Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-11-01
DEDICATION OF THE STONEwALL
CEMETERY AT WINCHESTER.

CEMETERY AT WINCHESTER.
From the Baltimore Gazette of Saturday we con-
dense the following account Of the interesting
ceremonies of the dedication of the Stonewaii
Cemetery at Winchester, and the Refinement of
the bodies of illustrious Confederate dead:
| Thursday last will long be remembered as one
of the most interesting to the people of Winches,
ter and of the great Valley of Virginia that ever
occurred, not excepting even those of the recent
past. 1t was the day set apart for the dedication
OF the Stonewal Cemetery, spot selected for the
burial of the remains Of the Confederate dead who
were scattered about that region of country as
well as for the repose OF the bones of some ofthosc
who fell early Ill the late unhappy conflict and
whose lives were endeared to the people amongst
whom General Turner Ashby held a consDicu0T!s4
place. On the day before that appointed for the
solemn and grateful ceremony the people flOeked
into Winchester from every direction and on
Thursday morning The roads to the city were so
completely blocked that they almost impas-
sable. To show the zeal OF The people in an Offer
ing which lay so near their hearts, all business
was suspended that everybody might have an OPP
portnl1ty to participate iii tie ceremonies of the
occasion. From the Valley beyond the Blue Ridge
and from the Roanoke country the people came
aud many Of tle fair dau. hters of Virginia heeita-
| ted not 10 climb the mountain passes on horse
! back for distance of forty miles TO lend their
presence to the and testify their admiration
for those who had died in their defence. To all of
them the name OF Anltby Is u household word. and
mothers brought their little children with them
and with sOrTOW poilited to them the tencments Of
the fallen soldiers. While the strong men bent in
! grief over the relics Of the lest.
| The venerable man and the aged matrOu: the
strong i'll the yigor Of manhood and the tirelers
partner Of his joys and sorrows: the young man
and the gentle maiden; the little children, ali
! there, and while d becoming sOemnlty seemed to
pervadc tie very atMos fhere, there Wa manifest
pride i'll the nobility OF the lives Of those whose
! fall they had assembled 10 commemorate, ard
Who's" graves they had 10 streW With the fair
est flowers OF the valley and water with their
! tears.
TIE ARRIVAL OF THE REMAINS.
! On "Wednesday afternoon the remains were re-
moved from CharestOwn. where they had been
re-coi1ined for burial, and carried under strong
| escort to Winchester. Colo. q Robert ". BAYLOR
! Colonel Chew, Captain Humphreys, and num-
Der OF the priVatcs Of the command Of General
Ashby while living, accompanied the remains and
! deposited them lii the Episcopal ChurcIl at the
corner OF Water and Washington streets. That
evening the ladies Of Winchester assisted by some
of their sisters Of Maryland, visited the church and
laid upon the collins wreaths of white roses and
evergreens typical OF the purity Of the lives Of the
fallen and the undyInG remembrance in which their
| deeds will be held
! On Thursday morning, about s O'Clock, the doors
OF the church We're thrown open to afford an APP
p"rtunty for all to look what covered the NOR
tai re!naii!s and short time the street was 80
dcDseiy packed that IL was diff cult get within
many yards Of the church. The lady OF General
Turner AShbE occupied a position immediately III
| front of the chancel. 1t was covered with black
cloth and elabOratey Ornameute with imp enlents
Of war and silver lace and fringe. Near The upper
part of the church WAS a silver plate bearing the
| following insc Upton:
"GESERAL TURNER ASHLEY,
Born October 81 1928 Kill in heavy skir1nish
near HarileO"buIg, Va, June 4, 1852
A few inches below was another plate, III
| scribcd
8 Presented by the Ladies OF Charlcstown, Jeffer-
son county, Virginia.
To the right the coffin OF CAPTAIN Richard
Ashby, III all respects like that of his brother and
with plate bearing the simple inscription:
| "CAPTAIN RICHARD ASHBY.'
To the left the coffin OF Captain G. F.
Sheetz, OF plain mahogany, but like those already
mentioned, decked with flowers. The plate was
inscribed:
"Captain c. + sheetz,
| Company +, 9TH Virginia cavalry, C. S. A.,
Killed near Front Royal
The remains of Captain Sheetz were to be taken
| to Hampshire county for burial.
Immediately behind the remains of Gen Ashby
was the coffin Of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Mar
sinai, plain mahogany, and inscribed:
lieutenant Colonel Thomas Marshall
Killed November r. 1861
THE PROCESSION
At ten O'Clock General Thomas Tauntleroy
Chief Marshal Of the day, requested the citizens to
form on BrattIe street, one square east of Water
street, so that they might join the procession
without causing any confusion to the liue which
request was promptly acceded to. The line Of
procession was then formed in the following order
Colonel Mosby and Colonel Baylor mounted.
Detachment Of the Ashby brigade mounted.
with remains Of Captain 1.ichard Ashbv and Lieut.
enant Colonel Iarshau.
Hearsc,
The hearse had beautiful cenotaph Of flowers
and evergreens and drawn by four white
horses, each led by groom.
Detachment Of the AShbv brigade on foot
Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons.
Equality Lodge, 1876, Martinsburg, the Lodge of
General Ashby.
Charity Lodge, No. g. Harpers Ferry
Malta Lodge, No 80, CharestOwn.
Excelsior Lode, No. 81, Bunker Hill.
Mount Aebo Lodge, No 81, ShepardstoWn.
Treadwell L 7d"e, Berryville
Trumina Lodge No. III Smithfield
Prospect Hill Lodge, MwOod
Hiram Lodge, No. "A Middletown.
Dallas Lodge, No 1874 Brucetown.
Acacia Louge. No 142 Woodstock
Hunter Lodge, No 135, Edinburg.
Rockingham Union Lodge No. 81, Harrisonburg.
StauntOn Lodge, No. g.
Friendship Lodge No. &C. Tincastlc.
The Masonic portion Of the procession was
der the direction of Worshipful Iaster Joseph S.
General Henry A. Wise, Orator of the Day, in a
carriage, accompanied by Mr. Joseph Sherrard.
Citizens i'll carriages and on foot
The procession thus formed moved out Water
street to the StOnewall Cemetery, short distance
east of the town.
CEMETERY.
The cemetery occupies a beautiful level plain
with slight depression to the South side, am
covers an area of alb ,ut ten acres 1t is laid ont
with much taste and from the plat of ground APP
prOprlated for the dead of each State rises
Otaph, plain marble shaft about ten feet high,
and bearing the name Of the State. All those
twined wredths of evergreen from the apex to the
base, and so closely blended as only here and
there to show the pure Wilderness of the marble.
The Maryland plat is on the East side of the GEM
etery, and, like all the Others is yet cOmplet-
ed. There WERE however, several boards, bear
ing the names OF the dead, and among them are
the names of Hodson, Brown, Cushing, Bailey,
Riley and others, and around the name of each
was wreath OF cedar. To the left Of the Mary
land plat is the place for the burial of the dead
from Delaware. 1t contains hut single grave,
that of Lieutenant H. H. Dale, who died from the
effect of wound on the 25th of september, 1861.
All this work was done by the fair daughters of
Virginia, and we'll may the old Mother State be
proud of her daughters.
CEREMONIES AT THE GRAvEs-MASOSIC.
As the procession reached the entrance to the
cemetery, it filed to the left by broad avenue to
the graves prepared for the burial of those whose
Obsequies they had assembled to perform. The
lodges gathered around the grave of General Ash
by, when WOrshipfu Master Carson delivered all
eloquent and appropriate address. Tue beautiful
and impressive Masonic burial service was then
performed.
RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES.