The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-07-14
eETTI5DU6e MONUMENT.
Laying the Corner.Stsae Of the
Soldiers Monument On the
Gettysburg Bate Field.
Gen. Towards Eloquent Tribute to
the American Soldier.

the American Soldier.
The corner stone of the Soldiers Nom
'ment at the National Cemetery in Get
.ysburg, was laid on the Fourth with inn
posing ceremonies.
The procession, consisting of military,
civic societies, and citizens, headed by
Major General GEARY, moved from the
main street Of the town at ten O'Clock A.
n, and reached the Cemetery at . few
minutes before eleven. Generals MADE,
Howard, AoTT, SYKES, LORENZO, Thomas,
DOUBLEDAY, ORAwPoRD, GEARY and Rob.
RsoH, and Colonel HAIp1sE and Cover
nor QuR1N, of Pennsylvania, were on the
stand. .,., =
The exercises we're opened with dis
course and prayer by Rev. DR.. TYHs, Of
New York, after which Judge GooD1Ne,
Marshal of the District of Columbia, read
q letter from President JOHNSON, which we
have already published. o.~"i
The corner stone of the Monument was
laid with Masonic ceremonies, and Major
General o. o. HowARD, then delivered
the Grafton, of which the following are
extracts -ss 81. &. ,r, r.. .
.G TEE AMERICAN SOLDIER. au
We have now been called to lay the
corner stone of q monument. This mon
ument is not mere family record, not the
simple memorial Of individual fame, nor
the client tribute to genius. 1t is raised
to the colder. It is memorial of his life
and his noble death. It embraces patri-
otto brotherhood of heroes in it's inscrip-
tons, and is an unceasing herald Of labor,
suffering, union, liberty and sacrifice. Let
US, then, as is proper on such an occasion
as this, give few thoughts to the Ameri-
can soldier. We have now embraced un-
der this generic name of soldier the duti-
full officer, the volunteer soldier, the regu-
lar, the colored and the conscript; but in
my remarks ! viii present you the private
volunteer as the representative American
soldier. -. .~...
In the early part Of 1861 the true citi-
zen heard that traitors at Washington had
formed conspiracy to overthrow the gov
eminent, and soon after that the Stars and
Stripes had been fred upon, and had been
hauled down at the bidding of an armed
enemy in South Carolina, that the capital
Of the nation was threatened, and that
our new President had called for help.
How quickly the citizen answered the call |!
Almost like magic be sprang forth q SOL
der. His farm or his bench, his desk or
his counter was left behind, and you find
him marching through the then gloomy,
hagless, defiant streets of Baltimore, fully
equipped for service, with uniform gray,
blue, red or green-it then msttered not !;
with knspsack, cartridge box, musket and
bayonet, his outfit was all that was re-
quired. He was Q little awkward, bis &C.
coutrements much awry, his will unsub-
dued. He did not keep step to music, nor
always lock step with his companions. He
had scarcely ever fred musket, but he
had become soldier, put on the soldiers
garb, set his face towards the enemy, and,
God willing, he purposed never to turn
back till the soldiers work was done.
| You meet him at Washington ION Meri-
dian Hill, perhaps, discipline and drill
seize upon him, restrain bis liberty and
mould his body. Colonies, captains, lieu
tenants and sergeants, his former EQUALS.
order him about, and be must obey them.
Oh what days! and oh what nights
Where is homo and affection? Where Is
the soft bed and loaded table2 Change
of climate, change of food, want of rest.
want of all kinds of old things, and an in
fiux Of all sorts Of new things, make him
sick-yes, really sick in body and soul.
But in spite of q few doses of quinine and
q wholesome hospital bed and diet (as the
soldier of S6l:remembers them), bis Wig
orous constitution and indomitable heart
prevail, 90 that he is soon able to cross
the Long Bridge and invade the sacred
clay of Virginia with his companions
in arms. Yet, perhaps, should you now
observe him very closely you viii perceive
bis enthusiasm increasing faster than his
strength. He IL on the enemys side OF
the river; now for strict guard duty ;
now for the lonely picket amid the thick
cts where men are killed by ambushed
foes How the eye and the ear, and
may say itf-the heart, are qnickened
in these new and trying vigils.
Before long, however, the soldier is in
ured to these things. He becomes ia
miliar with every stump, tree and path
way of approach, and his trusty gun and
stoughter heart defy any secret foe. Pres
emily you find him on the road to battle.
The hot weather of July, the usual load,
the superadded twenty extra rounds OF
cartridges and three days. rstions strung
to his neck and the long, weary march