Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-05-11
Eons lie RichMond Examiner.
HOLLYWOOD CEMETRY--oUR DEAD
HEROES--A DUTY WE OWE

6'""S "hot'eu " our SOn1eueratc dead
will feel the pathos and soul-subduing elo.
quence that speaks in the silence, the drea.
rlness, the decay land neglect that have
seized the sacred localities for their own,
and are fast bearing them to melancholy
oblivion. The places that knew them will
soon know them no more forever. unless
an affection assumes the gracious Office OF
OF conservator of the touching memorials
OF the patriots who exhausted themselves
in the common effort, and at last fell, far
from home and kindred, to unworthy sep
ulchres. When one thinks of the trials
OF these gallant men-how they underwent
all prlva'ion and suffering, and now at
length they dared aud accepted death-it
Is most affecting spectacle 10 look upon
the sunken tombs, the .rotting headboards,
that will soon cease to inlividualize their
names, their deeds and characters, and will
leave these heroes OF a good fight and an
early grave 10 an indiscriminate and pitt.
less forgetfulness. It's not supposed that
any OF them were alone in this world, with
none to think Of them or care for them.
Tho father had all the connections of q
family to mourn his untilnely fate; the hus.
band lies far from the, wife til at would have
died for him; the SON has left mother
that weeps for him and will not be CON-
forted; and the hand of gentle sisters whose
soft fingers would have smoothed the con.
tracted brow that warmed with a thought
of home, and then grew cold forever.
But solitary let him be, without kith or
kin w
'Ihse is his country now and fame's;
One OF the few immortal names
That were not born to diel" -' =
In Hollywood Cemetry twenty thousand
bodies of the dear and devoted crumble to
undistinguished dust; while near by, the
Federal dead are remembered and cared
for by national respect or private love.
Q eoqntrymen!-O .countrywomen what
notifying contrast! We are poor 10
purse; the whole country is in INDECENT
circumstances, but our property of heart is
beyond all estimate if we are not ready to
10 our duty to the mouldering remains Of
our 'nartyred patriots. 1t is not alone in
Hollywood that our dead lie uncherished
and unregarded. Thousands lie in Oak.
wood and other cemeteries subject to the
remo.seless touch of Times effacing fin.
gers. Is there no kindly memory Of these
mens Will the people of tho city of
Richmond let those who died in her de.
tense pass from remembrance, like the
beasts of the field that perish and are no
more! Never If the heart of man can
forget, the heart Of woman is incapable Of
ingratitude. We know that We have on
1y to point the ladies to the scenes that
ask their care to insure their ceaseloss ex-
ertion in noble enterprise. We propose
that they Immediately organize into a so.
ciety, or into several cooperative societies,
whose object shall be the preservation of
every existing memorial Of the ,lamen.
ted brave,-the faithful who fell at their
posts, and were hurried into shallow, and
ill:kept graves. Many of tho tombs arc
without,a mark to toll of those whom they
inclose, but others haye names and descrIip
tions that should stand for the guidance Of
the search that affection will institute; when
prosperity has restored tho now lacking
means: Let all the heaps be rounded and
lturfed, aud where the name cannot be re-.
covered, let . neat and simple board, eyi-
dence that "a Hero''.lies there unknown,
but still mourned and honoreds none; The
less. II is a small tribute to those who
risked all and lost all i'd the common e cause.
If We are Impoverished. the mites that We
are able to contribute will effect tue tput..:
that all should be .eager to aid. : when:
wealth has been regained, I'VE; will COMPACT
monuments worthy Of :us and ef ahose
whose memory we. seek to- fsrpetuate. !;
Wetrqst that the lsdiss.wills soon shave
committees 1rayersing the; lsp Sch and
breath Of the city, aelieitihg sap apscsipt lions
to thissc cause. we know that. no soGtliey1|
men ar aomeh will withhold their, money!
lin soa holg % derta kiHg,:i. .aps when vel
hayysE i bssn 8 g aMsiei i patedsin other
parts 9 sath, by similar ,mtso,yIelurnsdts, ID,
ols efogfs should be Stimnla tied; and ds9nicEs
ansd by 81 Yirtuous eInnlat on: ncGes.
tersand Sfaunton have alraad y:dons ricb.