Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-11-18
Monument to General Lee in New
Orleans--Speech from General
Reaufegard.

A large meeting Of officers, soldiers and
sailors, who served in the late Confederate
army, was held in New Orleans on the LIST
inst, to form an organization with view
to the erection in that city Of a monument
to the memory of our great Chieftain. Gen.
Beauregard presided over the meeting, and
made the following address:
thank you, fellow soldiers and sailors,
for the honor you have done me in select
ing me to preside over this meeting. It I
were to consult only my own taste and in
clination, would much prefer to be one of
its silent and unobserved members, but in
view of the object cotemplated I yield to
your wishes.
We have been called together, and these
ladies and gentlemen have been invited to
be present, for the purpose Of testifying our
profound regret for the decease Of our be-
loved commander and comrade in arms.
General Robert r. Lee, in whom were CEN
tired but lately all the hopes of the South.
Another object of this call is to perfect an
organization for erecting in this city suit
able monument to his memory.
On my return yesterday from the coun.
try, found that had been honored by
the appointment to dictatorship in the
Lee Monumental Association of Louisiana,
composed Of some Of our best and wealth.
est citizo rs. sincerely hope that We may
be able to harmonic together in our efforts
to raise monument worthy Of this coma
munity, aad of the hero we wish to COM
memorate.
Already similar meetings have been held
in several of the Southern States, and Lou
isiana's sons, who so highly distinguished
themselves in our late struggle under that
gallant chieftain, should not b. backward
in passing appropriate resolutions to carry
out the objects of this proposed associa-
ton
[ regret that have not the ability to pay
worthy tribute to the memory of my la
meated friend, but there are others here
whose eloquence will be more suitable to the
occasion, and to them [ shall leave the hon
ored task of strewing over that venerated
grave some of their choicest flowers, to be
watercd with our tears.
I must be permitted to add, however,
that I had the honor of serving, during a
period of about twenty years, with Robert
&. Lee in the United States Corps of Engi-
neers, corps of which any country might
well have been proud, and he was one of its
ablest and most reliable officers.
AT the siege Of Vera Cruz, in March,
1s47, he contributed greatly by his talent
and untiring zeal to the reduction of that
citv in ahort fnrtnIrht
At the battle CT Cerro Gordo, in April Of
the same year, be signalized himself by a
daring reconnaissance beyond one mile in
rear Of the enemy's works, which enabled
the American commander to turn those
positions with little loss and to gain coma
plete victory in a few hours, capturing a
portion of the Mexican army. At Contreras
and Cherubusco, fought in the following
August, he was equally conspicuous for his
gallantry and indomitable energy cross
ing in the darkness of stormy night an
impossible pedregal, to inform the General
in-Cbief of the isolated condition of General
Persifer T. Smiths command, Chen almost
surrounded by the Mexican forces, } and Of
the intention of that brave and able officer
to attack at daybre.k to reform a junction
with the main American army
Again, at the attack on the city of Mexi-
co, few days afterwards, he was equally
distinguished for bis brilliant services, re-
ceiving the thanks Of the General-in~ Chief
for his gallantry, zeal and energy.
His services III the late war are too we'll
known to bis comrades in arms to require
special mention from me. They are en-
craven on our hearts, and will never per-
ish as long as memory lasts.
When his distinguished father said of our
illustrious Washington. that be vas "First
in peace, first in war, and first in the hearts
Of his countrymen," little did he think that
one of his own sons would be entitled to the
same eulogy. Let US, then, cover the tomb
of that son With immortelles and inscribe on
it that same epitaph Of the "Father of our
country"
Gen. Bcauregard's remarks were received
ed With repeated applause, and when re-
firing the applause seemed never to cease.
Eloquent addresses were delivered also by
Major B. f. Jones, Col. Esgene Wegge-
ma and Rev DR.. Palmer, and preamble
and resolutions expressive Of the sorrow Of
those present were adopted. The act Of in
corporation Of the Lee Monumental Associa-
ton was then read and adopted