Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-05-10
Our Dead-A Memorial Association.

We know of no suitable occasion of re-
minding the late Confederate soldiers of Whining
ton of a duty which they owe to the gallant dead Of
this city, and which has already been too long neg
lected than upon this, the third anniversary Of
the death of the distinguished soldier and chris
tian gentleman, SToNEwALL JACKSON.
AS gallant band of men, moved by us noble
impulses as ever went forth to do battle, left Will
mington upon the call of North Carolina, to fight
under the Confederate flag. The war; which has
rarely ever been equalled in the amount of blood
shed, has now been ended upwards of year,
and all that are left of that noble band have re-
turned and resumed their accustomed places in
the community. But, alas how many have not
returned Many communities have suffered great
ly during the war, but an extended acquaintance
and considerable interest and inquiry upon The
subject, has not exhibited to greater loss in
any one community than in ours, throughout this
State at least. If we consider the number or char
acter death loves shining mark of our loss, Will
mington's roll of immortals will compare in both
respects with any.
Many of these noble sons have been brought
home and their sacred dust deposited where the
hand of affection will make attractive their rest
ing places but how many more fill INTENDED
remaining just where their surviving comrades
gave them hasty but fearful sepulchre. Those
who loved them much and who would gladly re-
move their remains 10 our own beautiful GENE
terry, are, perhaps, themselves dead-victimst othe
fearful epidemics which has rendered populous
sacred City of the Dead, or are left in such
circumstances, by the results of the war, to be
unable to incur the expense.
To the Confederate soldiers of this city and vi
cinity, then, appeal to band themselves togeth-
er into Memorial Association" for the sacred
purpose of collecting the remains of those we
loved while living and having fallen, whose MEM
cries we honor. Companions of their dangers
and trials witnesses of the deeds they accomplished
and the deaths they suffered-such deeds and
deaths as would have honored noble knights, in
those heroic days when life itself was one superb
romance-you will be unworthy of such comrades
and false to your own natures, if you permit them
to fill unhonored graves, their very Identification
lost from the corroding effect of time or destroyed
by the ruthless hand of progress. Let us unite in
time to prevent that which would be disgraceful
to u.s. and rescue the resting places of those whose
honored lives and noble deaths should protect
their graves from uncharitable forgetfulness and
destruction. Let us bring them home and deposit
their sacred dust, where the lovely daughters of
our city may train the rose to bloom over them
Let us erect in our midst Mausoleum to their
memory, around which we may gather and be
minded of duties faithfully performed and honors
nobly won.
Wilmington should not be behind other cities
in this respect. Other communities all over the
Southern land have already taken steps in this
matter. Neither the character of our dead or our
wonted iberality viii warrant us in being laggard
in this noble purpose The ladies of our city
will, of course, soon establish Memorial Asso-
citation for the purpose of bestowing proper care
upon the graves of our dead soldiers The floral
tributes already paid throughout the South are
eloquently significant of the feeling of the people,
"Flowers are the alphabet OF angels-whereby
They write on hills and fields mysterious truths"
The beautiful and feeling ceremony just inau-
gurated of covering the graves of our dead SOL
diers with flowers has mysterious tenderness