Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 189, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1913 — G. A. R. MEETING AT CHATTANOOGA [ARTICLE]

G. A. R. MEETING AT CHATTANOOGA

BTIRRING SCENES RECALLED BY MENTION OF HIBTORIC HOMES AND BUILDINGS OF 1863. Houmi In Which General* Grant, Thomas, Roaaorana, Commander*, Held Conference* During the Days of Carnage. Chattanooga, Tenn. —There are a number of buildings yet standing in Chattanooga that did aervice for the Union Army in 1863, the mention of which will doubtless recall stirring times to several thousand old soldiers who expect to attend the 47th annual encampment in this city in September. Among these are bouses that served as headquarters for famous generals, hospitals for wounded soldiers and morgues for hundreds who were killed in battle. In turn buildings are also standing in which social functions were held before and during the war. Some of these buildings are in good repair, but many of them show the ravages of time and the elements. One of the oldest buildings, if it does not rank first in point of age, in the Chattanooga vicinity, is a mission house at Byrd’s mill, a few miles east of the crest of Missionary Ridge where the great battle waß fought This house was erected by Gideon Blaokburn, of Pennsylvania, in 1808, who came west as a Missionary to the Cherokee Indians. Blackburn was the

first missionary sent to this section by the Tennessee presbytery. He by tbe Tennessee presbytery. The building around which greater interest centered after tbe occupation of Chattanooga by tbe Union troops perhaps than all others, to the old Crutchfield hotel, now the Read House, a modern brick hotel building since erected on the site of the Crutchfield house. After the battle of Chiokam&uga the Crutchfield bouse was used as an army hospital. Hundreds of wounded soldiers were carried from the field of Chlckamauga, a distance of ten miles

from Chatatnooga, and cared for In this hotel. It was also headquarters a great deal of the time for Union commanders. Many important conferences were held there, the state of the Union discussed and plan laid for military operations. In turn this house has sheltered all of the military officials of the Confederacy that were assigned to this territory, including President Jefferson Davis, of the Confederate States, members of his cabinet and other men high In the councils of the south. In war days there wag a Crutehfleld farm on the Tennessee river a few miles above Chattanooga that will be remembered by every survivor of the Union army who was with Gen. W. T. Sherman at the battle of Missionary Ridge. Gen. Sherman first crossed the Tennessee river at Brown’s ferry below the city and marched up the north bank until he was opposite the mouth of South Chlckamauga creek. Here he recrossed the Tennessee, landing on the Crutchfield farm. His object was to attack the position ot Gen. Patrick Cleburne on Missionary Ridge at Tunnel Hill. Desperate fighting occurred at this point, and ttye Crutchfield home, a commodious farm house, was corverted Into a hospital where several hundred wounded soldiers were given surgical attention. The Crutchfield farm contained 2,000 acres. Gen. James A. Garfield occupied the residence of the late Judge D. M. Key, postmaster general In President Haye’a cabinet This house is still standing and has been kept In good repair. The Loveman residence Is built upon the site of the Brsbson home that was headquarters of Gen. Bragg before toe evacuated Chattanooga. The Brabeon home burned thirty-one years ago. The Nottingham residence, one of the best appointed in Chattanooga, was occupied during the war by Generals Hill and Palmer. The remains of Gen. MoPherson, who was killed before Atlanta, lay In state In this residence, surrounded by a military guard of hones.