Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1878-06-01

yey them 70 the Hotgl.
Al Noon the procession formed upon George
street. right resting on Washington street, in
Che following order, and proceeded through
several streets and thence to Edge Hill Gem
e.cry D..
Narshal-James y GaliAhcr
Assistant Marshals-
J. G.. holmes. J. T. C0lston. G. w. Henson.
Slcpheristowu Band.
Manchester Drum Corps.
Winchester Light Infantry.
Chsrlc,town C1rnet Band.
Orntor. Invited Guests and Committee in Car
nages as follows:
Gen. !. G.. S. Blackburn Of Kentucky, Col
Geo. n Oyster of Washington City,
aud Hon Vim H. Trayers,
iu plu'ln drawn by four jet-black stceds
driven by Mr. Abrnm Stump.
C,l. !. Sto3jari Johnston Of Kentucky.
Hon c. ! Faulkner, Wan. i. Wilson, Esq
Judge Elliott aud Col Geo W Shut,
Of Washington City, and Gloon Moore, Esq.
Rev S. G.. Ferguson.
W. W B. and S. GallAher.
Clahestown Mechanics Silver CJrues Band.
Citizens on Foot.
Citizens 10 Carriages.
Citizens on Horseback.
ORpEn or EXERCISES AT THE CEMETERY:
Tho comnodious stand was filed. On the
lcr, thereof iho military stacked their arms,
and the Baals were stationed near the front
aud at convenient points Immediately 10
froo, Of tho stand, 10 near proximity thereto,
stood the beautiful marble shaft reared 20 the
memory and In honor Of the hundreds Of he
r5cs reposing around lis base, upoo which Is
iuscUbed-
''TAers's grandeur In sravoI-shoro'' glory Ia
gl00O,
For cat Of the gloom future brightness Is born,
As after the nighs looms The sunrise Of morn
And the graves Of toe dead with ihe grass over
NAY ye, form the footstool Of llOer,y's throne,
Aud each single wreck Ia the war-paih Of might
Shall yet be a rock in the temple Of right"
The ceremonies wore directed by Wm. l.
Wilson, Esq, in the absence Of Rev. \. C.
Hopkins, the President Of the " Lee Memorial
Association" After music by the Mechanics
Band, and forveut prayer By Rev. 5. c. Fer
Sus5n, Mr. Wilson made some appropriate
predatory and Introductory remarks. We
give a brici synopsis at the risk Of detracting
from their charm Of beauty and impressive
ness. Mr. Wilson said
w,ba-e met. my friends, at the call Of the "Lce
Memorial Association o. observe the annual
c.rtuouY % decorating our soldiers graves. For
o.. hour we have laid aside the lu'y labors and
active euploymeuts 90 our daily lives, and gath
tt.j into this dwelling place Of the dead, that
with on. heart wc may share In these tender me
mortal services. Ia accordance with the simple
custom, Uua cherished among as as sacred duty,
ys bring Tor the graves of our dead the earliest
flowers of spring. and for their memories the
Varuest tributes 10 love. All but the youngest
of us can recall with vividness As % yesterday,
that ev. rttul spring now rapidly fading into the
distant past when Tor the hrst tine the tread 81
gathering armies broke the stiffness OF ous Valley
homes. bow our hearts kindled With sympathy as
I ,. -le.rei tbs mastering squ3drous and thrunC-
Ing regiments thlt fastened q the frontier OF our
Southern land aud with what pride and cont
/ l.rct wt. too. gathered up the flower % our
youth aud manhood and gladly placed them IN
I the foremost f.o, %! thcwsr. All but the young-
es. or us can recall with yiyidugss as OF yester
dlv, the cleCuerei history OF Che years that fol-
/ lowed; how soon the piti,ess storm burst IN fury
/ upon us; how tie angry tide OF war swept back
/ ana t.th over these hills over our homes, over
our valley; how for a season the whole heavens
. NOR. srauncd with the bow Of promise, rs victory
seemed tie ob,dieut haudmlid OF our Jackson
| aud our Lee; how the skies gradually dar6ened
with g,g0uicr Tortcut, until az last came the end
OF ar, aD1 all our hopes QUE tolls, our slcrinces
our sg1.iuEs together sank IN final, fearful,
i irrutri-y1tie ruin lat defeat.
And in such day as this especially, is il per
"a a.. HsfH r.rfN md glff- n
which cannot o. taken from "a, that even then as
I y. ,at amid the wrecks or former prosperity,
/ with the cloud as a covering and thick darkness
ne s1yal-.ug band, with doubt 90 The present and
uncertainty AS O. the future, even, then, We felt
.4src'yas one duty az least that bore upon with
present and rc,iSti,ss force, for the performance
rs which not the b.tie5tst Ut our recent foes
could find q In his heart o. chide us, and that
trsacS o-t che graves % our fallen brothers, be-
.rs time could ctace their burial places, % gath
.r.ua ,h.ir bodies a. s0 much treasure saved from
th. general wreck, and to deposit them in this
p.1r-tai cemetery, guarding them with pious de-
v.tinu our,e.y e. and teaching our chidrcns chill
dreu Oh b1gur their memories As peculiar TRUST
urui thl world and even their enemies themselves
should learn Co.. DO justice O. those memories.
And SD ws sent forth aud wherever one had
sank beside tle highway. Wearied With the toll
some march. Ur OK hausttd hy wounds and disease;
Ur bad a'en On thc battll field and all our Ge.ds
yg.r. battle. ierds-C had been laid teujerlv O.
.
woods, 800 suir ht his grave aud gathering up bis
mortal remains. revereuUy laid them beneath
obese mounds where now our soldiers sleep. each
iu a here's grave.
Aud 1s o., years ron by, we come with each
r.uruir. spring 60 place It's earliest flowers on
their graves, even feeling as Ve recall all that
tl.y suffered al that they sacrificed, all that they
li, an that they were. thatwe too may exclaim in
Che words u the noble English father, q" We
would uut give our dad sons for al the live ones
uf Chri-t-ot4n.'
Add SD to-day we meet when peace once more
smiles or DO ,he lands when time with kindly
rrrgr has claced thc scans Of var about Us, and
ith more kindly finger is fast eiscing lis bitter
ness from the hearts @; men; that ~ may once I
more ay upon each mound our floral Offering and +
honor each Dead hero with our love.
We have summoned from his high post 10 .
the councils of the nation, one WHO was in the !
iays OF The past himself a wearer q the gray, /
a very brother Of these sleeping braves, that be /
ray give fitting inference % that tribute which
VI ..i, up from our heart OF hearts. For We are I
assured from his fame which has long since over
lrci BE boundaries &c bis 0wu state and be-
..s ca-,Ntsusive with the lard, that, q any Gao,
b. ESQ wc.. utter What Uc tay feel 5ut not exc +