Page images
PDF
EPUB

GENERAL M. F. FORCE,

QUARTERMASTER'S OFFICE, U. S. ARMY,
ATLANTA, GA., May 3, 1884.

Treasurer Society of the Army of the Tennessee:

DEAR GENERAL:-Upon my return to this station from a long inspection tour, I found a letter from the Quartermaster-General of the Army, enclosing a copy of a letter from you, of April 9th ulto., on the subject of the condition of the "General McPherson Monument," in the vicinity of Atlanta, Georgia. I have visited this monument several times, and reported its condition twice, with recommendations on the subject, copies of which I herewith enclose.

I will take pleasure in carrying out the wishes and designs of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, especially as I was a member of that army from Shiloh to Vicksburg, on the staff of General Grant, and a personal friend of General McPherson.

If you will give me a design of the work you wish to have done, I will have it proceeded with and completed at the earliest date practicable.

It has been suggested here by parties, who are authorities in such matters, that the monument be raised two feet, to correspond with the height of the wall it is contemplated to build, and that the space enclosed be filled in to the base of the monument with earth, and sodded over. This, it is thought, would present a good appearance.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHAS. A. REYNOLDS, Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel U. S. Army. [ENCLOSURE.]

QUARTERMASTER'S OFFICE, U. S. ARMY,
ATLANTA, GA., March 27, 1884.

[ocr errors]

TO THE QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL OF THe Army, Washington, Through the Chief Quartermaster's Department of the East: SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 19th inst., relative to the neglected condition of the monument which marks the spot where General McPherson fell on the battle field, near Atlanta, Georgia.

In reply, I would respectfully state, that my attention was first attracted to this matter in April, 1883, on the 24th of which month I made a report to the Chief Quartermaster's Department of the South, Newport Barracks, Ky., on the subject, a copy of which (marked "A") I enclose herewith. I also enclose herewith (marked "B") a copy of the Chief Quartermaster's reply thereto, dated April 26th, 1883, and a copy of a report on the subject made by the Superintendent National Cemetery, Marietta, Georgia, and forwarded by endorsement from this office, of May 8th, 1883.

The condition of the monument has changed very little since the foregoing reports named were received, everything portable thereabouts having been carried away.

I would respectfully suggest, as in my endorsement of May 8th, 1883, that

the railing surrounding the monument be taken away entirely, the gun painted, and the grounds surrounding it put in good condition; there would then be nothing left for relic seekers or vandalism to prey upon.

After the grounds were once put in order, a little care and attention from the Superintendent at the Marietta National Cemetery (one hour's ride from here by railroad) would keep them so. I understand he had been in the habit of paying occasional visits to Atlanta, to look after this monument, prior to my coming here.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

[ENCLOSURE.]

C. A. REYNOLDS, Quartermaster U. S. Army.

QUARTERMASter's Office, U. S. ARMY, Į
ATLANTA, GA,, April 24, 1883.

CHIEF QUARTermaster DePARTMENT OF the South,

Newport Barracks, Ky.:

[ocr errors]

SIR: I have the honor to inform you that the gun monument erected to the memory of General McPherson near this city is in a very bad condition. The gun itself looks very well, but the tampion is worn and split, the granite base has been chipped, the railing and gun barrels forming the enclosure have been almost wrecked, the rails twisted and wrenched, the gun barrels bent-some of them torn off and carried away, and others left scattered over the ground near the monument.

The injury, I hope, has been done by relic hunters, and not through vandalism. Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

C. A. REYNOLDS, Quartermaster U. S. Army.

SOCIETY OF THE ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
TREASURER'S OFFICE.

MAJOR CHAS. A. REYNOLDS,

U. S. A.:

CINCINNATI, May 10, 1884.

DEAR MAJOR:-I must thank you for your very obliging letter about the McPherson monument.

The Society of the Army of the Tennessee, at its last meeting, authorized me to repair the iron railing enclosing the monument. It is clearly useless to put up a new railing. I proposed to put up a low stone coping in place of the railing. Your suggestion to raise the monument to the level of the top of the stone enclosure, say two feet, and fill in the space and sod it, seems in every way an improvement. I suppose one hundred and fifty dollars would amply cover the expense. If the work can be done for that, I will pay as soon as you say it is done. Your readiness to see the work done is a great favor and relieves me from anxiety.

[blocks in formation]
[merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

Treasurer Society of the Army of the Tennessee, Cincinnati, Ohio: DEAR SIR. Your favor of the 10th inst., relative to the building of a stone wall around the McPherson monument in the vicinity of Atlanta, Ga., is received. I have received six (6) proposals for doing the work, which I enclose herewith, as also a sketch of the monument with the wall completed. As will be seen, the lowest bid offered for the work is $375; but I would recommend that that of the Stone Mountain Granite Company ($450) be accepted, as being the most advantageous in the end, they being in every way reliable, and having done work here for the government which proved entirely satisfactory.

Should either of the enclosed bids be accepted, upon receipt of your instructions the work will be proceeded with at once.

Very respectfully,

C. A. REYNOLDS, Quartermaster U. S. A.

SOCIETY OF THE ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
TREASURER's Office,
CINCINNATI, May 22, 1884.

GENERAL W. T. SHERMAN,

U. S. A.:

GENERAL:-The Society of the Army of the Tennessee at the last meeting directed me to have the enclosure about the McPherson monument in Georgia put in order and repaired. I find it useless to repair or replace the iron railing, I proposed to surround the monument with a low stone wall or coping, say two feet high. The army officers in Atlanta all agree that the base of the monument should be raised to the same levei, and I agree. Major Reynolds has permission from the Quartermaster-General, and is willing to superintend the undertaking. If the cost would not exceed $300, I would have proceeded under the resolution without further consultation. As the best bid involves a cost of $450, I should rather have your concurrence and approval. I enclose Major Reynolds' letter for such endorsement as you think best to put upon it. Very respectfully and truly,

M. F. FORCE,

Treasurer Society Army Tennessee.

HEADQUARTERS Army of the United STATES,
WASHINGTON, D. C., May 23, 1884.

GENERAL M. F. FORCE:

}

I have your letter of May 20th with that of Major Reynolds, which being an original you will like to retain and is accordingly returned. I have had a good deal of correspondence about that monument, and have made up my mind, that since the withdrawal of the garrison from Atlanta, it is a pure waste of

money to attempt to keep up a monument to commemorate the site. McPherson has an equestrian statue in Washington, an heroic statue over his grave at Clyde, Ohio, and this one on the spot where he died--viz: a block of granite, a 32-pounder gun with a railing of musket barrels about it, which railing has been carried away piecemeal by tourists, both Rebel and Union. Situated where it is, remote from any police or guardian, do what we may, it will be defaced and marred. Even a granite wall will be chipped, hacked and carried away as tokens.

They cannot conveniently carry off that 32-pounder gun, but it will be turned over on the ground.

I advise a simple enclosure of cedar posts with rail, to be replaced annually, till some local Society will become responsible, or until his comrades are dead. Yours truly,

W. T. SHERMAN.

CINCINNATI, May 27, 1884.

GENERAL M. F. FORCE,

West Eighth Street:

DEAR GENERAL:-Considering all the circumstances and conditions, I agree with General Sherman, that it would not be advisable for the Society to increase the expense called for by General Reynolds' plans and estimates. There certainly ought to be, and no doubt will be, sufficient local pride to properly care for the sacred spot, when they fully realize that they must do it or it will be left undone.

Yours, etc.

A. HICKENLOOPER.

SOCIETY OF THE ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
TREASURER'S OFFICE,

CINCINNATI, June 3, 1884.

MAJOR C. A. REYNOLDS,

Quartermaster U. S. Army:

DEAR SIR:-General Sherman disapproves of the plan proposed for elevating and protecting the McPherson monument. He says, "I advise a simple enclosure of cedar posts with rail." General Hickenlooper, the Corresponding Secretary, concurs with General Sherman. Colonel Dayton is out of town and I cannot consult him.

Under the circumstances, I should not feel warranted in adopting the plan that was discussed. If you will kindly undertake to see such a fence as General Sherman describes put up, I will pay the bill.

Very truly yours,

M. F. FORCE,

Treasurer Society of the Army of the Tennessee.

ATLANTA, GA., June 12, 1884.

DEAR GENERAL:-Yours of June inst., came to hand. I am sorry to again write and disagree with the plan prepared by General Sherman, with

regard to the McPherson monument. I simply reflect the sentiment and opinion of people well versed in such matters, to say I am sorry the proposition of the Stone Mountain Granite Co., to erect a rough stone wall, was not accepted; nevertheless, to carry out the idea contained in your letter, enclosed you will please find memoranda of cost of wood and iron paling fences. Please state which is preferable. I prefer the iron as most durable and less liable to mutilation.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. A. REYNOLDS,
Quartermaster.

Twelve feet square fence, with oak or cedar posts, will cost about eighty to one hundred dollars, cedar posts most expensive. Will erect the kind you designate at once.

Lee states the best fence, and most durable, of iron, he will put up for one hundred and fifty dollars. I rather agree with him, that relic hunters and others will not be apt to molest the plain iron railing, as they did the gunbarrels in the old enclosure. In wooden fencing, they are disposed to cut and

carry off a splinter, etc.

SOCIETY OF THE ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,

TREASURER'S OFFICE, CINCINNATI, OHIO, June 14, 1884.

MAJOR C. A. REYNOLDS,

U. S. Army:

DEAR MAJOR:—I regret, too, that the monument is not to be put in better order. Still, a new iron railing will be something. Please have Mr. Lee put up his "best and most durable iron fence;" the one costing $150.

It would be well to have it done at once, as I do not expect to stay in town later than the middle of July, and expect then to be on the wing.

Very truly yours,

M. F. FORCE,

GENERAL M. F. FORCE,

Treasurer Society of the Army of the Tennessee.

QUARTERMASter's Office, U. S. A.,
ATLANTA, GA., July 15, 1884.

Treasurer Society of the Army of the Tennessee, Cincinnati, Ohio: DEAR SIR:-I enclose herewith bill of Mr. A. F. Lee, of Atlanta, Ga., for building the iron fence around the McPherson monument, near this city, the work having been completed yesterday afternoon. The fence is a very neat and durable one, and the work has been done in a good and workmanlike

manner.

Mr. Lee is going to have a photo taken of the monument, of which I will send you a copy.

Very truly yours,

C. A. REYNOLDS, Quartermaster U. S. Army.

« EelmineJätka »