The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-06-14
The Memorial Celebration
AT COALFIELD.
..res ting Proceedings, Speeches, sc.

IT, tns.nS s.l,R 1iSStNNAAAEct Sk>~~Ss~~Ss ~~S'
-, pursuance with the announcement
.,r,r DAYS ago, n train left this city
,..grrdav morning for Coalhcld, where
~. ladies of Chesterfield had determined
:, Give a picnic, to raise the means
=, gather together, under one monn-
,ms,t the remains Of dead Coniederatcs
n...n the limits Of their county. The
r..r for the departure Of the train was
laced at 10 o'clock, but the hardness OF
.r Rlchmond excursioniSts delayed IL
>.y,c time after that hour. The tra,h
~.thcd Coalticld at about IL O'CLOCK.
r>gwbarking here. the cxcursIoniSts, AFTER
walk of about mile, found themselves
-. q beautiful grove, surrounded by the
.,atv and youth of Chesterfle!d. here
.a there in the grove were tables SET OUT,
..l loaded with everything to tempt the
tod and wcaricd traveller. In the cen
vas erected stand for the speakers OF
49,, 6,v. Af(Cr an hour had passed in the
.,.,rh.ngc # friendly greetings by the many
ya, gc; there, and pleasant chit-chat with
.,.. ladies', the party was called To order
b.. Dr. Bail, who introduced to them the
Ery. Mr. Edwards, of our city.
Mr.. EpwARDS'S ADDRESS.
NJ, Edwards said that he did not feel
,..- ,r.rorld give better evidence of his
..ya,ian 10 the cause in which the ladies
were engaged than by conSentlng to ad-
dress them on this occasion. Ii seemed to
n. his misfortune to be called upon on
.era,lou> Of this character when least pre-
rcd tor it. As an instance, he referred
(. tie OakwoUd commemoration on the
,r,N # MAY, where he was called upon to
8Irr>> large aSSemblage with but little
REGISTRATION. The sad casualty which oc-
rerrcd on Tuesday had called him to the
,rghborhood Of Coalfeld. He came to
visit Bishop Early, and found him much
letter than he had expected. Finding that
\, could spare a few moments from the
i shops bedside, he thought to come out
and see the ladies' engaged In their holy
work. Not long after he had reached the
ground. ne found himself in the hands of
General Walker, whose giant stature and
,rhulii appearance ovcrcame him. He
mas forced to SucCumb and consent to
,IIrc,> the asScmblagc. He congratu-
,,rl the ladies upon the organiza-
.on of Memorial Association. He
s..S ui nothing with 50 much that was
.-lt.lul and patriotic embodied in IFS OBJ
herr, as Memorial Association. He 1elt
..r greatest admiration for the ladies en-
.,.r, in securing the memory of the dead
rom oblivion. Looking upon the work in
.,ra>p,ct. hc felt a great deal that he
,.aId nn, say. He felt when he contem-
lated it that he should put his finger on
mouth. and keep silence. In the other
>n.., there was a beauty that would thrill
.., heart with affection and sympathy, and
s.tNc ewes with tears of sadness. The
8ak Of our soldierv had scarcely been
.r,.rd in the echoes from our hills and
v.W.g>. We looked ut the graves OF our
nsr,vrri heroes, and could still see the
races O! war in our deSolatcd land. The
...nary Of these things would be perpetu-
s..l through all time by the ladies OF the
Memorial Associations.
Would not the children who attended
the commemoration Oft the 10th of May, the
3lst OF May, and of the 9Th of June, in Pc
c->burg. remember the tear that fell from
, mothers al a sisters eyes as she placed
.rr tribute OF beautiful flowers on the
-~Aye Of some brave boy who had given
.l~ life for his country Some persons
thought that the contemplated work would
,nly bc thought of in the impulse of the
moment. But not so. 1t was work
.ralrd upon true patriotism and aiiec-
..un and in those virtues II would
aai pledge OF perpetuation. When he
,.w in HOLLYWOOD, on the 3lSt OF last
..oath, a tide Of human beings swelling
.om the early morn till midday, strange
was made upon his mind and
ear. When he saw the thousands oi
graves nicely moundcd by the strong
lands of living comrades of those who
,.rr, in them: and when he saw those
.r4yc> decorated by the tender hand OF
woman, he felt as il he were in large
temple. The silence in which these trl-
.4,r, were paid impressed him greatly :
a.j he felt as when, in some church IN
other lands, he stood around the tomDs OF
tic dead when the last peal OF the organ
l.t the last note OF the chant had dled
away. that silence was the most approprl-
ltc tribute 10 the dead. In conclusion,
Tire speaker spoke to the ladies OF the work
.clorc them, and the gratitude and adml-
ration they would command If they car
yirl il out. The history Of these memorial
associations would yet be written IN volumes
that would thrill the hearts of future gene
y4lion>. He thanked the ladies and gen.
;1ymcn for their kind and polite attention
% his few " rambling and impromptu re-
marks" and gave up the stand TO Colonel
Narmaduke Johnson, who was better pre-
pared than himself.
COLONEL JoHNsoN's ADDRESS.
Colonel Johnson said TO the ladies and
ccH,.cmcn present that he felt much en-
.arra,scd by the closing remarks oil the
,.utlrman who had preceded him. lie was
sorry 10 say that he was also without pre-
,a-a,ion. lie had also been seized by that
broad. .shouldered and bronze faced soldier,
General Walker. Still he felt pleased, as
he would always feel when confronted by
the beauty and loveliness Of his native land.
Six years ago he addressed the citizens OF
Chesterfield, his native county, and looked
with independence upon the green filii-
sides and meadows that blessed his child
.ool's DAYS. But alas he could not feel
70 now, How sadly altered was our beau
liul land. He looked around him IN vain
or many familiar old faces, for they were
gone. Where were theyt Buried in un-
aoihned graves martyrs TO the lost
cause He was reminded Of the verse
from the poet:
ls.,A Few shall part where many meet" etc.
When he was there before, prosperity
frightened every tire-side, and content
neat SAT upon every countenance. Then
IT. the voice Of the turtle could be heard
Throughout, the land" Now how changed! I!
Decay, mutation, and death stopped the Oh
'erya,ion Oh every side. Their brothers
lad fought from the noble James to the
majestic Potomac, which daily sings its