The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-11-26
Mr.. Kelley ON the Model rnfantryman.

At the solicitation OF a number OF readers
we publish in full eX-Mayor keiley's speech
at the recent banquet Of the Virginia Divis-
ion of the Army Of Northern Virginia on
the Model Infantryman."
After facetious hit at the cavalry, and
bringing down the house by saying that he
had never been able to determine exactly
which was the more pleasant duty, to charge
the artillery Of the enemy or support your
o,cn, and that he had rather support wife
and twelve children than to do either, Mr.
Kelley said:
But do not propose to make response to
this sentiment by any attempt to contrast
the achievements OF this branch OF the Army
OF Northern Virginia with those OF the cay
airy or artillery. That immortal army won
knowledge the compliment by drawing .
pcture-most inadequate az it must bc-of
great comrade, who, whatever may have
been the arm in which he was trained, won
the laureIs, forever unfading, by which his
name will be handed down the ages, in 4
career which entities me to claim him as the
! Model InfdntrymQn OF the Coniederacy.
II was on the morning OF Friday, May l.,
1868, that | saw him last in life: o rugged
| face, stained and scanned like some buried
bronze, marked by the corroding sweep OF
lcenturies-a face with none OF the adyer-
tisements OF genius about it, as though ma
| ture had scorned to mar its crag-lke
grandeur. with one Fictitious grace-a
"narlcd face. rough rs mountain oaks miIst
| look to puiing wiIloWs-sIcnt, as the pulls
| in" sea is silent, not with the rest OF feeble
ness, but with the God-like balance OF
| powers, infinite and resistleSs-thoughtfu,
with that corcentred thought in whose
| consuming heat things vain and frivolous
! shriTel and evarorate like autumn leaves
| in forest tres-ambitiouS, with an ambition
passing vulgar thlrstS, as pride passes
| vanity; as love, fr!endIness; an ambition
which even some friends have denied him be-
| cause it was IF Il s0it for which the measure
ard standard were 10 them all unknown
brave, with that superb courage which darcs
without knowing that il dares-wiSe, with
wisdom that Geted surprise, and never
encountered the pected-fertile, inVen-
tive, eXhaustless; OF resource prodigioCs,
and patient endurance more prodiglous-of
such faculty and such achievement that IN
a public life scantiIy reaching two and twen-
| tv months in all, the dull! earth was burst
jny with bis fame, borne by the winds, the
slips OF the air, which no blockade could
chain.
A shadow darkened his grave face that
bright Nav morn-not OF doubt or disap.
pointment, for by some strange power OF
soul he laid upon Heaven in absolute
content all the issues OF his life. Perchance
il was the shade OF the wing OF the DEATH
angel between him and the sun-that sun
before whose second return he was to be
smitter-smitten to the death by those who
would have rather thrust their hands, like
Gains Mucius, into tiercest flames than Wll!-
| inoIy have wounded button on his faded
| coat.
Il was our immortal infantryman-who
emulated with his foot-soidiers the swift
surprises OF the trooper; who depioyed ar
tiIlery like skirmishers.
When next / saw him, not many days
thereafter, our hero lay in yonder Capltol
cold, cofined, and dead. About DIS pier
bronzed and manned men, who had taced q
hundred deaths without a qulckenlng puise
4 stood weeping-weeping with passionate
tempest OF grief, as women weep over their
| first born when the sweet eyes, brighter 10
| them than evening stars, are glazing, anu
the loved prattle, TO which the songs OF the
| Serapbs were in their ears discord. Is only j
faint, fading, far-otf echo.
He had passed over the river. de nau
met . the last enemy" He was dead
Dead, with bis harness on him,
Rigid aud cold and white;
Marking The place OF tie vanguard
Siiii In theanctent light.
dead. but the end was Gsfing.
F!rst In the ranks he led-r
All. what sad prophecy in the lines which
follow, as we remember how our fortunes
waned after Charlottesville /!
dead, hnt the end was ntiing,
First In the ranks he led,
And he marked the height OF his naiion's gain,
As he lay IN his harness-dead!