Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-04-11

radius OF twelve miles, an area that has been
appropriately called 1.-The cockpit of America"
where more armies maneuvered and more men
were killed and wounded than on any other sim
tar area in modern history prior to the World
war. This park, WHICH was dedicated late last
Year BY President Coolidge, includes six battle
fredericksburg, Charlottesville, Cold
Ilarbor, Salem Church, the Wilderness, and Spot
sylyania Courthouse Here In the space of nine
days Of actual fighting 100000 men struggled he
roically and 100000 were Killed or wounded. No
less than nineteen generals were shot down
these teld5 YAmong them were Jackson, Long
street, N0bb, vfIays, Bennett, Grey, Jenkins Dan
lei SedgWick and Wadsworth. 1t Is a curious
coincidence that the latter was the grandfather
of Sen. james Wadsworth Of New York, chair
man Of the military affairs committee which
passed on the bill presented to congress last year
for the establishment of this national battlefield
park
History stnmbles over itself I'll this nelghbor
hood says a recent writer. Confederate soldiers
fought In the same trenches that their Revolution
airy ancestors had used In same sections Two bat
ties had to be fought ut Manassas before the
of 'gar left that field. Two were fought at Cold
Harbor and two at Fredericksburg and two In
the Wilderness thickets. In Fredericksburg re-
minders OF Colonial, Revolutionary and Civil war
days are to be found on the same block. The
Wilderness stretches as grim and tangled today
as in the days Of the COS, the Chancellor House,
Spotsylvana Courthouse, the trenches Of Bloody
Angle must all appear very much as they did
then" For this region the very heart Of
the conflict between the two greatest forces OF
the Union and the Confederacy the Army of
Northern Virginia. defending Richmond and the
Army Of the Potomac, seeking to break Its way
through the Gordon of Gray to the Confederate
capitol
The first fighting In the section took place In
December, 1862, when Burnside attempted to cap
ture Richmond by way of Fredericksburg. First
bombardng the town he crossed the Kappahan-
mock under cover or his guns and attacked
Lees entrenchment on Maryes Heights to the
west of 1t. After a battle that lasted all day.
during which the Irish Brigade made itself I'M
mortal by its series OF hopeless charges on the
Heights and the Sunken Road at the foot Of
them, Burnside withdrew, recrossing the river.
He lost 1865 men and the Confederacy 5,3T7
Burnside after Fredericksburg, was succeeded
by Hooker who early the next spring moved his
men up the north bank of the Rappahannock and
crossed Mt three different places, marching by as
many different roads towards Charlottesville,
where his forces converged and started toward
Fredericksburg. Through this move Hooker had
gotten behind Lees army while Sedgwick, with
$4,000 men, was In front Of 1t. Learning OF the
move, Lee faced his army west ana advanced 10
meet Hooker, leaving behind small force to
oppose Sedgwck, still at fredericksburg. The
Union forces planned TO crush Lee between them
Sedgwick broke through at Fredericksburg and
advanced to Salem church where Lee sent rein
foreemenis to his troops which had retreated he
fore the advancing Federals. The two forces
cashed May and Sedgwick was driven back
on the Itappahunnock, crossing at Banks Ford
seven miles above Fredericksburg.
FRI the meantime Iee tfei HnaHersr rffrrfirn NJ
49, Charlottesville. defeated this EaiaEaiz-