The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-06-05
BbDEF0RD, MAlNE.
coRREsPoSDESoE.
From an OccasIousl Correspondent
WANiIuorou, May so, 1878.


Prom IN Occssl0usl Correspondent.
wAMInoros, May 80, 1878.
DECORATION OF TIE onAvD or uNIoH DEAD.
The thirtieth day Of May 1868, when the
graves Of the Union Dead were decorated with
flowers at the National Cemetry at Arlington,
win long be remembered a. one Of those sacrcd
days on which grateful nation pays her devo-
items 20 the honored dead, and pourJ out her
tears on the altar Of liberty, upon which they
offered themselves up a. willing victims to die
that their country might live No occasion
could be more ripening, or could call forth
deeper emotions, or more profound reverence
than thb., The magnihcencs Of the p,ase upon
which nature has layishcd her choicest beauties.
the lofty eminence overlooking the Potomac and
the National Capital, the beautiful flowers which
cover its surface. and che majestic oaks which
wave green canopy above, and send down
their grateful shade below, and the long lines Of
graves Of hirfy thousand patriotic soldiep who
fell for their country, spread out In long review
before w, -allinspire emotions kr above the or
binary oocssions Of life, and seem 70 bring us
nearer to that moral grandeur. Of feeling. Of
patriotism, and devotion TO our country, than
We have over approached before. No more lofty
emotions would fill the mind, II one stood on the
gro md Of ancient Marathon or Of Thermophyl@
for no greater patriotism was manifested there,
than was shown by our soldiers in the great
Rebellion. This place has already become the
nations Holy Mountain, where each year It's
loyal subjects will assemble to worship the glo-
rious dead. and strcw their graves with the
sweet flowers Of spring. 80 g.
The exercises which took place In front Of the
Arlington Mansion, the former residence Of rcbel
General Lee, were peculiarly Appropriate and
impressive. The orstiou by Hon. James A.
Garfield was PATRIOTS and manly performance.
and received high commendations. The music
was appropriate and touching. The company
of Orphan Children from the Soldiers and Sal
lors' 0rphSn Asylum. dressed in white; the
girls with black ribbon passing over the left
shoulder and across the breast, and the boys
with Grape on the left arm, IN mourning for
their fallen fathers, and attended by the noble
were objects Of admiration, and the pride Of the
great multitude who behold them. They were
tho nations guests, and the token OF re-
spect which was bestowed upon them, In con-
nection with their patriotic fathers who were
sleeping around them, was tribute justly due
to them from grateful country. 90. j.
Among the prominent persons on tho plat
form, was the Napoleonic Gen, Grant, the great
leader incur national strurggle,t and, VIC trust,
soon To be the honored ruler Of the nation, to
carry out the great principles Of civil liberty and
universal freedom which he 90 gloriously defend-
cd, and vindicated on the field Of battle. Our
own Gen. Howard was there, Of whom citizen
In Washington unknown to me, said In CONVEX.
sation on our way to the great City Of the Dead
"the people Of Maine ought to be proud"
fully CONQUERED in the justness Of tho commen-
dalton. And there were also, for 1t 10 usess to
think of naming individuals, the assembled in
tsllect, virtue and beauty Of the nation; and
AUST national pride involuntarily arose, at
the thought Of the greatness which We have al
ready achieved, and tho still higher eminencc
which we are destined to attain.
When the GRAFTON and poem were completed,
the Band Of the 44th U. 8. Infantry performed
q solemn dirge, the national salute from the ar
tillerv commenced, and the procession formed,
marching IN double rank with the officials and
Orphan Children In front, and moved along the
avenue, and the long lines Of graves Of fallen
officers on tho right, TO tho great sepulcher ofthe
Unknown Union Dead, scattering flowers on tho
green mounds. and decorating the hcad-stones
with wreaths and garlands. This great sepul-
cher Is dedicated to the Unknown Union Dead.
who fell In Virginia among the first martyrs to
liberty and, although their remains could not
be identified, their names and death are record
oil In the archives Of their country's history.
Two thousand one hundred and eleven Union
Soldiers sleep In that great chnrnel-house OF the
dead. It Is built entirely under ground, and
surmountcd by an oblong, rectangular, granite
monument, perhaps ten or twelve feet In length
and six or eight in height
The procession, led by Gen. Grant. Howard,
and Hancock, and followed by the orphan chill-
rem, formed hollow square around tho tomb,
the band in the mean time playing dirge- "A
hymn was then sung by the children whose In
nocent and shrill voices rang out upon the clear
air, and the signs and moistened eyes OF thou
sand patriots attested the deep and holy feeling
which wcllod up from the lowest depths OF the
heart. Prayer was offered, and requiem was
sung to tho departed heroes by the choir, and
the services were completed, while the monu-
mcnt was covered and surrounded with nation
al flags Of red, white, snd blue, and with bo-
qucts, festoons, crosses and gariands OF ever
green and flowers, while sentinels ofhonor stood
at each corner with cleaning bayonets. and
battle-worn standards 10 identity the solcnnity
Of che scene, and, Ia, preserve that decorum
which tho hdloWed ground demanded. The
Committee of Decoration, which was composed
principally Of ladies acquitted themselves with
great addresy and credit. The procession now
moved on to the other part Of the Cemetery,
where the most Of the soldiers arc buricd. When
they arrived at the stand, prayer was made by
the Rev. C. II. Hall, and the dedicatory address
Of President lincoln, at Gettysburg Cemetery,
was rcad by Hon. Hslbert b. Paine, Of Wiscon-
sin, and the Committee Of decoration, and the
Orphan Children, and the friends deployed
through the avenues Of tho Cemetery, and pro.
coded to decorate the grayr. At tho foot Of
csch grave a small flag was erectsd, and small
boquet of flowers was deposited near the head
stone. The scene was sublime in the extrcmc
The long lines Of graves, as far rs the eye could
reach, the thousands Of little flags, and the busy
hands Of the ladies, and gentlemen, and the Or
phau Children, all performing the sacred offices
to the dead, presented spectacle ample for the
painter, and lofty enough for the most exalted
genius Of the poet. !.
: Passing along through tho avenues, Icro-scl
bridge over small nrine, and near The end
on the right, I rcil the following inscription OH
ho,dstone 8489, 8. Rogers, Co. y. lst Me.
Art'y, died Aug. G, 1864. The soldier was un-
known to me and, amidst the great numbers
that Of necessity must he overlooked, observed
that nothing but o flag honorcd his resting places
paused for momcat, and reflected upon the
battles he might bsyc passed. through, and the
wounds he might have received and that, al
though he was unknown to fame, yet he might
have been one The most loyal. the most brave,
the greatest, and the best, circumstances only
having been wanting to devciopc the noble Gle
ments ofhis nature. hastily and rcvercntly
threw some wildIAowers. which l CHANGED to
have on his honorod grave, 'r'.'.i l.n" .'.
De" And Len him alone with his glory" .
On my return, when approaching the Airing
ton Mansion, my eye oaueht ths, following in-
scription, "Cspt. A. H. Packard, Co.. @. ait
Me-, died May, 'l5, 1884" Tho place whore he
lay was Iconspicuoas, and ample oare had been
taken To honor his memory. Flowers had bseu
showered upon his mound, and laurel wreath,
the ,.noSilis,"'p which ancient heroes wore.