The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-06-02
OUR HEROIC DEAD.
The Beautiful Rite of Decoration.

The Beautiful Rite of Decoration.
RICHMOND PAYS. HER ANNUAL FLORAL
TRIBUTES-AN AFFECTING. SCENE-EM-
BLEMS OF MOURNING IN THE CITIES OF
THE LIVING AND THE DEAD-GENERAL
+ SUSPENSION OF BUSINESS-LARGE CON-
COURSE OF PEOPLE AT HOLLYWOOD
HON. B. JOHNSON BARBOUR'S MEMORIAL.
ADD ES S AT JOHN r. THOMpsON,s
GRAVE-THE MILITARY PARADE, &C., sc.
All nature seemed to smile and was clad
in its richest garb on yesterday. The ladies
OF the Hollywood Memorial Association
could not possibly have anticipated more
delightful day at this season OF the year for
their annual labor of love.
From early morn till closing eve pedes-
trians and vehicles OF every description
could be seen on the way to that beautiful
city OF the dead-Hollywo pay tri-
butte to the host OF honored Confederate he
roes who sleep their last sleep within its
enclosure. The street-cars, Garber's omni-
buses, and the canalboat lines were crowd
ed until after o'clock. Prior to that hour
the greater portion Of
81. VISITORS TO HOLLYWOOD
consisted OF the ladies OF the Association,
who had charge OF the graded soldiers Sec
tions; Southern Cross Brotherhood, whose
special care was Gettysburg Hill; and per-
sons who owned private sections. The first
named organizations assembled at an early
hour in the morning, and carried quantities
OF flowers and iu,n,ortelles wrought in va
ried and beautiful shapes to the grounds, so
that the soldiers graves might be strewn
wifi N f1Jtyorr hofnro bo o,cor,hInI
Business having been very generally sus-
pended, at O'Clock
THE FIRST REGIMENT,
with well-filled ranks, marched from the
City Hall on Broad street, headed by Kess-
nich's band, to the cemetery, and at the
time they entered the crowd was greatest.
The appeals OF the ladies Of the Associa-
ton for flowers were amply rewarded, and
at no time since the war did Hollywood
present q loVelier sight, and the crowd was
probably never larger than on yesterday.
AS the regiment entered the cemetery
with arms reversed the band played a
funeral dirge. On Gettysburg Hill they
were halted, stacked arms, and were allowed
to stroll through the grounds. All OF
TIE SOLDIERS GRAVES
appeared to have been visited and strewn
with flowers. Indeed, ere long the entire
space in which the soldiers are buried will
be a perfect fower-garden. The plants,
shrubs, and trees that have been judiciously
planted are fourishing satisfactorily. Over
the massive granite monument the ivy and
le are growing prettily. Along
-. THE MAIN AVENUE
going towards the western portion OF the
grounds the most striking sections were
those containing the vaults OF John w.
Davies and William 7. King. The front OF
the first named vault was beautifully draped
with gray moss. The walkway from the
section-gate to the vault was covered with
moss, and at short intervals star and
cross OF flowers were laid. Above the door
was hung a cross and anchor wrought to-
gether.
The latter section was also prettily hung
with gray moss, and flowers were tastefully
strewn around. - Immediately above tile
door OF the vault was an exquisite White
cross.
The section of w. A. Wyatt, in which is
the grave of Private AlonZo FignOr, OF
Company ], First Virginia regiment, re-
ceiycd marked attention on account OF its
HANDSOME DECORATIONS.
The graves Of Major n. A. and Private
w. r. Sturdivant were marked by PEN
nan draped in mourning at the head OF each
grave The graves were also prettlly streWn
with flowers. The sections containing the
remains of Lieutenant-General A. L. Hill
and General j. Z. B. Stuart were eSten-
sively visited, and the graves OF each strewn
with floral offerings. At the head OF Gene
raj Hilrs grave was a massive and beautiful
gray moss cross, the base Of which was OF
green moss. At the grave OF General Hill
a pair of sabres crossed, wrought in ever
green and flowers, elected much attention.
The grave Of Captain Fred. Carter, OF the
r. L. I. Blues, was
COVERED WITH 1MMORTELLEs,
while his monument was tastefully feStooned
with moss. The section Of Colonel James
r. Branch was also appropriately decorated.
A grave in the section OF Dir. William Ira
Smith, and that OF the late DR.. K. S. j. Pee
bles, were prettily and handsomely deco
rated. Many other soldiers graves, as well
as those OF private citizens, were richly and
profusely adorned with flowers. One OF the
most touching offerings OF the day was that
of an aged mother, who fingered long at the
crave OF her darling boy, an officer who gave
I'm his life for the "lost cause" in one OF the
battles before Petersburg. The hands OF
loving friends had literally covered the grave
with tokens of remembrance.
Hon. MIR. Barbour's Memorial Address.
About sunset a large number OF persons
gathered around the monument OF Flr-
ginia's poet, John r. Thompson. His grave
and monument were strikingly strewn with
beautiful flowers, immortelles, and ever
greens. It was hardly necessary to call the
vast assemblage to order, such was the qulet
observed, but the formal order was gone
fba,, IDch1Jo Potter.
kin, Of St. James church, was introduced
and made an appropriate prayer. At Tue
conclusion of prayer Mr.. 3. johnson Bar
bour was introduced, and delivered the fol-
lowing beautiful and scholarly memorial ad-
dress over the grave of his friend:
In that noblest OF all biographies, the
"Liie Of Sir Walter Scott" by LockAart 1t
is mentioned that the day on which the rune
raj OF the great bard and author occurred
was dark and lowering, and CHANGED TO
hear from the lips Of G. ?. Z. James, the
novelist, who was present on the occasion
referred to, that as the procession left AD-
botsford for Drybough Abbey, dark cloud,
rising from the west and filling half the vault
of heaven with its blackness, seemed like
vast pall to advance with the procession ana
hang over the crumbling ruins whilst the
last rites were paid to the remains OF the
Great Wizard of the North. This scene was
in strange, and I must say sublime, eoincl-
dence with Scott's own conceptions. 1t was
an exact fulfilment Of those touching WORDS
with which the fifth canto Of the "Lay OF
the Last Minstrel" opens:
"Call it not vain-they do not err
Who say that when the Poet dieS
Mute Nature n0urns ner ~orSnippef,
And celebrates his obSequies."
II this were -