013 558 593 6 ^ Hollinger Corp. pH8.5 E 475 .56 .N59 Copy 1 iiliiliiiiiiiliiiiiii'iii'iiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiSllli -^i:^.!^ E IP O lE^ T.. -)o:f' TigiiEK- MONUMENT COxMMITTBB Cue Hondreil & TwenWirt Repent NEW YORK INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS. i¥i: iiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifiiiiiii«iiiiiiiiiijiiiiiii!i ThG Inocilptlons on the brnnzR tablnts will bs found on pages 2 *>■ 3. '^:^,'JE^ :R1F0J^ Ty^^^ -)OF TH.Et MONUMENT COMMITTEE -)OF THEK- CoeMred&MHliirtliepeni NEW YOBK INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS. 1st brig.. 1st div., 20th corps. Read at a meeting of the Regimental Association at Argyle, N. Y., (^oo^pliii^eiit^ of f ©tfi ©. ©org, Ha.stok .Methoijiist Episcopai, CHriicH. GARDNER, Mass. iiisroK'ir. I'lii': V2:wd X V. \v AS i:xi.is r !■: 1 > I X \VA slIlXC I'OX CO. IX AT (1. isi;^; Ml ■sri:i!Fi) Lxro TIIK r.S. SK iJVirK SVA'V . 4; .lOlXi- .1) IMIE Al. MV OV riii'. i'oi'()MA(" A X 1 ) WAS i:x(i v(ii;i) IX 1 'HE i;Ai'rLi:s of ( IIAXCI :ll() ISVILLI-: V (;i:i"ivs JI'IJC: IN >i:i'r. is( ;rn{AN •sFi:i LJIKI) TO IMIK Ai;.\n' OF riiK crMr.i:! n.AXi) AXD WAS EX( ;a(;ki)-ix THE (AMI •AKLX Ol- APLAX I'A, THE MAi; (MI TO rii •:sEA: VXD I'll!-: CAMT. \i(;x OF THE (' AnoLIXA.>; Mrsri': i!i:i) Ol ■ r A'l WASH IX ;r()X A r I' HE CLOSE ()l< ' THE WAR, JUNE 8, 1865. ENG AGEMENTS. CHANCELE(J1IKE JILV -i; ADVANOKI) To THIS LINF AND BUir,T A IlKAVV I'.RFAS'I'WOKK of I.O(iS. AT AROFT (> P.M.MOVFD TO SFFFOHT Tlll<; LKF']' NFAR LITTLE I.'OFND TOP; UETFRNL\(i IN THK NKillT, FOl'XD RUIOASTWORKS IN I'OSSF.SSION OF FNKMV, AS NO 'I'KOOPS WKKH LFF'I' TO OCCFl'V TIIFM. JULV 3: AT ABOFT 11 A. M. MADE'A CilAU(il<; AND liECOVERED THESE WORKS; ABOUT 4 P. M. MOVED 'I'O SFPPORT LINE THEN REPELLIN(t PICKETT'S C11AR(;E; A LITTLE LATER HAD A SHARP SKIRMISH IN FRONT OF THIS LINE; AT NKJHT JtEPELLED AN ATTACK WITH HEAVY LOSS TO TH E EN E:\rV. •JULY 4; MADE IlECONNOISANCE AROUND WOLF HILI, AND TIIROUCJH GETTYSBURG OVER THE HANOVER ROAD. ABOUT 100 YARDS IN FRONT OF THE LINE OF WORKS, A MARKER indicatp:s the position OCCUPIED BY THE SKIRMISHERS OF THIS REGIMENT ON THE AFTERNOON OF JULY^ 3. 4 TREflSUHEH'S REPDHT. Henry Graj', Treasurer, in account with the GettysJ)iiru Monument Association. To casli received from town of Argyle * :]:>{) 00 Cambridiie 12!) 00 Easton 1 (1 00 Fort Ann 57 00 Fort Edward .")(} 00 Granville. . .-. l;« 50 Greenwich 518 75 Haitford 110 25 Hebron 1 1 ;^ 54 Jacksnii 40 00 Kinirsbury 22:5 00 Putnam 1 5 00 Salem .-)07 00 White Creek 1 HH 00 Whitehall 29:i 00 Profit on Sleepinfi (^ar to Gettysl)ur<>- 45 00 it!2,775 04 Paid Smith Granite Co $2500 00 Paid S. C. C^ary, expenses 1 07 97 Paid Captain Baker, expenses 23 00 Paid People's Journal, jjrinting 25 11) Paid Salem Axiom, printing 7 85 By 1,000 lithographs of monument 28 00 By order (CarjO to R. Cruikshank 23 03 $2,775 04 July 1st, 1801. Henry Gk.w, Treasurer. In addition to the al)Ove amounts that passed through the hands of the Treasurer, the following amounts were raised by personal solicitation from various persons, and \ised for expenses of Com- mittee: Argyle *34 00 Hebron 20 00 Salem 17 50 Whitehall 00 00 To tie 123 J Net Yoit RepeBtal Association. ('oMJjvnKs: - 'IMic (V)ininitt('c iippointcd by yon Nov. '2"2, IHST, for tliP purpose of crectino; a suitable Memorial for our Ileuiment at Gettysburg, desire at this time 1o lay In'tore you their tinal report. It seems to your Committee that this is a flttinaj and appropriat*' occasion to lu-esent to the Association a detailed statement of the ef- forts put forth and the work accomjilished in securing for you the erection of a Monument on the battletield of (lettysbur<>:. And iu)w, since this has been satisfactorily completed, Ave can look l)ack over the years of effort and struggle, and from this vantage-ground review the work that has been completed with such magniticent success. THE IWGEPTinW OF THE MDNUMENT. On the 4th of January, 1886, your Chairman wrote a letter to the Salem Axiom, calling attention to the duty of erecting a Monument at (iettysburg to indicate the service rendered by our Regiment, and also to mark the positions occupied on that bloody tield; referi'ing also to the work done by the Massachusetts regiments, as well as those of other states, and pledging a small subscription for that pur- pose. The article aroused a slight ripple of interest among the mem- bers of the Regiment, and the people of the county, and a few re- sponses were made to it and pledges of small amounts were given. Another article was written January 11th. If these letters served no other purpose, they helped to arouse the peojile, and to inform them as to what was being done in- other Commonwealths, and possil)ly may have been the humble cause from whicli si)rang the effort to secure oui- Iteautifnl Monument. THE NEW YDRK GDIVlMISSinNERS. At tlic session i>t' llic l>('iiisl;itmc for tlic year ISSd, a Board ofC'oiii- inissioncrs on Gcltysliiir!i;Monuinciils was appointed, 'Mo (U'sii>iiateanil maik the positions occupiod hy Xcw York troops. '" The law f-reatiiiir tliis IJoanl was ciidiodicd in ("liajttor 4(>(» of the iawsof issi;. Tims it would seem lliat the impidsc that set lioth their aLiciuics in niolion had its oriii-in at about the same lime. Thr Hoanl was oru:ani/.ed witii (Jen. Daniel K. Sickles as l*resi the Commissionci-s a< one to whom they could refer. Septemlier Kith, follow iuii', a meetinji; (d inemhers of the lieiiinu'Ut was held at the Fair (ircunids, Sandy Hill, and a committee was ap- IHiinteil "to meet the State Ciuuinissioners next month and u"o with 1 lu'm to 1 he lialllelield and there delinilely locate the ^ite of the Monument." 'I'his Committee consisted o(' II \i;vkv Hkvnoi.os, Si: in C. ( ' ai:v, II. C. Mownors, LiKK II. CAi:i:ixrjTo.\. Septemlier 'iOth, (Jen. .1. C. iioi;'ers wrote your Chairman at length in reference to the matter, uriiinir him to li'o and assist .-is far as possible. October ."ith, three of the Coir,n)ittce, vi/. : II. C. Morhous, Luke II. Carrinjrton, Seth C. Cary, met the Commissioners at the house of (Jen. Sickles, No. '2:5 Fifth Avenue, New York. It was a matter ol sur|)rise to the Commissioners that your Coinnnttee objecled to tlic location assiLrned to our Ueiiiment on the majw of Cn). ,l. p,. Itncji- elder. Previous study and research had made it evident, that the ludv ma])s of till' battlefield that made any prelr ]\\f siro/ul day. The Coni- u»i--^ioni'rs were yet more a <■<■ the ol her uuatdiei-s of the Comndtlee on every train, hut none of ihem came. Durinii' t hese three days your Ciuiirmau A\as in constant commuuica- t ion with the Commissioners, li'oiui;- wit h them to all parts of the field, and in j)rivate conversation, and on the ground tidlin^tlicm the ^torv of our mo\'ements. l>ut as your Chairman was oidy one out of a Committee of four, he declineil to formally mark the ]>osition foi' the monument, helieving it to he a matter of too nnich ini])ortance to he l(dt to any one person, especially since there were so manv survi\-oi-s of the Heu'iment, and who also were living' within sm-h eas\- reach. LnCflTINE THE MnWUMEWT. The statements made to the Commissioners personally, and liv re- ports of niemhers of your Committee, and cs])ecially that in relation to the inscription on a monument already located near to where ours was to be, had aroused much interest in the matter of a location. It also stirred ti]) many to investiiiate the facts as well as the claims set up hy the two retciments, to haviiiLi' performed very nearly the same service. This, toii'ether with a caridul search after mai)s, material and facts, had started a corresiiondence with Col. .1. J',. Bacludder as well as many others. The New York Commissi(mers, accejitini:' the statenu'ids of vour 8 r»)ininiltfc :is to our inovciiiciits aii(i scr\ic'(', were justly incciisod ;U I 111- claims oi' t lie "idtli ('oiiiiccticut already referred to. And this called out auotlur statcuuMit, in which they asked i'or all tiu' facts in 1 he case. This was tuvnished without unnccessaiy delay. Hut, in- stead of allayiuij; and iiuietinii' nuitters, it oidy added nu>re fuel to the hrelhat was already well started. Then, ("ol. IJacheldcr as the Su- periiilenilent of Inscriptions and Legends o I tlic (Jcttysijurii- Battle- lield Association, was apiVealed to for infornnition as to what were the reasons or liasis for the claims of the 20th ("onnecticut, and whicii hud alrt'ady been inscribed ujion their nionninent. Ami, so mucii wa> he impressed with our statements, and with the frani< expression anil ajiparent candor and truth, that he re(|uirenunnMit was already in place and dedicated. But it showed the depth ol the interest awakened in the matter. Col. Bachelder at once sent me Col. booster's report, asking an exhaustive reply, and then ct)me and sit down with him and explain it. Such a rejiort was immediately jn-epared and which covered aboul tiftv (."iO) ])a<>;eK, taking up Col. Wooster's statement and answ<'riug it point by point, at sufficient length to make it -ook him. Ill' hummed o\er the line of the old song, "Do 1 wake. Ml am 1 diraining," till out of it all, there came the clear, sharply-di-- liiird lacl>, trooping out id nuMnory's tri-asurc-housc, in orderly pro- ic-^ioii, and massing and arrangiuL: 1 licmsch c^ in the (bounty papers. THE EHEGTinW DF THE MnNUMEWT. (^nc of the re(|uirements of tlie New York Commissioners was, that in order to be entitled to the sum of tl, 500 granted by the State, an organization must be effected, if one was not already in existence, a record of whicli must lie jdaced on file in tlicollice em- 3)led in G. A. \l. hall, Greenwich, Nov. 2'i, 1887. On motion a formal orj;-ani7,atioii \vas effected, and called "The 12:;d New York J{ei;i- niental Association," with the followiiiii- olliccrs; President, (Jen. James ('. Ron-ers. Yiee-I'resident, ^Maj. ilenry (4ray. " " ('apt. Duncan iioherlson. " " Lt. K()l)ert, C'ruiksliank. " " Keruct. Harvey lleynolds, Lt. L. II. Carrin,i;1on. " " Comrade A. I\. Potter. " " " Roiuain Bennett, " " R. W. Stewart. *' " " jMarlin Burton. Mitcliel McFarland. Lt. Julius Swift. Sergt. Sidney B. Wccr. Scrgt. Wm. McLoughlin. " ('apt. James Ilill. " " Scrgt. Geo. Scott. Lt. Donald Reid. " " Comrade Fi'etl Slofiim. Secretary, Sergt. H. C. Moi'Iuius. Treasurer, Maj. Henry Gray MDNLIMENT GDMMITTEE. Adjt. S(!tli C. Gary, ('hairman. Capt. Geo. W. Baker- Maj. Ilenry Gray. Edward L. Coy, Esq. Hon. Edward Dodd. Col. S. W. Russell. Lt. Donald Reid. Lt. RolxM't Cruiksliank. Willard Lawton, Esq. .Judge Joseph Potter. The Vice-Presidents were made a Soliciting C-ommiltec to secure £2 funds far tin? crectioo' of tlie Monument. Tlie Board of Supervisors also look action and added their sanction by confirming the appoint - mf nt of the above-nam'Cd Committee "to superintend the erection of said Monument, to arrange for the dedication exercises thereof, and to do whatsoever, in their judgement, will forward to early comple- tion tiie worthy work of placing this memorial to I lie celebrated Washington County regiment." Up to this time it had been a mootetl question, whether the Super-^ visors could not appropriate money for the erectio-n of our Monu- ment. But at this time it was definitely settled, though without formal action, that such a course would be illegal, and also impolitic. This threw the whole matter upon the Soliciting C/ominittee, and they immediately began with great vigor and prudence to raise the money by subscription. The Monument Committee held a meeting at Salem, Feby. 14. 1888„ and organized by the election of Lt. Donald Keid as Secretary, and Maj. Henrj' Cray as Treasurer, the Chairman having been alreadj- appointed. It was also reported that $1,700 had been subscribed, and only a portion of the towns had been heard from. It was also de- cided to procure designs for a Monument to cost about f4,(»(K), and the Chairman was authorized to secure such, and report at a futun« meeting. Tlie Chairman also presented for consideration a draft of the inscriptions to be placed upon the Monument, the same liaving been previouslj' submitted to the Committee in private correspon- dence. In the further prosecution of tlie work, a meeting was held at Salem, March 20th, for the purpose of presenting designs, and also to receive reports from the Soliciting Committee. A most favomble report was made by that Committee, the subscriptions noAv amounting to al)Out ^2,200. In accordance with a vote of the previous meeting, several designs were presented by Comrade Robinson of Sandy Hill, and one each by Mr. R. A. Evans of Boston, National Granite Co., liirre, Vt., and the Smith Granite Co., Westerly, R. I. None however were ac- cepted, since no one of them seemed suitable, nor did the finances as yet warrant as large an expenditure as it was thought in justice to the Regiment and the County should be made. Another meeting was called and met in G. A. R. hall, Argyle, May 8, 1888. The subscriptions had reached about f 2,;500. Designs for the Monument were presented l)y the following [tarties: Coniradc Robinson, Sandy Hill, three designs; Tlir Mit( hd (iranitc Works of ChifiXgo, two(lesio-ns; Miller iV, Luce, IT!) 'rrcmoiit St., I'.ostoii, iiiid TIu3 Smith Gnuiite ('o., Westerly, R. I., one eiicli. These various (lesiij;us were jilaeed upon tlu; walls, and a free, frank discussion was entered into, and tlu; difPerent parties siven the opportunity of ex- plaining- and l)rini;-ini; to notice ihe special points of their work. Atter this the Committee voted l)y l)allot, and on (counting the same the Secretary reported that live of the six votes were cast for the de- si.u'n i)resente making of almost in- numiuMlili' sketches, drawings and i)lans, witii all the (;hanging and 14 roarrangin!-; that was loiind necessary', was at length finished, and really put into form; when, alter a most extended correspondence, and reaching ever)' known survivor of the Regiment, the investiga- tion of every plan and map of the hattle within reach, and the read- ing of every book or article that could he procured throwing light upon the subject; after repeated consultations witli all with whom we came in contact, and after a patient consideration of all the facts that had thus been gathered; and after mature deliberation and thorough sifting, together with j-our Chairman's personal kuowledge applied to this subject, a provisional draft of what seemed to be an appropriate inscription was at length evolved, and it was presented to the Committee. By tiiem it was accepted as ju'rliaps the nearest approach to the complete story that at that time could be reached. Accordingly, on May 18, 1888, this inscription together with the design of the Monument, was personally presented to the New Yoric Commissioners. It was accepted by them without change, and your Committee very highly complimented by Gen. Graham, as having presented one of the finest designs, and having put the inscriptions into the best shape of any that had come into his hands. Having reached this stage of success and approval, your Committee was ready to sit down and cnjoj- the fruits of weary months of toil, and rejoice over their victories, and c[uite able to appreciate their now nearly-ended struggles. We w'cre allowed to repose in this fan- cied immunity for three full weeks, when the jtostman left at the door a well-filled envelope bearing the official stamp of the New York Commissioners, and directed in the well-known hand of Maj. Cooncy. Opening the letter your Chairman read: "My Dear Mr. Cary, Here comes up the old storj' again. Wont you kindly give it your attention at once. You will have to make your fight with ( 'omrade Vanderslice, who is technical. * * h: * * Believe me sincerely, lam, Geo. W. Cooney, Secretary." Reading the inclosures, your Chairman said to himself :— "What more can be done, that has not already been done?" Your Chairman had had a contest Avith the New York Commissioners in their ofiice in New- York and at Gettysburg; had a slight set to Avith ]\Iaj. Iloltzworlh, the guide of the battlefield; had already been in conflict with Col. Bachelder and secured two concessions from him. First, that the 123(1 New York was in the first line on the 2nd of July; Second, that the 12;M New York actually built the breastworks in their front ; then had crossed swords with Col. Wooster of the 20lli Cotiu.! Now who can this now o;iant be, who is iiaiufd Col. Vaiidcrslicc, tiio Icchnical ? A perusal of the letters showed conclusively thai the old fight was indeed on again, and that this time it was a death grapple. That now a man was confronting your Committee, who intended to dis- pute every point, every word, and every sylalilc of tiial inscription. And if we secured what we desired from him, it would only he because he was convinced that we were right and had tiie truth with us. Col. Vanderslice took exceptions to, or made denials of si.\ points in our inscription, as follows: 1. That we were mistaken in saying that it was al)out i>. m., July 2nd, when we returned from the left. 2. Denied that we made a charge at about 11 a. m., July od. 3. l)enied that we retook the works at that time. 4. Denied the fact of a skirmish on the afternoon of July ;}(1. 5. Denied the fact of a night attack July 3(1. 6. Denied the fact that our skirmishers advanced further than any other Union troops on the afternoon of July 8(1. But more. Col. Vanderslice based all these denials on the official reports of Col. McDougall, commanding the Brigade; Lt. ( ol. Rogers, in command of the Regiment, and Col. Wooster of the 20th Conn., both as to what they did say, and what they oiiiiited to say. This was the situation June 12th. Our design was accepted by the New York Commissioners. The contract was already let. The money was nearly raised. The day was set for the dedication, and that only two and a half months away. Then, when your Committee was pressed on all sides for the text of the inscriptions which was to be cast in tablets of bronze, this contest about the wording and subject matter of the inscriptions themselves, wis re-opened again. And to all appearances your Committee stood on the threshold of what bid fair to be a long and bitter fight in reference to the state- ments to ])e placed upon our Monument, as to what the 123d New York really did at Gettysburg. But then, there were two good points about this affair after all, for your Committee knew that the facts were with ns; and that this was the last fight. In fact we had reached the last ditch ! In the meantime the correspondence was continued. I'oint after point of the minor differences was disposed of, and in every case without disparagement to our claims. A statement was forwarded over the signature of five commissioned officers, and touching the romainini; itonis in disputo. This iiuule a strong slmwing find was ol' grt'at valuo. But after all, those were only counter-irritants to the ollicial rei>()rts wiiicli had I'cuiaincd unciialleniicd for a ([uartcr of a century. Tiic statements of your Committee were facts of lustory that had never before been hrouglit to light. Tiiey put a new i)liase on some military opci-atioiis on Culp's Hill. 'I'hey ran counter to some otHcial reports. Therefore it was no wonder that they were immediately challenged, and that ('ol. Vandcrslice, the guardian of t]>e reputation of all our forces nn that licM, protested against our claims as he did. So the struggle went on, and even memhers of your Commit tec did not see how this tide could be stemmed, bu.l feared tliat \vc were doomed to be worsted in this light. Your Chairman resolved tiiat if it laj' in the power of mortal, even this victory s-hould be ours. l\'r- sonally, he had conu' to the conclusion that he would never yield tin- point of allowing our inscription to state less than from the be- ginning had l)een claimed, if we had to wait until tiu' crack of do(un. How co\d(l we recede from the statements that we had mailc, and that we knew were true? That woidd have been cowardly, as well a.s pusilanimous! It would have put upon us all a taint, from which we never could have freed oui"selves. And it would have involved our dead comrades as well as us who survive. Thus niatters stood Juh'' 31st, thirty-live da3's lieforc t he dedicat ion I Col. Vandcrslice was insistant, and your Committee was persistent. Something more must be done. Your Chairman at mice wrote to Maj. Gray and Capt. Baker to nu-ct him in Philadelphia, August 7th, ami have a j)ersonal interview with Col. Vandcrslice, at his olhce No. 10 North Seventh St. But both replied, regretting inability to be present, but they desird the tablets made as we had arranged the inscription, and then tight it out afterward if uec(l l)c. Then, too. The Smith C.raniti- Co. were jiersistcntly calling for the inscriptions in order to cdinplete their work in season to comply with tlie contract. Your (Miairman, seeing that another eifort must be made, ami that I iicre were no reserves to call upon, since all these had been alreadv in action, concluded that he was the forloiii liojic, ami ])rcparc(l jiim- seU" accordingly. (Jripsack in haiul, he took the 11 c. m. train in Boston, August 7th, and reached l'liiladcli)hia at l(l::i(» the next morning, and m.ade his waj' to tin- ollicc of Col. \'au(b'islicc. He fdund him a jdeasanl-faeed, nu'diuni sized man, somewhat stout. 17 wearini; ii (lark luustache, iiiid ii JViinsylvaniiiii. He hail conic in from Ills country lionic 28 miles out, to mccl the ("ommillcc. 'I'lii' opciiinu,' of the nc^xttiations was a little slow and a hit formal, Iml like .■my two soldiers, we soon ^ot down to husiness. ^Ve had not pro- ceeded tar before he be<;an to t(dl me some thinj^s about the dillicul- ties of his work as the Superintendent of Leijends of the Battlc/icld Association, and related instances of mistakes in location that had already been made, and to all these tliinj^s he had a most williiii; listener. Then the conversation turned to our own immediate work, lie then referred to a letter received from Gen. Koj;-crs, and the fact that the General had no recollection of makinir the report that is said to bear his name was referred to. The next point was concerninii- the report of Col. ^McDonna!!. This was a more difficult task, since your Chairman must be true to the dead as well as just to the living, so the matter was i>ut in this form: Col. McDougall was a man who dearly loved his Kei;-iment, but was like some fathers who are diffident about speaking in praise of their own children, but can always see the good (pialities in those of other people. And doui)tless, having received the verbal rejiort of the 30th Conn, first, that they had driven the enemy out of the works, he made his report as he did, never having had a report from Capt. A. II. Tanner who was in command of the Kegiment in the charge, and so far as known, never having asked any of his own officers as to the facts in the case, or informing them as to the nature of his report. Then the report of Gen. Rogers, the article in the National Tribune by Gen. Howard, the combined statement of our five commissioned officers, together with the explanations of j'our Chairman, so com- pletely convinced Col. Vanderslice, that he set aside these reports and nothing more was heard of them. One point only remained, that concerning the report of ( 'ol. Woos- ter of the 20th Conn. Here your (Chairman gave the Colonel a word- picture of the scenes of our charge, and took him over every foot of the ground from the time we formed our line, till we had recaptured our works, and the Division, with that of Gen. Geary on our left, had swept forward and occupied the works that we had left on flu; afternoon of the previous day. In this picture there was shown our formation on the ridge, just back of the little stream, with bayonets fixed; the speech of Col. McDougall; the advance; the passing the 20tli Conn. ; the rush over the stone-wall; the firing; the dash into 18 the brea si works; the csoapini; enemy ; tlic preparation of 1 lie works lor defence; and the sweeping forward of the Corps lo occupy what they liad fought seven liours to secure! Tlien, the Cohmel hooked your Chairman in the face and said: "Well, what about the 30th?" Your Chairman gave him substan- tiallv this reply : It is not for me or my Regiment to write their history, but will ask you a question or two. Wliat do you thinl; of a regiment claiming to have captured a line of works, when not a man of them was found in or near said works ? What do you think of a regiment in need of a few cartridges, going back to the reserve ammunition train, a half mile in the rear of the line, and have to be recalled by the commanding othcer of the l)rigade, when a sciuad of men could have brought all the ammunition necessary? What do 3'ou think of a regiment that after claiming to have occupied the works for which we had been fighting all the forenoon, would desire to be relieved, when, as they claim, they were already in the works, and not call on all the line to advance and occupy lohat they tlitmselves had iron? The Colonel made no reply to these ciueries, and we went on with the work. In the conversation your Chairman had dis- covered that the 28th Penn. on our left, had advanced to Roelc Creek, and the 13th N. J. on the right claimed to have crossed it, therefore he withdrew that portion of our inscription which claimed that our skirmishers had advanced farther than any other Union Iroojts on that part of tlie line. The Colonel said it iniglit be modi- lied, but it seemed best to withdraw it altogether. Then a vcii>al change or two more, and our work was comjiletcd, to the entire sat- isfaction apparently of us ])oth. Then we fell to chatting and I'or ten minutes had just such a breezy time as twfi old soldiers who had pleasantly comi)leted a diflicult negotiation, l)ut liad come to thor- oughly respect each other, might be expected to have. Your Chairman must not lose this opportunity to give you, my old comrades, his impressions of Col. John M. Vanderslice. In iliis paper he has been called "technical," not however in rej)ioac]i, or in a slighting manner, but only because it is true, and j\Iaj. Cooney had first applied it. Col. Vanderslice is the first and the only man wlio has gone to the bottom of tills matter of our claims in the inseri])- tion on our Monument. And he is one of the best Iriends we liave ever had. lie is the only man who has ever sifted the evidence so ii^i to be able to come to a discriminating and carelully digested con- clusion. Your C-hairman regards him as a persoii.il i'riend, and as ,i I '.I gcntlcnian, wlio in tlic order ol' I'rovidfiice t^avc us rosulls Ihfil a less painstaking man could not have rendered, and a man whom it was a pleasure to meet. Biddinti; good-bye to tlie Colonel your C'liairman was soon in New York, and had only time to send a couple of telegrams, one to 3Iaj. Gray and the oilier to Capt. Baker, announcing the battle over and tlie victory won, and tlien take tie l)oat Cor liome. The contractors were at once inl'ormed as to the amended inscrip- tions, and all attention turned to the few remaining items that made u]) the l)alance of your Comniittec^s, work. THE nEniGRTinw. \Vhen all these struggles had one by one been jiassed, and each had been crowned a victory, then was time to take breath and apply our- selves to the two items that yet remained to be accomplished, the securing pledges for a small balance to complete our financial exhil)it, and the dedication of our Monument. An excursion was arranged and, thanks to all who had it in charge, it was carried out to a successful conclusion. Leaving Albany in the afternoon of Sept. 3d, 1888, Gettysburg was reached at 10 o'clock the next morning. Carriages at once took us to the liouse of Capt. Long, and after an early dinner, started for a drive over the scenes of the first day's battle. This took us from Barlow's Knoll to Reynolds Grove, then to the Springs Hotel, through the town to the National Cemetery, thence to East Cemetery Hill. Here Capt. Long, the Battlefield Guide, gave our company a fine descrip- tion of this part of the field, and the tide of battle that swirled about this knoll. Then taking our carriages we passed Stevens Knoll, and along the line of our entrenchments on ('nip's Hill to our Monument. Many of us will never forget the thrill of delight, astonishment and pleasure that welled up in our hearts as we stood on that familiar ground, and l)chcld for the iirsi time that stately, chaste and beautiful memorial. Its unique design, its unity of effect, its contrast of color with the background of boulders and the leafy forest, its fiuiet self-assertion of dignity, as well as tlie rugged strength of the pedestal, combined 1o make an impression lasting as its granite and bronze. The dedicatory services Avere simple, and consisted of a brief state- ment by your Chairman of the service of our Regiment during the battle; prayer by Chaplain Gordon; an address by Col. S. W. Russell, and remarks bv the Chaplain, thr transfer of the :\ronun;cnt In the 20 Battlefield Association, and a graceful response by Col. Buehler, Vice-President of the Association, and the Benediction. Tlie bronz.e tablets bearing the more extended inscriptions had not been set in the base, because of a lack of time resulting from our long struggle over the text, but were put in place a few days sub- sequently. The monument itself was declared by all to be far beyond expec- tation, and more than satisfactory. It was looked upon as being as line as the best on the field; and of course this was gratifying to your Committee. After visiting Spangler's Spring, crossing the swale to examine the monuments of the 3d Brigade, the party returned to town. The eveniu'i- was made enjoyable by the illustrated lecture of our Guide at the Opera House. The next morning a drive over the Battletield included in the second and third days light, was taken under the direction of Capt. Lon"-. Starting out on the Emmitsburg road, past the Peach Orchard, Wheatfield, Devil's Den, the Valley of Death, Round Top, Little Round Top, and along the line of battle to the Death Angle, then to Meade's Headquarters, Ziegler's Grove, and home over the Tancy- town road. In the afternoon the party drove out again, spending the time near Culp's Hill and the scenes about our Monument. But who can fittingly portray the thoughts and the emotions that filled our hearts as we gathered there again, with more than a (juarter of a century between us and the scenes of those July days of confiict and heroic struggle ! With other years yet added, in the Campaign of Atlanta, the March to the Sea, and the Campaign of the Carolinas! Then the peaceful years of civil life! The effort to se- cure a fitting memorial for our Regiment and our dead Comrades! And then to stand before that beautiful, and artistic, and appropriate Monument, completed and dedicated by fitting service, and the presence of long separated Comrades, brothers in arms, brothers in suffering, brothers in sympathy, and brothers in the love of country and liberty! It was almost the fitting conclusion to a well-rounded out life! It was indeed the privilege of a lifetime! How we forgot all the cfPort to secure the Memorial! Ilcnv gladly your Chairman lost sight of the struggle of the years! Tlie d:iys of work, of scheming, planning, tlie effort to right the unintentional wrongs committed against our Comrades, to bring the simple truth 21 into view, as to what the 123cl New York diil; to (•I.-ar up liic fo.irs that had obscured our record; to reverse what had been considered as history, and to write history as it occurred, and events as tiioy happened! Wliat were tlie 10,000 miles of travel by day and t)y night, required to secure it all! We now stood before the result of all this gladly-rendered service and rejoiced in its completion! GDKGLUSinN. And now in concluding this report, already far too long, allow your Committee to express their thanks, and their appreciation of the services of all who have aided in this noble enterprise, whether by money or by cheerful, hopeful words of encouragement. We thank you all. And now Comrades, having performed the duty committed to us, and with all financial obligations met, your Committee ask to be discharged. For the Committee, Oct. 14, 1890. SETH C. GARY, Chairman. LETTER OF CHAIRMAN DF eiti CCtStllltlH?^ TD THE — BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DF WASHINGTON COUNTY. To thf Honornble Board of Superrisora of WasMnf/ton County. Neic York: Gentlemen.— It will be remembered that at your session held at Greenwich, Nov. 1887, you appointed a Committee to erect a Monu- ment for the 123d New York Infantry, at Gettysburg, Pa. The names of that Committee were : Adjt. Setii C. Cauy, Maiden, Mass. C/APT. Geo. W. IBakeii, Salem. Maj. Henuy Gray, Green ivicli. Edward L. Coy, Esquire, West IIel)roii. Hon. Edward Dodd, Argyle. Col. S. W. llussELL, .Salem. Lieut. Robert Cruiksiiank. Salem. Lieut. Donald Reid, Argyie. WiLMiAM Lawton, Es(;rnti;, Cambridge. Judge .losKi'ii Pottki;. Wliitehall. The saiil Committee now desire to l:iy ])efore 3'oiir Ilononiblc ])od}' their final report. Your Committee \v:is organized In- tlie election of Adjt. Setli C. Cary. Chairman ; Lieut. Donahl Reid, Secretary, and Maj. Henry (.Tray, Treasurer. After mature deliberation and securing the opinion of those well c|ualified, it was determined to erect a Monument to cost not less than four thousand dollars $4,000). Of this amount the State gen- erously gave us one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500), thus leaving with your Committee the work of raising tlic sum of two thoi'.sand five hundred dollars ($2,500) by subscription. And to this was to be added suflicient to meet all tlie actual expenses of the Committee. Arrangements were at once made for a tliorough canvass of tlie County for sabscription, th;; resill of which will be reported by OL:r Treasurer. The next work was to secure an appropriate design with proper inscriptions, let tlie contract to honest and reliable parties, and when completed to dedicate the same. In the prosecution of this, your Committee has met twice at Green- wich, twice at Salem, twice at Argyle, and once each at Sandy Hill and Saratoga, and at each meeting the Chairman has been present. In addition to this, the Cliairman has, in his official capacity, twice visited New York city, to confer with the New York Commissioners on Getlj-sburg Monuments; has been to Westerly, R. I. twice, the first time to inspect the clay model for the figure of the Monument, and the second time with CJapt. Geo. W. Baker to ins])ccl the plaster cast of the same; further, he has visited Philadelphia to confer with Col. J. ISl. Vanderslice, Secretary of the Committee on Legends and Inseri|)tions of the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association, in reference to the inscriptions to be placed upon our Monument; three times he has visited the battlefield at Gettysburg; and has been in Boston manj- times on business connected with the ?tIoni;ment. Besides this, the work of the Chairman has been somewhat onerous • in writing letters, circulars and reports for the press of the County, to stir up the old-time enthusiasm, and to make our scheme a success financially, as well as an expression of devotion to our Comrades and to lil)erty. Also a very wide correspondence Avilh the members of the Regiment, scattered far and near, as to their recollections of our service at Gettysburg, in order to form a liasis on which to ]irepare 3 an appropriate inscription, and one that would represent to the ag(^ to come the services performed hy "tin- Wasliin<,'ton County Ilegi- ment" at Gettysburg. To this must be added a very extended corre- spondence Avith the New Yorlc Commissioners, through their Secre- tary, Maj. Geo. W. Cooney; with the Gettysburg Battlefield Associa- tion, through Cols. John B. Bachclder and J. M. Vanderslice, the Superintendent and Secretary of tiieir Committee on Legends and Inscriptions, together with Hon. John M. Krauth, Secretary of the Association. And in all, the cordial support of the members of the Coniniiltee has been constant and steadfast. But further. All this, extended as it is, is only a small portion of the work accomiilished by your Committee. When this work Avas begun, there was not in existence a map or a scries of maps, a report or a series ef leports, which gave tlie facts, or a connected statement of fact, from which an impartial historian could by any vo^^'bility, have made a clear and luminous sketch of our service at Gettysburg. And it was amid such mist and darkness that your Committee began its labors, and began to see the magnitude of the work on their hands, and to make up their minds to a long struggle and possible defeat, in this matter of a truthful inscription to be placed upon our Monument. And yet it was their purpose never to j'ield what they knew to be true, and to fight this matter till the last resource was exhausted. And this condition of affairs existed up to the Tth of Auuusi, 1888, four weeks before the time set for the dedication! Nor was this a.ll. Tliere was a furtlier complication arising out of the claims of another regiment, the record of which is on their mon- ument only a few feet from our own. It has been a long, and at times a painful work, to unravel this tangled skein of unintentional mistakes, blunders and carelessness, and bring out of it all, clear and sharply defined, the homely yet beautiful truth, and embody it in simple and perspicuous language, and at length put it in enduring bronze Avhere all the world can read the story. It has been largely a labor of love, for only love would have been willing to have plodded through these mazes, or had patience to have borne all the affronts, the insinuations, and the embarrassments that your Committee has had to meet. After a verv Avide search in which your Committee spent months, they Avere fortunate in securing a most appropriate design, and also in placing it in the hands of a thoroughly reliable company, Avhose Avork has evervwhere received tlu- very highest commendation, both 4 lor I'xci'llcncc and urtislic ([iiiilit y. 'riic material is iiii('(iiiallt'(l ami the work above caviling criticism, ami llu; whole is cmiiu'iitly satis 1"a<'tory to your t'ommittee. So fully are we agreed iu tiiis, that wr not only desire, but invite the closest inspection and most rigid crit- icism, and would express the hope that you all and the good people of Washington County, will make a pilgrimage to Gettysburg, our National ]Mecca, and see the result of your Committee's work. The dedication of tlie Monument was attended with simple yet ap- propriate services on Sept. 4, ISSS, the Twenty-Sixth anniversary of the muster-in of the Kegiment into the United States service. A little company of the survivors of the Regiment, with a number of the honored citizens of this < ounty, gathered alioiit the beautiful and elegant Memorial, on the s])()t made sacred by the devotion and blood of our Comrades, and b}' no])le words and deep emotions, paid fitting tribute to the love and loj-alty that made it a necessity, as well as to the continued interest and material assistance b}' which the citizens of the good County of Washington had made this an as- sured success. In conclusion, allow us to thank this Honorable Board and its con- stituents, for the interest, the assistance, the moral and material aid, and all the other acts of kindness by which you and they have laid your Committee under obligations. All of which is respectfully submitted. For the Committee, Oct. 14, 181)0. SETII C. CAKV, Chairman. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 013 558 693 6 lllillll ! 013 5= Holl LIBRRRY OF CONGRESS 013 558 693 6 Hollinger Corp. pH8.5