Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-06-20
THE BATTLE MONUMENT.
Dedication Of a Portion Of the Grounds at West
Point for the Site Of a Memorial TO the
Dead Of the Present War.
General Mcclellan Delivers the Ded-
icatory Grafton. lGsit

| West Point was the scene OF very
imposing and yet solemn ceremony, on
Wednesday, June 18th, in the dedication OF
o portion of the grounds as site on which
to erect monument to the memory
Of those members Of the regular army who
have perished during the present war.
The announcement that General McCLEL-
Ian would deliver the Grafton on the occa-
sion, induced an immense number of peo-
pie, ladies as well as gentlemen, to visit the
Military Academy to witness the ceremo-
nial, and all the trains and boats were
crowded with them. ,o3lr
A stand was erected on the site, at Trophy
Point, and was decorated with flags, In fes-
toons and unfurled. Over the centre of the
front of the stand was national shield, or
namented with trophy of bayonets, the
points radiating from the top and Sides
On the platform of the stand a table was
placed for the orator, and during the morn
ing some young ladies covered and orna-
mented 1t with natural roses, in full bloom,
and other fragrant flowers. In front of the
stand several rows of seats were arranged
for the ladies, but proved far too few for
the occasion, many of them making seats
for themselves on the grass. The gentle
men either stood or reclined on the green,
and among the civilians were distributed a
large sprinkling of officers Of all ranks,
both in the army and navy.
\ Shortly after half-past twelve, national
salute of thirty-five guns was fired from
battery Knox, and the procession COM
menced moving in the following order:
lst, The Military Academy band. I'd,
| Battalion of cadets. Sd. Detachments of
troops stationed at or visiting the post. 4th.
Carriage containing the President of the
Executive Committee, and the Chief Mar
shal. 9TH, Senior member of the Executive
Committee. orator and ehaplains. 9Th, the
Executive Committee. 7th, Carriage con-
tanning Lieut.-Gen. Scott and the Inspector
of Military Academy. 9Th, The Academic
Board, Board of visitors, Academic staff
and State and municipal civil officers. 9th,
Officers of the army and navy. 10th, Fami-
lies of the same. l1th, Civilians.
The following was the order of the pro-
lst Religious service, Prof. French. I'd,
Music, Hail Columbia. Sd, Grafton, Maj
Gen. Mcclellan. 4th. Music, Star Spangled
Banner and Yankee Doodle. 9th, Benedlc-
tion, Rev. DIR. Sprole. 9Th, Dirge.
Atabout one o'clock, General McCLELLAN.
accompanied by General ANDERSON, walked
from the carriage along an avenue lined
with people, who saluted MIN with cheers
as he passed along, to which he replied
with a military salute. On ascending the
steps of the stand the cheers were continued
until he took his seat. At this time, there
were on the stand several distinguished
guests, who all uncovered as General Nc
CLELLAN passed to his seat which was in
the centre of the platform.
After prayers, Professor FRENCH address,
ed the assemblage, expressing a wish that
as the event was to honor the dead, there
should be no demonstration made, but that
it should be allowed to pass through to the
end as would a funeral service over the re-
mains of those who had fallen in war to
defend the welfare and honor of the United
States. ~ 1 traln 7i'
General ANDERSON introduced General
MCCLELLAN as the orator of the day, assert
ing that he was far better known to the
people than he General ANDERSON could
ever hope to be.
AS General MCCLELLAN arose from his
seat--in spite Of what Professor FRENCH
had said, and entirely disregarding the
Generals signs of disapprovaland attempts
to make them desist-the crowd saluted
him with three loud and prolonged cheers.
As soon as quiet had been restored, General
MCCLELLAN, in a clear, calm, yet perfectly
audible voice, delivered the dedicatory ora
tion, which we cannot print now, for want
Of room. Here are the concluding para
graphs of the peroration: ,'Nib
In the midst OF the storms which toss our
shipof state, there Is one great beacon light
to which we can ever turn with confidence
and hope. II cannot be that this great ma
ton has played its part In history; it can
not be that our sun, which arose with such
bright promises for the future, has already
set forever. Itmust be the intention of the
overruling Deity that this land, so long the
asylum of the oppressed, the refuge of civil
and religious liberty, shall again stand forth
in bright relief, united, purified and chas-
tened by our trials, as an example and en-
couragement for those who desire the prog
ress of the human race. 1t is not given to
our weak intellects to understand the steps
of Providence as they occur; we compre-
hend them only as we look back upon them
in the far distant past; so it is now. We
cannot unravel the seemingly tangled skein
Of the purposes of the CreatOr-they are
too high and far-reachiDg for our limited
minds. But all history and His own re-
vealed word teach us that His ways, al
though inscrutable, are ever righteous. Let
us, then, honestly and manfully play our
parts, seek to understand and perform our
whole duty, and. trust unwaveringly In the
beneficent God who led our ancestors across
the sea, and sustained them afterward amid
dangers more appalling even than those en-
countered by His own chosen people IN their
great exodus.f ~ az ~ sctfA n f4i5,s.lt.g
7 He did not bring us here In vain, nor has
He supported us thus far for naught. W
II we do our duty and trust In Him, He
will not desert usin our need. Firm in our
faith that God win save our country. we
now dedicate this site to the memory of
brave men, TO loyalty, patriotism, and hon
or. cloud applause.) ~
The New York World, speaking Of this
oration, says sss gg9ssr
7 We need do no more than direct the at
tentiofi Of our readers to the ardent patri-