The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-06-11
NUMBER 23O.

distance were handsomely decofaco'
] J.T. Bromley, Johnson's Texan Rangers.
Private James Bliss Walker, company [,
Second Mississippi.
Arthur Suggs, member Of Hampton 5
South Carolina Legion, Jcnkins'S brigade.
". Ii. Adams, company c, Sixtieth Ala
bama regiment.
/ }. 7. Shellburnc, Second Louisianaregi-
ment, but native OF Yorktown: killed ut
, Malvern Hill.
Many Of the inscriptions over the graves
bore the significant words, IA qood sol
dier." One grave had these words: " OF
duty J0reUer."
FEDERAL OFFICER.
In square occupied densely by Con-
! fcderatc dead reposc the remains Of Cap
tain j. A. Smith, Fourth New York volun-
tccrS. His grave was very handsomely
| dcCoratcd-nonc more literally so-and
the United States flag in miniature waved
from amidst the floral honors.
The ladies were busy everywhere, giving
the graves, without distinction, as comely
and graceful an appearance as possible.
| The gentlemen were hardly less diligent.
| 1t was a sight to admire and to feel deeply.
/ The whole proceeding was conducted with
/ becoming Solcmnity and dignity. AT many
graves fingered the berelt in mourning
weeds, who, in the midst Of the sad rccol-
lcctions Of their gallant dead, reflected
! through their tears melancholy pleasure
! ut the honors paid them.
! FEDERAL GRAvEs--FEDERAL SOLDIERS.
: The Federal graves that were among
those of Confcderatcs We're repaired in the
same manner, and received a share of the
flowers.
1t is stated that several Federal soldiers
who oacCompaniedt the procession, but didnot
minglc in the ranks, bore portrait of
General Lee cncirclcd with flowers and
cvergrccnS.
RETURN OF THE PROCESSION.
About halfpaSt II o'clock the people
were called together, and the procession
being again formed, marched back To town.
Every movement, every action Of this large
body citizens, was characterized by order,
propricty, and devotion. In returning to
their homes from thcirpious performances,
each face bore the expression Of conscious
satisfaction and approval of the deeds oi
the forenoon, and peacefully and content
cdly they rcGntered their homes to pass
the afternoon in the gentle and chastenlng
reflections the scenes OF the day were So
well calculated to inspire. All honor to
the noble citizens OF Petersburg In
honoring the gallant dead they indeed no.
norcd their country and themselves.
WAGONS, &C.
Mcssrs. Bell s. Reid, who represent Ken
tucky and Virginia in their business both
in Petersburg and this city, sent Il wagon
drawn by four fine blacks, ornamcntcd with
portraits Of Jackson and Morgan.
The express wagons and other vehicles
were freely placed at the disposal Of the
Memorial Association.
AN ADDED WORD ABOUT THE TRENCHES.
SouthcaStward from the Blandtord Gene
terry, one mile oil, is the Crater" world
renowned for the great explosion which
the Federal army succeeded in cifccting
Immediately under the Confederate lines
in 1854. From the Crater" the whole
line to the Appomattox is visible to the spec
tator at the cemetery. Along this part OF
the Confederate Notifications the distance
between them and the Federal lines was
less than anywhere else. Fort Stead
man was not more than quarter of a mile
Oft. Heads dare not show themselves
above the works, OH peril OF instant death.
1t was near here that the intrepid General
Oracle was killed on the morning OF the
day on which he was departing to see his
family on brief turlough. Incautiously,
aS he moved oil, he exposed himself, and
instantly fell dead.
The Crater, the reader no doubt knows,
was 50 called because the loosening and
lifting up the earth produced an elevation
above the surrounding surface, the centre
of which sunk down, 50 that ii presented
the appearance of crater of an exhausted
volcano. Time and the weather has COM
pactcd the earth more, and the elevation is
lcssened but long, long years, unaded by
art, will not erase this mark Of the dread
full explosion.
To protect the men, there were covered
ways, in zgzag lines, behind the breast
works, with travcrscs at the angles to pre-
vent the adversary from firing into them.
These covered ways are like small canals
without water, the only covering being the
wall OF the brcastwork which concealed
the soldier in the ditch from the enemy.
Rain, and frost, and time, have made
great changes in all these memorials OF Il
long and obstinate contest. The waters
have beaten down the banks and washed
them out Of their original shape, and the
springing weeds are covering the deep
seams in the earth made by the hand Of
war. The sparrow sings her gentle little
refrain from the cedar and the wild bricr,
and the cricket chrps his melancholy and
lonely note from the rapidly -decaying wall
of logs. All Nature seems to brood with
sadness and sorrow over the marks of that
strife and bloodShcd which SO lately filled
the land with misery and Mortified the
world