REPORT OF THE GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK COMMISSION

WAR DEPARTMENT,
GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK COMMISSION,
Gettysburg, PA., July 1, 1912.

Sir: We have the honor to transmit report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1912.
The officers and employees of the commission are as follows: Three commissioners, one engineer, one assistant superintendent, one rodman, one store and time keeper, one messenger, one hostler, and four guards.

Employees by the day: Two inspectors, three artisans.

Laborers for the spring, summer, and autumn months are as follows: For July, 1911, 35 laborers; August, 36; September, 36; October, 34; November, 34; December, 5; January, 1912, 7; February, 2; March, 6; April, 28; May, 37; June, 37.

LAND

The land purchased during the year was as follows: A portion of the Culp farm, lying east of East Confederate Avenue, containing 80.7 acres, and a small tract of said farm, lying west of said avenue, containing 2.02 acres.

A tract of land containing 1.83 acres was acquired from William Bushman for constructing an avenue from the Taneytown Road near Gen. Meade's headquarters to the Baltimore Pike, passing through the positions of Rugg's and Kinzie's United States Artillery. An additional plat adjoining the Bushman tract, containing 1.09 acres, will be required to be purchased to complete said avenue, and belongs to C. C. Rider, who asks a large sum for a very small portion of land in view of the bids having been already received for building said avenue. We respectfully recommend that the said plat be acquired by condemnation proceedings.

No further action has been taken in regard to the purchase of three tracts of land lying along Chambersburg Pike and Reynolds Avenue--said tracts belong to the receivers of the Springs & Hotel Co.--nor in regard to the purchase of a tract along the West Confederate Avenue belonging to Calvin Gilbert. These parties are holding this land with a view of selling it to the United States.

Grounds have been selected to be rented by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the encampment of the division of the National Guard in July. While this is not United States land it is close to it, and the Government property will have to be protected by guards.

THE PENNSYLVANIA MEMORIAL

The ground surrounding the Pennsylvania Memorial Monument has been graded and sowed with grass seed, and a piked approach 25 feet square made at the entrance to the center stairway.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, under act approved June 14, 1911, appropriated $40,000 for placing on the Pennsylvania Memorial eight portrait bronze statues, and the commission named the following to be mounted in the niches of the memorial: Lincoln, Curtin, Meade, Hancock, Reynolds, Birney, Gregg, and Pleasonton.

The Pennsylvania commission placed the contract for the statues with the Van Amringe Granite Co., of Boston, Mass., and they selected to execute the work sculptors of reputation, viz: Lee O. Lawrie, W. Clarke Noble, Cyrus E. Dallin, and J. Otto Schweizer.

The 2-foot sketch models were approved by the commission March 12, 1912, and the 8-foot clay models will be passed upon later. They will be placed on the memorial in the summer of 1913.

THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL

On January 20, 1904, a contract was made by and between the Secretary of War and the Van Amringe Granite Co., of Boston, Mass., to construct and erect a memorial to Abraham Lincoln on the battlefield, $5,000 having been appropriated by Congress for the purpose. No site was agreed upon until 1911, when authority was received to erect the memorial in the National cemetery. On October 7, 1911, the engineer of the commission was directed to make a survey of a portion of the ground within the cemetery walls and run a line parallel with the south wall from the south gatepost at the entrance from the Taneytown Road. This contained about 2.13 acres, and control of it was given to the Gettysburg National Military Park Commission to erect thereon the memorial. This ground contained a wooden structure with roadway around 60 feet in diameter. This was removed and a foundation built in the center of the roadway by the Van Amringe Granite Co., under the direction of the commission, which has been completed. A concrete curb 30 feet in diameter has been built around the memorial and the space within sodded. A roadway 12 feet wide has been built by piking the circular roadway and the piking extended a distance of 60 feet, connecting with the avenue in the cemetery. Outside of this a gutter is to be built at sides of the approach and halfway around the circle.

SEDGWICK STATUE

The commission to erect an equestrian statue to Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick on the battlefield came to Gettysburg September 23, 1909, and in company with the Gettysburg commission selected a site for the statue on Sedgwick Avenue. This is located in the Swisher field now United States land, east of the avenue and 200 yards northerly from the Wheatfield Road. Charles H. Pine, Esq., chairman, with the sculptor, Mr. H. K. Bush-Brown, had the exact location staked and the height of base marked. On December 1, 1911, the inscription for the tablets was approved by the Secretary of War and the work was put under contract. The pedestal is completed, but the statue will not be erected until the summer of 1913.

THE VIRGINIA MEMORIAL MONUMENT

Progress upon the memorial continues in a satisfactory manner. This is to be a pedestal with a group of Confederate soldiers in bronze. The site was selected on United States land at the north corner of Spangler's woods. The contract for the erection of the pedestal was awarded by the Commonwealth of Virginia to the Van Amringe Granite Co., of Boston, Mass.

The Virginia commission was constituted as follows, but has since been changed by death: Claude A. Swanson, governor, chairman; Col. H. A. Edmonson; Hon. John W. Daniel, United States Senator; Capt. S. P. Read; and Col. Thomas Smith.

A map showing the site selected for the monument was prepared by the Gettysburg National Military Park Commission, submitted to the Secretary of War, and the location approved December 27, 1909. Ground was broken for the excavation for the foundation May 6, 1912, in the presence of the commission, and the subcontractor began the work of erecting the pedestal. The sculptor, F. William Sievers, is the contractor to furnish the statuary as well as for the erection of the entire memorial.

THE WADSWORTH STATUE

In our last report it was stated that money had been appropriated to erect a statue to Bvt. Maj. Gen. James S. Wadsworth, United States Volunteers. On October 27, 1911, the commission and the engineer and secretary of the New York Monuments Commission, of which Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Sickles is chairman, visited the location of this plat and it was decided to move the original position selected south upon United States land. The stake was moved about 60 feet south, and the engineers of the commission made a survey and maps of the plat.

THE HOWARD STATUE

In the erection of the statue to Maj. Gen. O. O. Howard no further action has been taken by the State of Maine.

THE WELLS STATUE

The action upon the statue to Gen. Wells remains with the Vermont commission, nothing beyond that previously reported having been done.

THE BRIGADE MONUMENTS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC

The contracts for the pedestals and tablets for these monuments were awarded in 1911, and are referred to in our last report.

The granite firm of John Maxwell's Sons, of Philadelphia, was given the contract for 74 pedestals of sea-green granite, and Albert Russell's Sons Co., of Newburyport, Mass., was given the contract for 74 bronze tablets. All these have been delivered, the foundations were built, and the pedestals were hauled and mounted on the foundations. The bases of the monuments have been mounted and completed. They mark brigades of Infantry, Cavalry, and Engineers and battalions of the Artillery, Army of the Potomac, on the Gettysburg Infantry and Cavalry battlefields. They have been inspected and accepted by the commission.

AVENUES AND ROADS

The avenue from Hancock Avenue to Pleasonton Avenue in rear of the Pennsylvania Memorial has been graded and piked, the pipe walls have been built, the banks on the sides rounded and sodded. Surveys have been made on the line of a proposed avenue from the Taneytown Road near Gen. Meade's headquarters to the Baltimore Pike 2,950 feet long and over a strip of United States land 350 feet long from said pike; Rugg's and Kinzie's United States batteries are marked by monuments and guns at west end of said strip. Sealed proposals have been received for piking this avenue and also for piking an extension of the Mummasburg Road from Buford Avenue northwesterly about 1,950 feet. The work of the grading for the extension of this road was commenced June 17, 1912.

GUTTERS AND REPAIRING

The storms and extreme cold weather of the winter was very severe on the gutter paving where a large amount of surface water was carried into them. When the workmen went on duty in April their first work was to make the repairs to the gutters; this was completed in the same month and the entire system of gutters over the field, about 20 miles in length are in good repair. There will be several hundred feet of new gutters to pave this year, the location of which has not all been determined.

GUNS MOUNTED

Ten gun carriages have been mounted with guns to complete the second positions, line of McGilvery's Artillery Battalion. They were purchased from Calvin Gilbert in November, 1911, and January, 1912. These were mounted as delivered upon granite foundations built in October, 1911. This line of Artillery is located on the west side of Hancock Avenue, between the First Minnesota Monument and the Round Top Branch Railroad crossing. These guns represent five batteries in the following order: B, First Pennsylvania Battery, on the right; Fifth Massachusetts Battery; Fifteenth New York Battery; H, one section, Third Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery Battery; B. First New Jersey Battery, on the left.

Pyramids and tablets have been set up to these batteries, which were in action on this line on the afternoon of July 3, 1863.

The four gun carriages referred to in our last report have been set up and completed, and pyramids and tablets placed with them as follows: On Howe Avenue, two guns, to represent Battery C, First New York Artillery; on Wright Avenue, two guns, to represent Battery C, Massachusetts Artillery. They were ordered here July 3, 1863, and these guns mark their second positions.

GUNS OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC MOUNTED

Baltimore Pike ...............................................................................................10
East Cemetery Hill .........................................................................................20
Evergreen Cemetery .................................................................................. .....2
National Cemetery .........................................................................................16
Ziegler's' Grove ................................................................................................8
Hancock Avenue ............................................................................................42
Sedgwick Avenue .............................................................................................2
Culps Hill ........................................................................................................11
Taneytown Road ...............................................................................................7
Little Round Top ................................................................................................6
Meade Avenue ..................................................................................................2
Emmitsburg Road ............................................................................................10
Pleasanton Avenue ............................................................................................2
Chambersburg Pike ...........................................................................................8
Reynolds Avenue ...............................................................................................6
Granite Schoolhouse Road .................................................................................2
Powers Hill .........................................................................................................6
Wheatfield Road and Sickles Avenue ................................................................16
Peach Orchard ....................................................................................................6
Wheatfield ...........................................................................................................2
Swisher's Field ....................................................................................................2
Seminary Avenue ................................................................................................2
Carlisle Road .......................................................................................................2
Howard Avenue ................................................................................................12
South Cavalry Field .............................................................................................2
East Cavalry Field ................................................................................................6
Crawford Avenue ..................................................................................................2
Bushmans Hill (Elder) ............................................................................................1
Wright Avenue .......................................................................................................2
Howe Avenue ........................................................................................................2

Total .........................................................................................................217

GUNS OF THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA MOUNTED

East Cavalry Field ................................................................................. 10
Benners Hill ........................................................................................... 16
Sections 5 and 6, Confederate Avenue ................................................. 10
Schultz Grove ........................................................................................ 10
Section 4, Confederate Avenue ............................................................. 18
West Confederate Avenue .................................................................... 81
Seminary Avenue ................................................................................... 4
North Confederate Avenue .................................................................... 10
Frommeyer Field .................................................................................... 8
Oak Hill (at railroad cut) ......................................................................... 2
Total .......................................................................................... 169

PAINTING

A contract was made with William Bushman to paint the five towers on the field. Contract dated May 13, 1912. Work to begin July 1, 1912, and be completed September 1, 1912. Other painting as follows: Culp house and barn, fences, gun carriages, tablets, etc., this work being done by the regular employees of the commission.

FENCING

Ten thousand feet of avenue fencing have been erected, principally on the farm lands of the United States on the field. A force of laborers have examined and repaired fences of all kinds over the battlefield; the avenue fences have been painted where needed and new posts put in where any defect was found in the old posts.

CARPENTER WORK

Work on the field was stopped last fall by bad weather, with some of the repairs to United States buildings unfinished. The carpenter work has again been taken up and good progress been made. All the Culp buildings, where needed, have been newly roofed and the foundations and woodwork repaired; the foundations at the barn and outhouses have been rebuilt and new porch built in front and side porch repaired; the weatherboarding of barn has also been repaired. Much garden fencing on United States land has been done for tenants.

CARE OF GROVES AND GROUNDS

Three parties of laborers acting as foresters are employed in clearing, trimming, and improving the appearance of the forest and groves on the battlefield.

Two parties with mowing machines, lawn mowers, and other necessary tools are at work mowing the unleased lands bordering the avenues and the larger tracts of open United States land and clearing and keeping the field in order in the spring, summer, and autumn.

CADETS

The class of cadets, 1912, of the United States Military Academy at West Point, 96 in number, with 9 instructors, under command of Col. Fiebeger, United States Army, arrived at Gettysburg early on the morning of April 29, 1912.

The class was divided into four sections, each having two instructors. The entire class went to the east Cavalry field in the afternoon. On the 30th they continued their study of the field until noon, in the afternoon many of them visited the office of the commission and viewed the different maps, and at 7:30 p. m. they started on their return to West Point. The weather was cold and inclement, as it rained during their visit.

LENGTH OF AVENUES ON THE GETTYSBURG BATTLEFIELD

Feet
Howard Avenue from Harrisburg Road to Mummasburg Road ----------------- 5,150
Reynolds Avenue from Buford Avenue to Hagerstown Road ----------------- 6,150
Buford Avenue from Mummasburg Road to Reynolds Avenue ----------------- 3,435
Seminary Avenue from Chambersburg Pike to Hagerstown Road ------------- 2,500
Slocum Avenue from Baltimore Pike to Spangler's Spring ----------------------- 6,373
East Confederate Avenue from Gettysburg to Spangler's Spring -------------- 7,241
Hancock Avenue from Taneytown Road to United States Avenue ------------- 7,825
Meade Avenue from Taneytown Road to Hancock Avenue --------------------- 950
Pleasanton Avenue from Taneytown Road to Hancock Avenue --------------- 1,549
United States Avenue from Hancock Avenue to Emmitsburg Road ----------- 4,150
Sedgwick Avenue from United States Avenue to Wheatfield Road ----------- 2,841
Sykes Avenue from Wheatfield Road to Round Top ----------------------------- 2,997
Wright Avenue from Chamberlain Avenue to Taneytown Road ---------------- 3,000
Crawford Avenue from Devil's Den to Wheatfield Road ------------------------- 3,530
Sickles Avenue from Devils Den to Emmitsburg Road --------------------------- 6,515
West Confederate Avenue from Hagerstown Road to Wheatfield Road ----- 10,470
Section 4. West Confederate Avenue from Wheatfield Road to Emmitsburg Road - 3,700
Section 5. West Confederate Avenue, from Emmitsburg Road to section 6 - 2,470
Section 6. West Confederate Avenue, from section 5 to section 7 ------------- 1,840
Section 7. West Confederate Avenue, from section 7 to section 8 ------------- 2,850
Section 8. West Confederate Avenue, from section 7 to Sykes Avenue ------ 1,617
Warren Avenue, from Sykes Avenue to Crawford Avenue ----------------------- 1,550
Chamberlain Avenue, from Sykes Avenue southerly to Sykes Avenue ------- 1,050
Stone Avenue, from Chambersburg Pike to Reynolds Woods ------------------ 900
Meredith Avenue, from Reynolds Woods to Reynolds Avenue ----------------- 1,950
Wadsworth Avenue, from Doubleday Avenue to Reynolds Avenue ----------- 900
Doubleday Avenue, from Mummasburg Road to Wadsworth Avenue -------- 1,450
Robinson Avenue, from Mummasburg Road to Doubleday Avenue ---------- 950
Wheatfield Avenue, from Excelsior Field to Wheatfield Woods --------------- 1,100
Reynolds Branch Avenue to Reynolds Woods ------------------------------------- 492
Geary Avenue, from Slocum Avenue to Spangler's Spring ---------------------- 2,036
Taneytown Road Avenue ---------------------------------------------------------------- 5,700
Colgrove and Carman Avenue ---------------------------------------------------------- 1,794
North Confederate Avenue -------------------------------------------------------------- 2,365
Joining Wadsworth and Doubleday Avenues --------------------------------------- 720
Brooke and Ayres Avenue --------------------------------------------------------------- 5,860
Mummasburg Road ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 6,325
Carlisle Road ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3,276
Newville Road ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2,400
Emmitsburg Road ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8,713
Wheatfield Road --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6,400
Harrisburg Road --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5,287
Hagerstown Road ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2,700
Hanover Road ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5,700
Avenue foot of East Cemetery Hill ---------------------------------------------------- 1,480
Howe Avenue ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1,000
Birney Avenue ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 900
Avenue east of Pennsylvania Memorial --------------------------------------------- 550
Avenue around the Lincoln Memorial ------------------------------------------------ 205
Avenue from Taneytown Road to Baltimore Pike --------------------------------- 2,950
Total -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 163,856

July 1, 1912, total piked length of avenues and roads 163,856 feet, equal to 31.03 miles.

THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE, 1863-1913

On October 12, 1911, a communication was received by the chairman of the commission from the secretary of the "Fiftieth Anniversary Commission of the Battle of Gettysburg," created by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, inviting the commission to be present at their meetings.

On December 18, 1911, the chairman of the commission was present and participated with the Pennsylvania commission in a discussion of the plans and detailed arrangements.

Lands near the Borough of Gettysburg were surveyed by the engineer of the commission in April, 1912, and reported upon by an officer and an engineer of the Quartermaster's Department, United States Army, at Washington, D. C., the object being to select sites to make a camp for the use of veteran soldiers of the War of 1861-1865 during the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the battle.

The Quartermaster General, United States Army, made a report to the Secretary of War, which was transmitted to Congress and printed as Senate Document 663, Sixty-second Congress, second session. The map accompanying the report was prepared by the commission.

On May 6, 1912, the chairman was present at a meeting of the executive committee of the Pennsylvania commission, when a conference was held with the railroads having terminals at Gettysburg.

On May 28-29, the chairman was present at a meeting of the commission and the Representatives of the States and Territories, at Washington, D. C. The attendance was very large and much enthusiasm manifested in the reports submitted by the chairman of the Pennsylvania commission. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania having agreed to assume the contribution of $150,000 from the United States. This act was passed by the Senate May 29, 1912, and referred to the House of Representatives.

On May 24, 1912, Bvt. Lieut. Col. W. Brooke Rawle and Capt. W. E. Miller, Third Pennsylvania Cavalry, visited the East Cavalry Field with the Gettysburg commission and marked the right flank of the Cavalry in the fight of July 3, 1863.

The encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Pennsylvania, was held in Gettysburg June 4 to 7, 1912.

On June 11 officers of the War College, Washington, D. C., came by rail to Gettysburg arriving at 3:42 p. m. on their tour of the battlefields in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. There were 30 officers of the Army present, commanded by Col. Hunter Leggett. They returned to Washington June 12.

On May 21 the engineers, under the supervision of Lieut. Col. E. B. Cope, engineer, began a reduction of the 1903 map of the battlefield on a scale of 900 feet to 1 inch. This is to be printed, and the position of both the armies are to be placed upon separate sheets for every hour of the battle, that they may be published by Congress.

The commission have located the sites of all of the Corps hospitals of the Army of the Potomac, established in rear of the Army from July 1, 1863, to the date the wounded were removed to Camp Letterman on the field, and they will take up the location of the hospitals of the Confederate Army within a short period, having in view the marking of the hospitals of the armies engaged at Gettysburg .

During the administration of the commission the engineers have surveyed for, platted, and drawn 781 tracings pertaining to the work on the field, and from these tracings 30,000 blue and white prints have been make and distributed to those interested in a study of the battle.

Respectfully,

John P. Nicholson, Chairman,
Charles A. Richardson,
L. L. Lomax,
Commissioners.
The Secretary of War

Estimated Expenditures For The Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1914

LAND

One tract to complete avenue now under contract ----------------------------------------- $150
Contract Work Piking Avenues And Roads

For piking 1 mile of the Hanover Road (2 miles of this road have been ceded to the United States) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8,000
For resurfacing 10 miles of avenues ----------------------------------------------------- 5,000
For oiling 10 miles avenue surface, at $200 per mile ------------------------------------- 2,000

Extra Work Attending Fiftieth Anniversary of Gettysburg Encampment

Forty extra guards for 10 days on duty night and day to guard United States
property, at $2 per day ------------------------------------------------------------------- 800
Estimated expenses to restore the battlefield to its normal condition after
the encampment ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2,000

Supplies To Be Furnished On Bids And In Open Market

Avenue and farm fencing ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1,500
Lumber, 20,000 feet at 4 cents ---------------------------------------------------------------- 800
Millwork and hardware -------------------------------------------------------500
Paint and oils ------------------------------------------------------------- 500
Ironwork and repairs to machinery ----------------------------------------------------------- 600
Fuel, water, and light for stable --------------------------------------------------------------- 64
Books, including stationery, blue and white print paper, tracing cloth, etc. -------- 550
For purchase of lithograph maps, white prints, and photographs -------------------- 250
Merchandise for office and stable ----------------------------------------------------------- 150
Repairs to wagons and harness -------------------------------------------------------------- 200
Blacksmith's work on tools and shoeing horses ------------------------------------------ 150
Tools for laborers and other purposes ------------------------------------------------------ 1,200
Sand, lime, and cement -------------------------------------------------------------------- 200
Screenings to resurface avenues ------------------------------------------------------------- 2,000
Mason work over the field --------------------------------------------------------------250

Equipment and furniture for the commission's rooms in the United States
public building to be occupied by them in 1913 ----------------------------------------- 2,000

Pay Rolls

Salaries of the commissioners ------------------------------------------------------------ 10,800
Pay of engineers, guards, office and stable --------------------------------------------7,620
Artisans and laborers, eight months ------------------------------------------------------14,500
Incidental expenses --------------------------------------------------------------------------216

Total ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 62,000