Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1877-06-19
HAGERsTOWN MEMORIAL GEL
EBRATION.


zens, ladies and children were in attendance
from all parts of Western Marylan the VAL
ley of Virginia, Baltimore and Washington
cities. In the procession were the Berkeley
Light Infantry, of Martinsburg, commanded
by Capt. Faulkner, the shepherdstown Band,
and division marshaled by Col. W. A.
Morgan and Capt. ]. s. Melvin, of this
county, containing delegations from Virginia
and West Virginia. The following dedication
dirge, words by Major Il. Kyd Douglas, and
music by Mr.. FL. Hahn, of Hagerstown-was
sung by the full choir with great feeling and
fine effect:
..Their banners furled-thcir cannon husbed;
These graves their camping ground;
l:Their bone are dust-their swords arc rust
Their souls are with their God We trust. III
Green fields now hide the wounds they felt.
Where mot the Blue and Cray;
1.-the Bue now rests on the hills they pressed:
With fowerr and tears our Gray are blessed: I'll
To consecrate this hallowed spot,
Help us. o Lord of Hosts:
N:Uuknown to tamo-unknown In name
These tears and tJwers our love proclaim. ~
Bless Thou these dead! and speed the day
When Blue and Gray unite;
dad on cach tomb his foe shall write,
GOD only knows which ono was right
They both shall write in words of light,
God only knows VI hlch side was right!
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee. the famous cavalry
leader Of Virginia, delivered the Grafton of
the day. As reported by the Baltimore Sun,
he said he felt unable to accept the first in
vitation rendered him, but second call to
speak at such place was like blast from
the horn of Frederick Dhu, and moved his
heart to Overlooking. 1t was a great honor
to be called on to speak in memory Of $500
brave men who slept their last sleep He re-
ferred to the passions which burned in the
past, and thanked God that the blood Of broth
srs no longer flowed, nor was the banner Of
the blue thrown against the gray. Having
accepted the facts as they are, they met to
honor those who had covered themselves with
glory. If the music of other lands and flags
of other pations have power to move their
hearts, then they also could glory in the soft
strains of "My Maryland" and look back
with pride TO the cross Of ST. Andrew, which
had been victorious on a hundred battle 6slds.
and embalmed in the immortal strains of
Father Ryan. 1t was meet then that We
should decorate the graves Of our soldier
dead.
Gen. Lee spoke at length in praise of the
dead who died for a cause they held to be
by loving hearts and tender hands, who will
attend to their Las. resting place. He spoke
in high eulogy of tho character of Gen.
Robt E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, "Charley"
Winder Jeb Stuart and others whose bravery
and honesty could not be disputed. He
spoke of them in no boastiul spirit. No one
recognized better than ho that the preserva-
ton of this Union is tho life blood of the
nation, that peace and prosperity depend
upon fratcrnal harmony, and none more de
precates any spirit of discord But he spoke
with the feeling of the mother whose one
son fell under the blue and the other under
the gray. Hearts on both sides suffered the
same loss, and he felt for the grief of those
who mourned over tho brave soldiers
Meade and Reynolds.
Our people may not have been soon
enough accorded their rights, but history
shows no nation their superior. They should
still preserve their identity q people and
hope for the future. Let US look at the
bright side, for it is the right side. He
closed with a most affectionato allusion to the
old soldiers under his command and an elo-
quent tribute to all the Confederate dead.
Gen. Lee was warmly applauded.
Major II. Kyd Douglas read a letter from
Brevct NJ jor- G eneral Crawford, of the Uni
juno IL in which he regrets that a sudden
call to New York would prevent his accept
ing an invitation to attend the celebration.
He adds: "The fields you mention upon
which fell the men whose deods and death
you are about to commemorate are we'll known
to me, and | would have gone most willingly
to add my testimony to the bravery and de-
voton of the gallant men who rest there. In
their devotion to principle, and in their high
qualities which enabled them to die for it,
they have the respect of every true Ameri-
can"
Daniel B. Lucas, Esq, Charlestown, read
the following original poem, composed ex>
pressly for the occasion:
Lot perish every throb of hate:
Let only Love commemorate
Let pride, and powers lust,
And all things perish but the true,
While mere we render homage due,
-4nd sing our songs OF praise to you,
U. Cohsccrated Dust
Heroes, You were to Us that live.
and now this feeble tribute gIveS
What wine is to its must
Unpurificd, aud weak as toars,
Our vintage melows not with ysars,
While yours more rich with age appeare,
ds stronger grows our trust!
You were to US that here upraise
These sad memorial your praise,
What steel is to its rust
While We grow DINNER wear by year,
You CLEAN like some keen cimeter,
And brighten in an atmosphere,
Moro heavenly, we trust!
You were 10 US whose sympathy
Here consecrates YOUR memory.
What storms are to the gust
We break In tears, and forgiven;
You rose, and tnuud rbots were driven:
You shook the trembling floor of heaven,
Whose ashes are our trust j.!
Like feeble rockets We expire
You. meteors, set q world on tire!
OF Martyrs to cause so just,