The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-07-02
ESTABLISHED, 1881

time, appear before you at the re
quest OF the Managers Of the Monu.
ment Association, to render NV as.
sistance, humble as it is, in paving re.
spect to the memory of the brave mer
who fell here, by the dedication oI
thls monument to them. and at tho
request Of these gentlemen, / am
ABOUT to make to you a very few re.
marks, which are incidental TO The
occasion, and suggested bv IL When
look around and see. As
now see, so MANY bravo
men who were by my side in tbat
memorable battle, among them Ms
Excellency, the present Governor M
pennsylvania, Gen. Geary, and 9th.
ers, who were with me at that time
when l look back and think upon
the noble spirits who then fought so
well and BOW sleep the sleep that
knows no waking; gallant Rey-
nolds, my bosom friend, as we'll
as my right hand officer: brave
Vincent, and Cook, and Weed.
ana others tar more In numbers than
L nave time or words to mention.
my feelings are those Of mingled sad
ness and joy; sadness, my friends, to
! think that there ever was an occasion
when such men should be arraved in
battle as they were here; that we
should ever have been called upon. as
we were called upon this field. TO de-
fend the flag of our country and Gov.
ernment, which have been handed
down to US from our fdrefathers.
and to think of the mourning
and desolation which prostrafed
our whole land, North and South.
How sad to contemplate the
destruction Of life, which we have
wrought in obedience TO our highest
duty. / am filed with sadness to
think OF the hosts of mourning wi
ows and orphans left throughout the
land by that dreadful struggle Such
thoughts naturally come upon US. At
the same time, / feel gratitude and
10y; gratitude to the Almighty, who
directed the event, and selected me as
an humble instrument with those
then around me upon this field, to OBJ
tam that decisive victory which turned
the tide OF that great war and settled
forever, L trust, in this country the
principles Of personal liberty and con
stitutional freedom. Applause. / !
feel gratitude, too, that our fellow
countrymen have been moved to such
respect and honor as we are now pay
ing to the memory of those men who. |
IN the discharge of their duty, laid
down their lives, proving by the
highest sacrifice man can render. de- |
Yotlon to the cause they were defend !
ing; gratitude to those present TO day, |
who, by their presence, contribute to |
render high honor, justly due to the |
fallen braves. There is one sub !
Ject which / will mention now,
and on this spot, where my attention
has been called to it, and on which |
l trust my feeble voice will have |
some influence. When l contem- |
plate this field, l sec here and |
there marked with hastily dug |
trenches, the graves in which the |
dead with whom we fought are gath |
cred; they are the work Of my broth |
ers in arms the day after the battle. |
Above them bit of plank indicates
simply that these remains of the |
fallen were hurriedly laid there by |
the soldiers who met them In battle. |
Why should we not collect them |
in some suitable placer / do not |
ask that a monument be erected over |
them; l. do not ask that we should In /
any way endorse their cause or their /
conduct, or entertain other than feel /
lngs of condemnation for their course. /
But they are dead. They have gone |
before their Maker to be judged. In |
all civilized countries il is usage to /
bury the dead with decency and re
spect, and even to fallen enemies re-
spectful burial is accorded in death.
[ Applause l. earnestly hope that
this suggestion may have influence
throughout this broad land, for
this IS only one among an hundred
crowded battle fields Some persons
may be designated by the Govern
ment to collect these neglected bodies
and bury them, without commem-
Grating monuments, but simply indi-
cate that below sleep the misguided
men VINO fell in battle for a cause
over which we triumphed.
i shall detaiu you no longer, for
you are about to listen to ono Of
the most eloquent men 10
this country. My purpose was
simply to comply with the kind invi-
tation given me to speak mere words
Of praise for the dead heroes sleeping
around, on the solemnities Of the oc-
casion. | thank you for your atten-
ton, and will now unveil the statue.
Al the conclusion Of his remarks a
passage was cleared IN front OF tie
platform leading to the base Of the
monument, and assisted by Secretary
Of War Rawlins, the veil that shroud-
ed the front OF the monument was
dropped and the first full view of all
its beauties was met with enthusiastic
applause from the thousands that
were looking on at this interesting
moment, mingled with the music Of
the band and the firing Of the salute.
AT the conclusion OF Senator Nor
tons address the choir sung
How sleep the brave who sink to rest"
With the addition Of two stauzas com
posed BY w. w. Carter, Of Baltimore.
Then followed a poem written for the
occasion by Bayard Taylor, but evi
IDENTIFY not intended for general circu-
lation, as the author refused to supply
the Associated Press with a copy.
The choir sang the hymn ~" Rest.
Hero, Rest" and Rev. John Schu
maker then pronounced the bencdic-
ton. The choir then sang the hymn,
. America, with which the ceremO-
mics concluded.
The number Of persons present dur
ing the ceremonies are variOusly estl-
mated at 6,000 to 10000, who dis
persed at the conclusion Of the pro
gramme The town is slowly being
cleared of visitors, by the starting Of
regular and special trains.
SENATOR MoRToN's ADDRESS.
Ladies and GenflemeH:
When the monument we are about
to dedicate shall have crumbled into
dust; when the last vestige of this