The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-06-10
From the. Newborn Republican, :
IN M e MO RAM.
OUR SOLDIER DEAD.
CELEBRATION AT THE Ma
TI0NAL CEMETERY.
Decoration of the Graves.
Dedication Of the Cenaetary and raising Of tie
National Emblem "a
The procession--Firing OF Minute Guns.
Parade Of Officers and Soldiers Of
the q. s. Service.

lu6 W d OoIvlO0s
GRAFTON,
BY HON. VIM. Il. 8. SWEET.
Agreeably to previous arrangement and an
nouncement, Saturday last was celebrated as
day set apart for the decoration with flowers,
evergreens anc garlands, of the graves oil the
Union soldiers in the National Cemetery near
this city. This beautiful ceremony was inaugu-
rated on this day, throughout the Union, with
the intention of perpetuating 1t as national
holiday, in which to do homage to the memory
of the brave men who died in defence of their
country. H ..aa "
The celebration, here, was probably the most
imposing and solemn one which took place in
the Southern States, owing to the large number
of Union dead, who are sleeping their last sleep
near US, and the many persons who participated
in the observance of the day.
The large Northern element of0pr community
ID principally composed of ex.ofRcers and sol
diers of the U. g. SERVICE who have made this
their new home since the close of the war. These
and many hundreds of others in sympathy with
the cause, were all untiriDg in their efforts to
revere the memory of the brave departed ones.
THE PREPARATIONS.
As most of our readers are already aware,
several preliminary meetings had been held
during the week by the members and ex-mcm
bers Of the various branches of the government
service; at these meetings the appointments
and arrangements for the day were decided upon.
The following gentlemen were appointed
Committee of Arrangements: JAS Z. Fleming,
s. Moore, Thos. B. Hunt, s. Blagge, H. Men
ringer, j. Fl. Porter, Walter s. Long, David
Heaton and E. G. Tunis.
The ladies were busy for several days in col
Letting evergreens and flowers, and on Saturday
some fifty or sixty of them, mostly of northern
birth, repaired to the Congregational Chapel
where garlands and other decorations were per-
fected f.'r the ensuing days celebration. 1t is
noteworthy fact, beautifully Illustrative ofnobil
ty of heart, that several southern ladies aided in
the weaving of the garlands and wreaths; and
many others, whose sympathies were known to
be foreign to the cause for which these soldiers
fell, contributed literally Of flowers.
THE PROCESSION. s.-
The procession was formed on Broad street.
right resting on Craven, at nine O'Clock in the
morning.
Gen. James E. Fleming, who had been Sc
lected as Chief Marshal, was assisted BY the
following officers. The Division Commander:
LIST Division-Col. Stephen Moore. s-
I'd Maj. A. R. Dennison.
Sd Capt J: b; Porter.
The Aids AMIDST officers:
Col. Thomas B. Hunt
Col. R. p. Smith,
Maj. A. Coats.
Surgeon K. Fleming.
Surgeon Jno. B. White.
Surgeon Henry j. Menninger
Capt. John NJ Rulifson, Capt. H. H. Hitch
cock, Lieut.. Sidney Tuttle, Capt. E. C. Tunis
and Mr.. +. M. Pierson, acted as aids to the
Disvision commanders.
The procession moved down Craven Street to
Pollok, up Pollok Street to George, and up
At, Chief Marshal and Aids.
Staff Officers mounted
Reverend E. M. Forbes, Chaplain; Hon. W. II.
s. Sweet, Orator.
His Hoaor Major VIM. L. Palmer, Mayor.
- FIRST DIVISION. a.f
Band.
Company C, 10th U. s. Infantry, under COM
mand of Capt. Walter 8. Long
Officers and Soldiers of the U. g. Army.
Officers and Men of the U. 8. Marine, Coast
Survey and Revenue Service.
SECOND DIVISION. -
Ex-OHicers and Soldiers of the Army.
Ex.Oficers and Sailors of the Navy.
Patriotic organizations.
THIRD DIVISION.
Ladies' in Carriages.
Wagons containing flowers, wreaths, garlands,
crosses and other decorations.
o Citizens.
The procession was one of the largest and
most imposing that has ever been witnessed
array Of carriages aspace of over halfa mile was
occupied. The colored people followed the
procession In great numbers. It is estimated
that there were between two and three thousand
persona In line. Many of the mounted citizens
carried Gnidon Flags furled and draped in mourn
ing, making beautiful effect. number of the
carriages In line iried the following notices
lettered In gold upon blue silk: ..r.
"Enjoy but Forget not the Price of Liberty"
Remember the Gallant Dead"
"our Love of Country Stronger than our Love
of Home"
As the procession passed the camp of the 10th
Infantry, the garrison flag was lowered to half
mast where it Tempined until after the compile
ton of the ceremonies. Arriving at the cemetery,
the head of the column halted until the ladies
had alghted from the carriages. The gentlemen
dismcunted, after which the procession passed
into the enclosure. The work of decorating the
graves was then commenced.
THE SALUTE
Twenty-one minute guns were fired by a de-
tachment of the 10th Infantry, under command
of Capt. Hargous. The number of guns cor
responds with the number of States having
representative dead in the cemetery:
Maine. Vermont
New Hampshire. Massachusetts.
Connecticut. Rhode Island.
New-York New Jersey.
Pennsylvania. Maryland.
North Carolina. Ohio.
Indiana. Illinois,
Wisconsin. Iowa.
Minnesota. at Michigan.
Missouri. Kentucky.
..a.. THE DECORATIONS. a.. .
At the entrance to the cemetery an arch was
erected, covered with evergreens and bearing
motto in box-leaves upon dark ground
"UNIoN DEAD"
There being over three thousand graves it
was impossible to decorate all the individual
ones.
Great credit is due to the ladies for the beau
tiful effect produced in the manner and style of
making their floral offerings. Twenty-six cross.
es had been constructed, wound with evergreens
and flowers. One of these crosses was placed
over each one of the lots occupied by the dead OF
the above named States, and over those of the
Regular army, the Navy, the Signal Corps, the
Quartermaster's Employees, and the Construc-
ton Corps. A large reverse of each cross-bore
upon its cross-arm the name of the State in
white letters upon back scroll. Besides these
general decorations, many OF the graves received
individual attention OF mourning friends and re-
latives, prominent among which was an arch cree
ted over the graves OF the Sd N. Y. cavalry bear
ing the well known and appropriate Inscription ::