The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-05-11

tysburgV nead-Ga;a p istI on tho
Tombs-ClosIiag Scenes
For.years past:the lOth hof, May. has been bet
apart:as dayRhen asimple: :bati heartfelt
tribute may belpaid toGthe memory of the
Confederate soldiers who frlliinthe late war,
and now lie under the oaks of Magnolia. The
occasion is, one otsadness not unmingled with
pride, and al. CONSTANT rewarders of heroIsm
andId deyotien, fladles of Charleston always
stand fofemost-t1 the loving work; the day Is
always .sd1emuly observed, the celebration
being conducted under the auspices OF the
Ladies' Memorial Association. For weeks
past meetings havea,been held, committees
have been at work ,ahd inalmost every house.
thsIaof lie city fold hands have been at work
fw weaving chablsts ahdmrseaths to decorate The
last resting place OF the immortal dead. At
the Hibernian Hall, for several nights past,
vast piles OF cedar, moss and flowers have
been worked up Into fitting decorations, and
the numerous applications to have the wagons
sent to various points In the city showed With
| what unanimity the ladies of Charleston
entered upon this pious task. Early yester-
day morning, sprlng-wagons and carts Wero
passing through the streets and stopping az
the various appointed residences, adding to
their verdant freight at each house until they
started to Magnolia laden with floral decora-
tions.
In the afternoon the celebration was to take
place, and az the time drew on throngs of
young girls, ladies, and old men and boys
could be aeen hurrying along the streets or
crowdIng the street cars on their way to the
trains. Few there were who did not bear
some lovely token with which to dress the
grave of friend or brother. The first train left
the South Carolina Railroad Depot In Ann
street at APO O'clock. and the Northeastern
Railroad Depot at AIS. Both of these were
crowded, and deposiling their precious freight
at the entrance to Magnolia, sped swiftly
back to the city for another trip. At Intervals
the omnibuses aud other vehicles hurried up
the Shell Road to Magnolia, adding tnelr
crowded contents to the throngs pouring
along the walks of the City of the Dead. at
FIVE o'clock two more trains came up, and
added largely to the assemblage, which had
already gathered about the Confederate ceme-
terry.
This Is a four-sided enclosure of.about two
acres, In which lie Inferred the bodies OF some
eight hundred soldiers. II is surrounded by
handsome hedge of wild orange, neatly
clipped, and the graves are ranged IN rows,
occupying almost the entire space. There are
four entrances, one on each side, the south
and west entrances being beneath pretty
arches formed by the hedge bushes. Near the
northeast corner Of the cemetery had been
erected stand which was handsomely deco
rated with moss, flowers and green wreaths
Along the eastern edge of the cemetery are
the graves of seventy South Carollnians who
fell upon the bloody field of Gettysburg, on
the I'd day of July, 1868, and whose remains
had been brought on last spring and buried
here in accordance with the dying wishes Of
many of them. Neat headstones had
been erected over them, and their
graves were covered with moss and strewn
with fresh spring flowers. Near the middle
row are two handsome tombstones, erected
by their friends over the remains OF sixteen
men-nlne In one and seven In another.
These had been thus buried by their COM
rades on the battle field Of Gettysburg the
time they had been there making 1t impossi-
BILE for their remains to be distinguished when
disinterred for the purpose OF being brought
on here. In the centre of the ground was
large fower-strewn moss mound, on the top
of which reclined beautiful cross of white
flowers. On this spot monument of native
granite will be e:ected, and the ladies hope to
have itcompleted next year. The granite was
the gilt of the Legislature Of 1865, and the
contract has already been made for the work.
The whole interior of the enclosure was in
beautiful order. The ground had all been
raked, and with the decorations, evinced the
love and devotion of which patriotic women
Fare capable,
The last arrivals by the trains had all
reached the cemetery, and on every side,
through the vista Of trees and strawberries,
could be seen The throngs who closed up
around the stand. In every direction waving
wells and dresses crowded around, and the as
ssmblage could not have numbered less than
two thousand five hundred persons.
The honored veteran, Colonel P. G. Gaillard,
now took the stand and, with voice choked
by emotion, sald:
We are assembled here this afternoon to
pay our tribute OF respect to the dead Of a
glorious cause who lie in this cherished spot.
Such an assemblage, year after year, shows
how honored IL their memory, and though, In
the course Of human events, time, the curer
of all evil, oolllerates many things, yet the
feeling, which Is kept alive with 30 much
spirit, and has lasted i0r this length of line,
evlnces that we have principles which eau
never die. even though this yearly celebration
be passed over. 1t Is cheering to thluk that
those who II are not forgotten, and II Is bnt
meet and proper that on such an occasion we
should begin BY Offering up a prayer TO Him
who, though he did not smile upon our cause,
NAV be relied upon as working entirely tor
our good. The Rev. Mr.. Bowman will offer
up prayer.
The Rev. W. S. Bowman stood up and read
with deep feeling the following prayer, COM
posed for the celebration, by the venerable
Dr.. John Bachman
O.! Thou great. good and merciful Cod
Thou Father of compassion and God. of ali con-
ISOLATION and grace in CnIist Jesus our Lord. 10
Thee we bring our humble tribute OF praise
and thanksgiving. We are unworthy and SIN
fu-Thou art holy and worthy to be exalted
f,r ouormnra Il En6 ha With us in ih a