The southerner., 1866-06-16
En TEclRlOria1aa.

With feelings of sadness but vet Of
melancholy pleasure do we record the
floral solemnities Of Thursday evening
last. Upon short notice the Ladies Of
our Town, resolved to commemorate the
confederate dead, whose last resting
place is in the Church yards of our Vii.
lage numbering about sixty, and
among others our distinguished towns.
man, Major General Pender, and Col
Mercer, Of Georgia. The day prcced-
ing, the young men, with spade and
shovel moundcd and turfed the graves.
At II o'clock on Thursday every place
of business closed and the streets as.
sumed the stiffness of Sabbath. At
four o'clock there was general out
pouring of the people vending their
way to the Female Academy. There
the procession formed according to the
programme prepared by Mrs. Bryan.
Mrs. Weddell, Mrs. Teel and Mrs Bur-
ton, the Lady Managers; directed by
the Chief Marshal, Capt. Biggs, assist
ed by Capt. Foxhall, 1t Chesson, 1t.
Battle and John Owen, Esq (viz')
l. The Ladies proceeded by the Marsh
al and Orator.
2. The Male and Female Schools.
8. Late Confederate soldiers in gray
uniform.
4. Citizens.
Each matron and maiden, down to
the little misses of five years old, were
loaded with wreaths and evergreens, of
every conceivable shape, festooned into
the most beautiful boquets, ,and the line of
the procession was enchantingly lovely.
Upon reaching the public cemetry a
circle was formed around a stand over
which a festoon of flowers was placed
inscribed "Our gallant Dead" Col.
Joseph II. Hyman, one of the suryi-
wing soldiers, who, through the burden
aud trials of the whele contest, main
tained our cause, delivered an address,
replete with sad "reminiscences, but
abounding in pathos which stirred the
feelings of his auditors to tears. He
counsclled patience and resignation, and
in conclusion, committed to his female
friends the decoration of the graves of
his comrades. During the delivery of
the address, a cloud accompanied with
heavy wind came up, which prevented
many from hearing the whole address,
and we should be gratifed if the orator
would consent to its publication, that
all might have an opportunity to read
it. Then followed the decora ton, a
ceremony we'll calculated 70 arouse the
depths Of the patriots heart. We are
not prepared to enter into detail. We
regret that we have not the names of
those whose graves were covered by
flowers and evergreens.
These solemn reflections occurred
to US. on this deeply interesting, but
pleasing melancholy occasion.
We stand among the dead d! We
stand around the graves of our Con-
5ederdtc dead! We are paying tribute
of affection to those who sacrificed their
lives for lost cause. We mourn the
loss of the brave and patriotic. We
decorate the last resting place of our
boys who battled for oar rights, and
died in defence of our homes and hearth
stones. Here are our country-women
it is their privilege to stimulate US, to
assist in the floral offering, SO congenial
to woman's heart, and so characteristic
of woman's nature. It is hers to soothe
the last hours of the hero's life. 1t is
hers to smooth the wrinkled brow dis
torted by disease, wounds, and the paugs
of death. 1t is hers to strew the flow
ers of affection upon the tomb of the
patriotic brave. 1t is hers to stamp
upon the hearts of her noble Southern
sons, the principles of honor, sobriety,
and self-sacrifcing devotion to "the land
we love- and teach, by precept, and ex-