Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1871-06-16

Friday last was Memorial Day and the largest
procession we have ever witnessed here turned
out to do honor to the memories of those "who
fell while wearing the grey for u.s.
The procession was formed according to the
programme published in our last.
The Knight Templars wsre mounted on SPLEEN
did black horses (save the three principal Off
GERS, who rode light Duns,) richly caparisoned
with ornamented head-stalls and shabracks bear
ing large silver cross. Dressed in suits of
black cloth and wearing the regulation uniform
--chapeaus surmounted with flowing white and
black plumes, and looped up with silver crosses,
white sashes, trimmed with black, and silver
fringe: and ornamented with the red cross and
other emblems of the order, black gloves and
gauntlets, and Templars swords and belts-they
made handsome appearance. In this body
rode our esteemed and venerable fellow citizen,
Captain L. L. Stevenson, who though "a years
Of age, seemed as youthful, rode as erectly and
made as fine an appearance-probably more
impressive one thar any of his companion Sir
Knights.
The "Knights of Pythias," young order
here, but numbering quite a large membership,
made splendid display in their new regalias
The ''Odd Fellows" though not numbering
so many, made fine appearance in their snowy
regalias. 1'-t
The Temperance organizations numbered very
many, and marched with their banner floating
in the breeze. They looked the very picture of
their profession-perfe abstemiousness
The Augusta and D. D. & B. Fire Companies
also made very large and handsome turn out
the best we think ever made by them
In the procession were our various female
schools and it is almost needless to saw they
were the most beautiful portion of the moving
column. -rt
The remainder of the procession was made up
of citizens on foot and in carriages. making, by
several thousand, the largest display ever turn
ed out here, and forcibly illustrated the fact that
the memories of our loved and lost is and will
ever be dear to one and all, and that
1.-THE land they struggled to save for US
Can not forget
Its warriors yet
Who sleep in SO many grave for US ~
Wreaths and Flowers abounded throughout
the entire procession and were borne in count
less quantities by many who did not join in it,
but preferred to move untrameled along side of
it, which, when the Confederate Cemetery was
reached, were strewn in boundless profusion on
the graves of the heroic Southrons who there
sleep side by side, the Bands dscoursng appro-
PIRATE music the while. The Knights Templar
also moved in single file, with heads uncovered,
around the grounds in which the heroes lie buried
and through its several carriage ways
After the graves mad been decorated Col. Jas.
H. Skinner, President of the Augusta Memorial
Association made a few pointed and pithy re-
marks. He spoke of the organizations of this
Association and what efforts had been made by
its officers to secure the funds necessary to put
this Cemetery in proper condition, but that only
few hundred dollars had been raised, whereas
it should have been as many thousand, and con-
cluded by saying that he would cease his appeals
10 the men of Augusta and would now make the
appeal to her fair daughters to remove the
odium of allowing the graves of our soldier dead
to remain in their neglected condition. Can't.
Chas. S. Arnall, Treasurer of the Association
read his report showing that only about 1925
had been paid in to him. Col. Skinner then ex-
planned that work had been done ON the
Cemetery, for the reason that the amount re-
ceived was too small to accomplish ANYTHING,
and would be thrown away ii work were CON-
menced before sum sufficient to accomplish all
that was required had been raised
The procession then, by the command of the
Chief Marshal Col. John B. Baldwin, reformed
and moved back to town, where it was dis.
missed
1NcIDENTs.-W While the procession was re- form
ing, the Knights Templar, having dismount ted,
moved on foot to pay their tribute to the memo
ries of two of the Past Grand Masters of the
Masons of Virginia, who lie in Thornrosee Gem
etery, one of whom lived to ripe age and died
beloved and respected by all who knew him; the
other cut down, like one of the great patrons Of
the ORDER in the midst of life of glorious prom
Use, with the designs on his tressel-board nm
completed, and deeply lamsnted by the fraterni-
ty and majority of the people of Virginia to
whom he was well known. They first moved
around the lot of Past Grand Master VIM. Fl.
Hartman, and then through it, with heads uncoy-
ereo, throwing spri8 ol evergreen upon his
grave, and then through and around the lot in
which Past Grand Master James Points silently
slumbers, with the same tribute paid at his
grave,
Before the procession started out to the Gene
tety Mrs Kate M Kelley, through Judge Shelley
presented the Augusta Fire Company with .
beautiful wreath which was received by Capt
John B. Scherer, Jr., on behalf of the Compa.
ny, in few appropriate remarks, and placed on
the tombstone of their soldier BROTHER Pau
Scherer. ~
At the gate, as usual a collection was taken
up, amounting to nice little sum. A card was
thrown in the hat by Mr.. Jos. Santini, of New
Orleans, who is sojourning among us while hii