Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-06-08


PROCESSION AT wINCHEsTER--GocD
OPINION OF THE sTAUNTON TRot Ps-
THE DECORATION PROCEEDINGS.
&C., &C., &C.
Wednesday morning at an early hour
long well filled train of thirteen cars lett
here with the eXcursionistS of this city to
take part in the mem orial celebrations at
our sister city of Winchester. The train
carried the Staunton Artillery, 69 men,
West Augusta Guard, 60 men, StoneWall
Band--full corps, and many Of the honorary
members, and large number of gentle
men and ladies. The trip down was de-
lightful one, the rain of the night before had
cooled the atmosphere and with no dust, no
confusion and the best of order among the
soldier boys. there was nothing to mar the
enjoyment of the ride; all arrived safely
at Winchester about 10 O'Clock, in good
trim and each one determined to enjoy
himself in a'quiet way. The visitors were
received at the station by a committee of
the
WINCHESTER sToNEWALL CEMETERY
ASSOClATlON,
and the military and bard assigned their
place in the procession, which consisted
besides. of a large, well-drlled company
from Martinsburg, the Berkeley Light In
fantry, three fire companies and hook
and ladder company from Winchester, with
their apparatus beautifully decorated with
flowers and evergreens; children of the
Winchester schools, and large number OF
carriages, containing prominent persons
and ladies and gentlemen from all the
country around.
The streets were densely thronged with
people; the windows and balconies all along
the route were crowded; the vacant lots
all filled, and a reserve of several thousand
waited at the cemetery and around the
entrance, the crowd being estimated Va
riously at from ten to fifteen thousand.
The procession was an imposing one,
and was greeted with applause an(, admir-
ing remark all along the march. To d
Staunton man, mingling with the crowd
of strangers, it was especially gratifying
| to hear the comments elected by the ap-
pearance of our boys. ''Don't those Au-
gusta Guards march now! Look how
| they step!" ''Those fellows have been
drilled, you betH' ''What a slashing set
of men they've got!'' "Ain't tlleir cap
tain bully: he's the best-looklng man in
the procession!' "Here comes the ar
tillery" "Theres company for you
The prettiest uniform yeti" 'sThem fell
lows look like they could fight" ''See
that -whiskered fellow, with the
epaulets, in 'front.' Amt he some p "He
can ride, tool! ''Now, then, that's the
Stonewall Band They tell me some OF
them chaps were with old Jack. when he
used to chase the Yanks around here y
eyes; but can't they play, though !''''They
must have learned that since the war
Didn't hear no such music as that with
practice. Well, they do it right now, and
| they are uniformed like they came from
New York! Amt little Staunton boom
ing - &C., &c. We could repeat hun
dred comments OF the kind, but these are
sufficient to show the ''boys'' that their eff
it might puff them so that their belts would
have to be spliced.
The procession marched into the ceme-
terry about II O'Clock, while section of
Capt. Fultz's battery unde. Lieut.. J. I i.
Long, which had been sent ahead fired
minute guns, which Weakened the echos for
miles around. This was the most impress
slve part of the spectacle, the bands play
ing dirge, drum corps beating the dead
march, troops with arms reversed, long
lines OF women and children with flowers.
wreaths sable flags and mourning devices,
and the solemn and regular booming OF
the minute gun, could not fail to carry one
back to the scenes when these dead heroes
fell sacrifice to honor and principle. At
the stand. around which only a compare
lively small portion of the crowd could get
within reach of the speakers voice, the
ceremonies were inaugurated by the sing
ing of dirge to the air of robin Adair"
IN which the singers of the Stonewall Band
joined, an appropriate prayer was offered
by Rev. Mr.. Rogers of Winchester, and the
large concourse Of people joined in singing
the Long Meter Doxology, the Stonewall
Band played with spirit "Safe in the
arms of Jesus" and Gen. James II.
Williams Of Frederick then read the report
of the Association in which it was an
nounced that the remains of 2,Sl6 Confed-
crate soldiers representing IA States, were
inferred Of which SIS were unknown. The
Association had fund of $4,000 well in
vested and proposed with this and addi-
tional funds which they hoped to raise to
erect a monument to these unknown dead
heroes capped with medallion, having ON
one face Confederate infantry soldier, on
the 2 / an artillerymen, on the Sd a calvary
man and on the 18th to depict the devotion
OF Southern women to their defenders. the
whole to be capped with statue of Stone
wall Jackson. The speaker paid an elo-
quent tribute to these unknown but not
forgotten dead who he said were those who
had fallen in the front. Col. f. W. M.
Holiday then introduced in a most appro-
pirate and stirring little speech the orator
of the occasion, Col A. r. Boteler. of
West Virginia. This eloquent and popu-
lar speaker had almost as difficult a task
to perform as a 4th Of July orator, viz to
present an old subject in a new light but
well demonstrated his title to the reputa-
ton he enjoys by the original interesting
and touching address which followed |
through, which (altho' the Staunton Az
tillery were firing some splendid salutes in |
another part of the ground and the sun |
pouring down some of his hottest rays and |
here and there a sun stricken woman car
rled out of the pressl he held his large au-
P0nGlnSlOn