The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1870-04-29
The Annual Decoration

Not since the dust Of our brave soldiers was
deposited in their cold cells in the Marietta Confed
crate Cemetery, has such marked display and inter
est been manifested as on the commemoration
occasion last Tuesday morning. The day previous
had been used in making wreahes, garlands and
crosses, Jy the ladies, preparatory TO the morning
services of the Doth And much praise is due to Mr..
j. +. Russell for the prominent and interest
ehergeticalIy displayed in making the arrangements
a success, and, also to Miss Green, Mrs. VIM, and
others, who generously co-operated with him.
Cemetery Hill was decked with the largest crowd
of females in various spring costumes, that ever met
there blooming in one mass of loneliness and beauty,
before. And also largely represented were the male
portion of our population. The various institutions
of learning gave ntermsson that the students might
be present to participate in the sacred rites and
catch the spirit of the story that nerved the arms,
sweed the breasts, and fired the hearts, of those,
that now sleep the sleep that knows no waking, to
strike for the timehonored principles of freedom and
liberty of Southland country. Though they
lie there in their graves, in chivalrous shrouds OF
gray, they are yet dearly enshrined in our hearts
| and live in loves seepless memory. Above their
quiet mounds, are planted the golden immortelles
that bloom in perpetual beauty, meath ears of af-
fiction.
The occasion was pathetic and impressive and
was made sadly sweet by music discoursed in rich
strains by the Marietta Cornet Band. The services
We're opened with Prayer by Rev. VIM. A Rogers,
President ofthe Marietta Female College and the in
troductory remarks were made by Col. j. w. Rob
ertson, who briefly but feelingly elucidatcd in glow
ing words, the beauty the grandeur, and the pur-
pose Of the event that called them forth annually
He then introduced that fine orator, Col. James D.
Waddell, of our city. Col. Waddes speech was
concise and beautifully expressive Of animatng love
for the cause for which he dared to mngle his own
blood with that of thousands of his countrymen i'll
a mertorious but defeated attempt to wrest from the
grasp Of Tyranny the chains that then and now
shaeke noble and liberty loving people. His Ian
guage not hea ed with fanaticsm or harsh with
denunciation, but was uttered with the tenderness Of
a sigh and with the magnanimity Of patriot, but
every thought was brilliant with the prompting of in
born earuesness. For grandeur and sublimy
Col Waddell is equalled but by few. His eloqGence
and touching pathos, on this occasion, imbued his
listeners with increased fidelity to those whom
it pleasure well as a duty to remember in tribu-
tary tokens of springs most choicest and sweetest
| flowers. He paycd glowing and deserved tribute
to Miss Mary J. Green, who has done so much il
gathering from desecraed battle fields the remains
ofhundreds of Confederate soldiers and gave then
decent sculpture in consecrated ground After thu
conclusion of Col. Waddell's speech, Rev. Mr
Eppes, of the Episcopal Church, closed the exer
! cises with the benedction
| The clouds which arched their cooling shades
over the hrong that had gathered and were dispers
ing. seemed to be touched with unutterabe love- anC
as if in sympathy with the spirit of the occasion
wept watery tears from its ethereal canopy.