The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-05-03

statue of the immortal Confederate soldier,
and to consign him, and the cause in which b
tina! court of appeal seldom fails to aware
Justice, though generations may be necessar
to enable it to pronounce its decree. The will,
| storm may rage around that statue, the rain
OF heaven may descend upon it, the lightning
may seattle it, and time, which destroys al
things, may PROSTATE it, as it has Frustrated
the monuments of the proud Greek. but the
| principle which it personifies, the principle o.
American liberty, as interpreted by the frame
| of the Federal and of the Confederate Con sti
buttons, will survive forever!
Drawing the veil aside the Admiral pre-
sented to our view this exquisite work Of
| art, fashioned from Alabama marble by
Mobile hands. Within a double enclosure
| composed of a miniature redout with has
| toned angels, curtains and redans, rises q
handsome shaft, bearing upon it's four sides
raised inscription,
THE CONFEDERATE DEAD.
Surmounting this shaft, the base of which
rests upon turfed mound, con- pletely COW
cred with wreaths, flowers, iinmortelles,
and other fitting memorials. il the statue,
of large life size, six feet three inches high,
representing Confederate private soldier
in uniform, jacket, knapsnck with blanket
strapped to his back, cartridge and cap
box, v aist belt and plate, in fact the whole
al ! exact accoutrement of the Confederate
private. He is standing in the position of
during tine last sad rites at the grave of
comrade: the muzz'e of the gun resting
upon the left toe, hands clasped upon the
belt plate, the left knee slightly bent, as in
" Hardee," right heel in rear of the left,
head bowed slightly, in the act of resting
the forehead on the hands; the features
perfectly natural, expressive of the grave,
dignifed sorrow of the veteran gentleman
soldier of the Confederate army.
The lifelike grace of the figure cannot
be excelled; every minutife of the old uni
form and equipments is exactly represented
soldiers of few years hence to wonder if
their father were thus ACQUIRED In this
respect, the statue will become historically
valuable as perfect representation of the
Confederate soldier, as the paintings of the
old Continental soldier are priced for
showing us the old fashioned trappings of
the soldiers of the first American rebellion.
The gun is the old Enfield, with every
screw, strap, even the cumbrous "raise
sight" faithfully delineated go careful has
the artist been to reproduce everything
that even the stitches on tile ends of the
tom of the box are the superfluous buckles
for cross belts attached by the Ordinance
Department years after those belts were
discarded, for the reason, only, that the
% regulations" prescribed them. Every
fold and seam in the well fitting uniform,
CNSlS Sti6pf IAo AulI U6dTu anu mOu5taCu0,
the old Confederate plate upon the cap
tured Federal cartridge box, the bayopet
scabbard, even to the little tack holding
the point, everything is so complete as to |
positively defy the most hostile critic.
To the right of the figure is the stump of
tree, with every ring shown on the top L; |
gracefully folded over this is the econ
Iuered banner" the glorious Confederate |
bait flag, the staff, pierced by bullet, |
broken in two pieces, resting on each side /; |
he top piece with the flag attached, point
%g down, Indicative of the dropping hopes
Of those brave men during the closing
scenes of Cur fearful struggle. The monu-
nent from the base to the top of the statue
$ 20 feet, some inches high. All this, ex-
'ept the granite base which was laid sew
;ral years ago, was wrought in Alabama
tone by Messrs. Mcdonald, March g. Co.,
# this city. The clever hand of Mr.. Daniel
Mcdonald, it's principal sculptor, has, in
his statue, reared an enduring monument
o his taste and art.
Upon the base of the monument we no.
iced beautiful anchor of evergreens,
laced there in memory of Capt. Joseph
Try, by sOme loving hand as tribute to
he gallant Southern sailor whose unfor-
innate yet noble death is still fresh in the
collection of all.
A touching incident occurred also with
he Mobile Cadets. The Federal troops
ere presented the company with beau
hui basket of howeTs, to be laid upon their
mound. The gift was accom-
aned 10y this card, attached to the offer
lg:
APRIL 9Th, 1874
From the Officers of the United States Army,
'ationed at Mt. Vernon Barracks, Ala, to the
!UhIle Cadets, a mark of respect to the
emory of their Gallant Dead, and in recogni-
:un # their manly and generous action. in
to the Decoration of the Graves
. the National Cemetery, at Mobile, Ala, on
be 30th of June, 1873.
A salute by tho artillery, amid the in
piTing strains of Dixie, closed the eere-
monies and orr labor Of love was done.