
him-and macy are st.ll alive to tel,
OF him-sdy that he WIS such "A hard
fighter himself that he gave small.
heed Ia the location 50 long as he
was whore the battling was hr.Skcst.
For this reason many Of his Cd
comrades assert that his monument
should Doe placed at the very point
where Gen. Armistcad sp:ang over
the wal. hat on sword point. That
was the spot, they insist, where Gen.
Webb was 20 be seen. shouting en-
courag,mout 20 his men. They say To
put him back 200 feet is 10 deprive
him uf tn" fun honor and glory that
q more advanced marker would give
him.
Col. Lewis l.. Stcgman. chairman ~
the New York SIIto Monuments Com
mission, WHO has had pr.ncipa. charge
OF the selection and erection of the
statue hat IS 20 hc unveiled in Cen.
Webs memory, tells the story of the
ch".ro q site AMI the arguments and
rcIruns the commission have for pla'-
ing Tie monument whore it is To-
stand. Th!, is the " II came about :
. shortly before Con. Wchb's death
he expressed MS personal preference
for The site where Il comment Wi
stand. lie was not tho ri II q man
who sought 10 have himself pcrpetu-
atod In bronze, but his wish was, II a
monumcu, wore To- bc erected. that it
be paced where he indicated.
"Gen. Webb knew of the desire Of
some of his comrades and associates
10 place his monument nearer 70 the
stone wall and the High Water Mark.
lie disagreed with them on this point,
but some of his admirers went 50 far
as to insist that II made Ne difference
what the General wanted and said he
was over modest.
"WeU. Gen. webb, it seemed To the
members Of the Gettysburg National
Park Commission and the members Of
our New York Monuments tumm.s-
sion. was entitled To the fullest con
sideration as 10 his choice Of site. Ana
to supplement this opinion on uug part
ahe General gave the following first
rate reasons as to why he should lac
shown where he is, rather than at the
stone wall B.oody Angle, Here were
his reasons:
"'No doubt as brigade commander
at this particular point | was back and
forth over many parts of the ground
Very likely | was right mp 10 this
very stone fence. My duties called me
{ o many spots in succession accord
ricd. But as a commander | de- not
think Il reasonable - suppose l was
stationed at the stone wIll with my
men at my back, firing behind me, un-
directed by me. Il Is not likely. II is
more than probable that | was sta
toned about 200 feet away from the
angie ON the line of my brigade, II
there IS to- bc a monument telling OF
anything | took part In | should wish
Il whore ! have indicated a short dis
tancc to the east OF the angle
80 "'rhis argument seemed sufficiently
convincing for the commissions says
Cob. StcGinau, "uud SO We selected the
site for the monument marking the
turning point Of tn" ciyil war, just