Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1871-06-03

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sleep together beneath the same green
covering with the unknown. Un-
known feeling of sadness comes over
my heart, when | find this word writ
ten upon some of these boards to-day
There sits in some far off southern home
a mother, sad, weeping for her long lost
but still loved son-he may be one OF
these unknown" is worthy let
us then not forget these unknown ones
II is pleasant for us at this time to refer
to the religious status, OF that noble
army, of which these sleeping heroes
once made up part. For near three
wears it was my high honor to be with
them, in field and forest, on the march
and in the bivouac, in camp and in bat
tie, meath summers sun and winters
storm, and | have no hesitancy in say
ing that l never saw more upright
christian life, more spiritual power,more
devotion to Christ, among any people
either before or since the war. The
hearty singing, the fervent prayer, pour
ing forth from the heart, the tears
streaming from the eyes of those mighty
men of valor gave evidence OF Rell-
eion that could not be gainsayed.
Many time as the warrior pressed for
ward shouting victory over the foe, his
diving comrades on the field were shout
ing victory over sin and death. L re-
member an instance when the cam
paign of 1864 opened; we were in line
of battle in the Wilderness, and news
came down the line that Longstreet
was whipping the enemy on our right.
A shout went up, a gun was accidental
ly discharged and shot the pet OF our
regiment, lovely fair-haired boy. AS
we carried him back to the hospital, he
said, twas not that glorious news we
will have a'-but, am too fast you
all will have a grand victory, and glory
to God I'll have my victory, tonight,
and so he had. When the battle was
coming on at Gettysburg, one approach
ed me saying, here is my wites ad-
dress, l may die on the field to-day, If
so, write to her and tell her to meet me
in Heaven" Another noble young
man came up, II shall die on the field
to-day, write to mother, and tell her,
that, / die for my Country, trusting IN
mn mothers God."
Then. ladies' and gentlemen, we will
strew these lovely flowers on our patri-
OTIS graves to-day, praying that the prin-
ciples for which they died may yet bloom
in beauty and bless the whole country
with the richness of their fragrance, and
the lusciousness of their fruit. We
will entwine these boards with sweetest
flowers gathered by loving hands, be
cause they mark the resting places of
our own brothers of the South, praying
that the memory of their noble deeds
may ever abide, with leafas green, flow
er as beautiful, and odor as sweet as
e'er was gathered from Flora's richest
fields. Yea, we will adorn these
graves with precious flowers, emblemat-
ical of the flowers of hope, that blooms
beneath the sunlight of living faith to
cheer the warrior on the field, sustain
him in his hour of suffering, and sur
round his soul with the Heaven-born
fragrance in the hour of death, praying
that when God shall come to make up
his jewels, there may not be enc of
these names missing from the Roll, and
that all who are here to-day may have
part in the first Resurrection.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, you are
anxious to begin your work of love, LII
detain you no longer.
After the delivery of the address,
which in its truthful eloquence brought
back the memories of the eventful past,
and tears of sympathy and sorrow to
the eyes of many, the pleasant, sweet,
sad task of decorating each and every
humble mound was proceeded with
None were forgotten-the unknown
were not passed-above the breasts of
all, the faircst flowers gathered and en-
twined by loving hands, were placed;
for all were sons of our common mother
our loved Southland all died freely,
heroically, for the same loved cause, and
all deserve the remembrance and trib
ute of grateful people. After the
flowers were scattered, and mothers,
sisters. brothers and kindred, had wept
over the graves of those they loved so
well, all retired leaving the mounds, the
ashes and the flowers in the Silent City
of our beloved dead, which is made ever
glorious by those who slumber there.
WASHINGTON CONFEDERATE GENE
1ERY.-The General Appropriation Bill
of the Pennsylvania Legislature con
tains an item of $4,000 for the Confede
rate Cemetery at Hagerstown. This
sum had been inserted in the bill in the
Senate as precaution against the fail
ure ofthe orr ginal bill and passed both
Houses, The original bill, appropria-
ting $4,000, which was drawn by Ma
jor H. X. Douglas, President of the
Cemetery Association, and introduced
into the House of Representatives by