Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1866-07-05
MEMORIAL ADDRESS
DELIVERED BY
DELIVERED By
THOMAS NJ. ISBELL, ESQ.,,
Al clarlesto,en, on Wednesday, June 9Th.


beauty and affection have erected to heroic patriot
ism. is privilege which connects a high and solemn
duty into mournful pleasure; ana hence !, is
have not hesitated in this moment OF profound sor-
row, n hasten into your presence ana assume ,ne
part assigned To me- closing scene Oh
drama which has been enacted in our midst
The act of collecting and depositing in sacred
nlaces the dust of fallen heroes, Is at all times
touching. and imposing spectacle, Dut 10 you ma
irons and maidens, sires and sons, these ooseques
speak not only of national caiamites outoi private
and personal bereavements, which bow down our
hearts in unutterable woe, did not light CLEAN
over this dark picture which makes US smile through
our tears While kneeling at the graves Oh these
unselfsh and fearless soldiers, who with tender
words of parting left behind the dearest idols OF
their hearts. and rushed forth with terrible energy
TO the carnival of death-while thus kneellng and
weeping consolation like sweet incense rises from
their tnombs. and admOnishes us thatth sepulchres
at which we bow, the homes OF stainless virtues
lofty patriotism, and exhalted heroism. over the
graves of such men halo of glory is ever seen,
Shining through the of all worshppers at their
shrines and gliding their sorrow into smile OF
pride and of triumph CornelIa when asked Tor her
Jewels pointed to her living sons Virginia matrons
when asked for theirs, will with more than Corne-
las pride point their dead on the held oil battle
Oh what a sweet-scented SAVIOUR is this coming
from the charne house Of war to comfort ana cheer
and bless the bereayed and what glorious lllustra-
tions of the distinguishing characteristics of South
ern heroes will they furnish for the applause and
imitation of the most distant generations.
Now that the last sword has eaped from its scab-
bardtbe last gun fired and the roar of battle hush
ed let us gather the relics of the past and consecrate
them to the use of the future for from the arbira-
ment of the sword TO the Judgment OF history, viii
this great struggle be referred. We may well avail.
with patience and complacency. the issue oil can
did and truthful examination OF the motives and
conduct of the Southern people, in the terrible con-
Il rrb trbic oh have ltlOut To-
parting from the obvious course OF propriety mark
ed out for this occasion, may say that all history
does not furnish parallel to the sublime attitude
of the Confederate States, when without establish
ed government in the beginning without navy
without credit-with n sparse population, with its
capital chiefly in the labour of the country and that
labour in some particulars an element OF weakness
in our political organization during the existence Of
hostilities-when such people found themselves
confronted in arms by first rate power, with I'M
limited resources, in men and money, complete mas
ter of the ocean, with tumultuary population in
which cupidity and tanaticism conspired in aid of
whatever patriotism remained; say, when the
South accepted battle under these circumstances
simply in defence of what she believed to be herre-
served rights under the national compact she ex-
hibied to the world a spectacle of moral grandeur
and personal courage, unapproached in the annals
of any people Whatever diversity of opinionm may
now or hereafter exist as to the propriety OF her
course, there be with respect to the galan
try with which she main tanned it. Her decisive vic
tories and disastrous defeats equally conspicuous
for mistaken courage and when in the vicissitudes
of fortune she lowered her standard, she abated
naught OF her integrity or honor, amidst the general
wreck of her hopes this at least was left as agacy
to her sons.
Virginia. large sharer in this rich inheritance
now that her spear is broken and her banner furl-
ed-Vrginia alike faithful to her traditionary glo
res and her present renOwn, emerging from this
conflict mutated and despoiled, transfxed with
thousand wounds and bleeding at every pore. comes
with unbroken pride and unmarked honor to bless
her Borrowing children and bid them call the roll of
her dear defenders. Were itpractcable 'twere well
to let them sleep in the earth they watrred with their
blood for 10 the soldier spot can be more fitting
to receive his remains than the last one he defended
with his life and cOnsecratcd with his death. Butte
identify and make perpetually certain the na rest,
Immortality, it behoovas us to naugurate the cere
monies of the day. that in all the future the pilgrims
who annually assemble here may recognize the mon
umenta offerings. Whether from the orange groves
Of Florida. or the gorges of the Alleghanies from
the sugar plantations of Louisiana and TcXas-the
rice and cotton fields ofthe Sunny South or the gras
plains ofthe fertile West from whencesoever they
came, let them not lie in undstinguishable dust but
each grave hero hold. and every stone a history.
geographically. Virginia. and especially this Val
ley, was the Flanders of mountaineering close
up the populOus North teeming with the comforts
and Injuries Of life with roads suitable for military
transportation at all seasons and supplies much be-
yond other sections along the border, TO nothing
of strategical points, this Valley invited cOntending
armies. and was dotted all over with blue and gray
in dramatic movement, or in inanimate silence for
four of the most eventfu wears Of modern times
1t was here that Jackson more thoroughly emb0dv
ing the spirit of the revolution than any of its great
captains. first began that brilliant which IL
lustrated the highest civic virtues, and greatestmi
itarv talents The immense forces necessary 10 en-.
oil Sc.
against this leader so fertile in resources so indie
ftgable in energy, and less respected than fear
ed by his adversaries, had accumulated here vast ar
mics who from bullets and bayonets in the field and
disease in the camp and hospital, had left behind
them thousands of dead and diving, who having PLAY
ed their parts lay down to rest in the earth made
historic by their deeds.
"They sleep their last sleep, they have fought their
last battle
No sound shall awake them to glory again"
To collect the remains of these our brave men, and
offer them such memorials as circumstances permit
is the great duty of the present hour In the insti
tuition and performance of these solemn rites the
country is mainly indebted to the women of the
South who throughout the war displaveda selEsac-
rifcing devotion, an unwaveripg faith and an un-
Quenchable spirit, rivaing that of the Spartan mo-
Their, whom sending her sons to battle charged them
to bear their shields before them or be borne back
upon them. You will at once acqut me, am sure
from indulgng in trite compliments or empty fat
eres occasion when the heart is stirred to its
deepest depth, and therefore utter the truth Of his
tory without preface. If Astounding and abiding
faith tenacitv. fortitude, energy and sclf-reance
made heroes of our soldiers, how much the more did
they make heroineS Of our women. No war ever de-
veloped these great moral qualities in eminent
degree and the historian who writes Of these trans
actions. will illuminate his pages with innumerable
instances Of them. When commercial intercourse
was cut off and first lie Inquiries and comforts to
which she had been accustomed De Gan to be denied
how gracefully did she WELD to the necessity thus i'm
posed upon her. and willingly exchange the fabrics
Of Lyons and Brussels for the coarser products Of
her own manufacture. Did her wants become more
pressing still, and hunCers gaunt form keep watch
over her diminished and diminishing stores With
what accomplishing submissiveness would she trust
in God and arouse her energies into greater efforts
Did our Generals derand contributions for the SIM
port of the army? Who active as she in devisino
schemes for supplying them. Did gloom ever over
cast the political Heavens? Twas hers to dspel il
with words Of Encouragement and Of hope Did war
or disease PROSTATE a Southern soldier on bed of
sickness? Twas she who with sleeping vigilence
watched by his couch, angel of mercy in tender
est minstrations. In the midst Of disasters, when
she heard our retiring guns, and saw our thinned
ranks retreating before overwhelming numbers in
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