Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1871-01-24
LEE MEMORIAL CELEBRATION.
Held in Winchester, January 10, 1871.

REPORTED for the Esprit Of .I:tTlrsOa"J
The superficial observer in Virginia, behold
ing the apparent devotion to material progress
Of the people who have so often been thought
ChiTalric, is led to believe that, in the South,
as we'll as in the North, the great war of the
sections is nearly forgotten, or is only reuem-
bsred as an historical fact. But, though the
necessities of the times have, in fact, deVel-
oped 4 spirit of practicalism hitherto unknown
to our people, IL needs but feeble touch of
the wonderful wand Of memory to summon I'D
the emotions aud the enthusiasm of the past.
1t was such a touch that to day transformed
the now quiet town of Winchester, into the
old Winchester to which are linked names
which are in themselves whole pages Of history.
The 10Th Of January, the natal,day of
ROBERT +. LEE, was most appropriately
selected as the day upon which to paw trib.
ute to the memory of him whose death has
rObed nation in sable. The day was ushered
In with the tOlling of bells, and IL o'clock
witnessed one of the stra0gest scenes imae,
Unable. Under the marshaIship of General
FAUNTLEROY, procession was formed on
Market-Strcet-butWh what aprocessiou--clerCy-
men, lawyers, doctors, mechanics, farmers.
men Of ali vOcatiOns were shere; and vet, as
the line was formed, it was not difficult to see
that these DISCUSSES, which peace had woven
around them, as it WeaVes its mantle of grass
upon deserted breast works, were the very
men whose deeds have written q record which
shall be read wherever and whenever right is
struggling against wrong. Here we're the
remnants Of the old "!StOneudU' Brigade.
here were the hOrsemen who had followed
AsHBY and STEwART-here were artillery
men, infantrymen and cavalrymen-men Of all
stations in life, some poor, some rich, but all
as loyalty Confederate as in the days when
they marched by the side of their many COM
TadGs who sleep beneath the grass of Mt.
Hebron.
No sooner had the line been formed than
the old "rebei" jokes-who does not remem-
Der them-Were passed from Gle to Gle. 1t
was solemn occasion, but could these bat,
tered, Scared old veterans help calling upon
some marshal 10 come out of that scarf" or
greeting some child Of peace as bombproof?
They were the old, gOod-humoured jokes, aud,
though some may have thought them out of
place, l doubt if the old commander would
have objected to them. 1t was this child
ike insOncisut gaiety which distinguished the
Confederate soldier and which sustained him
through dangers aud hardships which would
soon have exhausted the endurance of less
buoyaIt people. The order of the procession
vas as follows first, General FAUNTL ERoY-
who, mounted on a splendid horse, looked
every inch the gallant soldier-surrounded by
Coils. Moore and Cummings, Majors Hunter,
Gaines and others. Next came the fine band
from Strasburg, whose excellent music ad-
ded much to the occasion, followed by the
chairman, Hon. RURERT Y. CONRAD. the
Orator, Col. HOLIDAY, and the Poet, DANIEL.
Is. Lucas, Esq. Next came the FIRE COM
Panies, preceded by drum corps, aud fol-
lowed by the Confederate Soldiers and the
citizens generally. Among the soldiers tow
cred Mr.. BEVERLY TUCKER, who for some
time was Lieutenant in the cavalry, but who
has only lately returned from exile to the many
friends who know and love him.
The procession moved up Main Street.
where all the stores were closed, and proceeded
10 the Braddock St. Methodist Church which
was in few minutes densely crowded. Hon.
RoBERT y. CONRAD stated that the object
OF the meeting was to show to the world that
the people Of the Valley were not ashamed of
the Southern CODfederacy nor of the hero who
sustained it. Mr.. Conrad was followed by
ReV.JAMEs b. AvEHgTT, Chaplain to Ashby's
Brigade, who invoked TIE blessing of God
upon the people whom he had so sorely
stricken The prayer was follow by tho sing
ing Of the following DiTge, composed by Prof.
HEWITT -