The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-07-10
The 4th in Harrisonburg.

On Thursday evening last we took rice
down to our neighboring town OF HARRISON
burg to be present at the long-talked OF cell
ebration of the "Glorious Fourth on the
following day. There has been no occasion
of greater interest in the Valley since the
war. The Fourth Of July seemed almost to
have dropped out from among the days we
celebrate in the south, but the demonstration
which took place in Harrisonburg last Fri
day reminded us OF old te-bellum gather
ings, when everybody looked upon it as al
most duty to help celebrate the day which
stands out most prominently in the history
of our country. 1t reminded us, too, that
sectional differences which have kept up strife
among US for the last fifteen years are slow
ly fading away and that we are now drifting
into times like those ''before the war;"
dress and as we walked up from the depot
made few notes of
THE DECORATIONS &C.,
a.ong the way. Handsome arches OF ever
green spanned Main street at prominent
points, each one bearing motto Of welcome
to one OF the military companies which were
expected to be present. The Armory of the
Harrisonburg Guard was handsomely trim
med with festoons and wreaths and the
walls bore appropriate inscriptions, the most
conspicuous OF which appeared in large let
tiers OF evergreen-"Sempe Parti." United
States flags were suspended over the streets
in different parts Of the town and waved on
the tops Of houses. The Spottswood Hotel
and the Sibert Building were most conspicu-
Gus for their display Of decorations. In front
of Avis Drug Store the tattered battle-fag
of the old Tenth Regiment was flying to the
breeze and attracted the fond gaze OF not a
few who had once marched under it and
formed part of ''that Incompatible array
of tattered uniforms and bright muskets thai
for four long years bore the fortunes of the
Confederacy upon its bayonets." On Ger
man St. the most noticeable decoration was
an arch in front of the residence of E. Roger
ESQ.,, a gentleman formerly of Pennsylvania,
which bore the portraits of Washington, Lee,
and Jackson over the motto: 'These are
the Heroes Of our Country"
Late on Thursday, evening. when all the
preparations for the next day had been made,
the Harrisonburg Guard was drawn up on
Public Square to show their appreciation OF
their soldierly Captain, O. B. Roller, by pre-
senting him with handsome sword. The
presentation address was made by Hon. Jno.
Paul and was appropriately responded to by
Capt. Roller.
EARLY on Friday morning, even before the
first rays of the sun began to light up the
gaily-dressed town, vehicles of every des-
cription and from every direction began to
pour in and by 10 o'clock the streets were
thronged with ten thousand people. We
were aroused from our slumbers at an early
hour by the salute which was fired by DE-
tachment of the Staunton Artillery.
The first excursion train reached the depot
at o'clock from Edinburg, bringing large
number of citizens, accompanied by the Lee
Cornet Band of New Market. The second
train, and the one which was most anxiously
looked for, came from Staunton half-hour
later and consisted of eight well-filled coach
es. As the members of the Stonewall Band,
Guard and Artillery appeared on the plat
form in their glittering uniforms, exclama-
lions of admiration could be heard on all
sides, and as ''the boys'' marched up street
to the inspiring notes of a patriotic air and
with the step and bearing of old soldiers, we
could not help feeling little proud that we,
too were from Staunton. At 9.45 O'Clock
the train from the Lower Valley came in
bringing the Winchester Light Infantry,
the Anderson Guards, of Woodstock, and the
Mechanics Band, of Charlestown. They were
met at the depot by detachments from other
and escorted to the Court House
Square where the military ested and refresh
ed themselves before taking up the
LINE OF MARCH.
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee was expected to be |
present and to act as Chief Marshal of the |
day, but in his absence Gen. James II. Will |
liams, OF Winchester, was chosen in his stead |
and the procession was formed in the follow
ing orders
The Chief Marshal and his Assistants Maj. |
Grimsiey, Col. Chas. T. O'Ferrell, Col.
D. H. Lee Martz, and Capt F. A. Danger
field.
Stonewall Brigade Band
Harrisonburg Commandery Knights Tenn
plar with detachments from other Comman-
deres.
Mechanics Band of Chariestown.
Bridgewater Band.
Capt. w. L. Bumgardner, commanding
Battalion.
West Augusta Guard, so men. under com.
mand OF LIST Lieut.. John McQuaide.
Winchester Light Infantry, So men, Capt.
James Burgess.
Anderson Guards, 30 men, Capt. T. J.
Magruder.
Harrisonburg Guard, 40 men, Capt. O. B.
Roller,
Committees, Orator and invited guests in
carriages.
Lee Corpet Band.
Detachments of Cavalry, and last, but not
least by far, the Fantastic Squadron.
The military display was very fine, and
throughout the line of march was witnessed
and admired by crowds Of persons. After
marching through the principal streets, the
returned to Court House Square.
A speakers stand had been erected in front
Of the Court House, and was now occupied
by the orator of The day, Capt. James Bum
gardner, the Chief Marshal and Assistants,
Rev. j. Rice Bowman, Hon. John T. Harris
and Messrs j. A Cochran and Meade F.
White, of this city.
The declaration of independence was then
read by Rev. J. Rice Bowman, after which
Capt. Bumgardner deliye red his admirable
oration. 1t was listened to with close atten-
lion by the vast crowd present and was re-
ceived with hearty commentators. We
could not speak too highly of this effort OF
Capt Bumgardner but as we publish below
the address in full we let our readers judge
for themselves of il merits.
After the above exercises were over the
were marched to the Revere
House where they were very handsomely |
During the afternoon the young
soldiers were strolling about tho town in