Daily Republican., 1879-06-09
yixcINIA,s CoNFEDERArEs.


for the Confederate Flag.
staff Correspondence Of the REPUBLICAN.
WINCHESTER, VA, June q, 1879.
Along the line of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad great trains filed to SUI
location, from all sections Of Maryland
and Virginia, kept constantly coming
up and emptying their persplring ioaos
of humanity upon the streets OF WIN
chester town. We arrived here at noon,
and the city then was jammed an no
tells and boarding houses being filled to
their utmost capacity, even to the ne
cessity of placing improvised accommo'
dations for importuning visitors upon
the parlor floors.
Military, wearing the old confederate
gray, stepping to the martial airs 50
often heard under far different circum-
stances in the days of the great un-
pleasantness, poured in from all dl-
rections. The city was hung III punt
ing, the national colors predomiatlng.
Here and there the stars and bars OF
the confederacy were seen floating III
the wind and in some cases the dorment
spirit. which has made its disastrous
impress upon every household OF the
nation, even went so far as to twine the
colors of that dead dishonored cause and
wear them with roses pinned upon the
coats of the gentry. The number OF
people was immense and High street, the
principal thoroughtare Of the town, was
80 blockaded by people that the mill
tary found difficulty in taking position
What change Fifteen years ago,
the nineteenth of September the rebel
hosts were sent flying up the valley
pressed by the bayone OF the redonbt
atl, General Sheridan. Defeated and
dismayed the confederate left this very
spot, forsaking everything that was
dear to him. Every tree and every
stone fence, every hill and every dale,
were they but given the gift OF speech
could add many an interesting story
to the volumes that have been gathered
of that fatal day. How different tins
beautiful June morning. The confed-
crate has returned. That spirit OF ilf-
teen years ago is still extant IN his
bosom.
He clings to the blue and the gray
with that strange devotion that has al
ways characterized his sympathies. He
il here to honor the memory of his com
naniops at. arms; and who can chidr
him. There are none Better would
it be for themselves, and better would
! it be for the peace of the nation, were
he to 90 no farther. But no, the &C.
casion is special one. He is here tt
perpetuate not only the memory Of his
t companions, but the memory OF the
3 cause for which they battled. The Con
) federacy is as dear to him to-day as il
! was when in its potency it swerved the
flexible arm of the ministry OF Great
f! Britain, and the government OF France
They upon the graves, over the indistin-
. guishable dust of the dead warriors, re
. new the pledge of fealty, and strik'
!. again those chords so responsive IL
the dark days of the nations troable,t
. all that savored ofrebellion and treason
), "The rebel spirit is not dead yet,
y said a Virginian, proudly, in my hear
ing. to one of our number as we al
stood gazing at the vast crowds as the
l. surged onward. No not dead; e'ut If
~ needs must be, the inquisitorial screw
of Northern vitality can again be AZ
of Piled, and as the life blood of souther
A chivalry forced from disloyal souther
e hearts, beneath the iron crusa of tn
,r victorious heel of northern walor, s
\. will be that spirit which beats so eA
1, ultingly over the hope of southern vel
4 geance.
S; This monument is built over tt
very spot upon which was fought I'll
7. battle mentioned above. The loss ws
Id great and the dead were buried whe1
lp they fell. A cemetery of five acres ";
le thus formed and is divided from adjoil
v ing cemeteries by a stone wall. IL
W soldiers took position in this adjoinil
le cemetery, back of the tomb stones ar
to the shafts and all bear evidence
the fray. The monument is the figu
ts of a Confederate Infantryman, and
ho eight feet, ten inches high and weigl
%. y tons, built upon column support'
rk bv a heavy base. 1T is erected to tt
ye memory OF the unknown dead, eig
ed hundred and twenty y-nine i'll nul
or Der who fell in this engagement.
Around the monument the lots a
we laid Off in sections, G section to each
ak The following Southern States: Del
ware, Maryland, Virginia, North Cal
lima, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabau
Mississippi, Kentacky, Tennessee, A
kansas and Texas. Each row of gray
represent company, and each col
re- pany an otlicer at its lead. The mon
III. lnent $40, 900.
" The view from this spot, just on
VI outside of the town from the high hi
alr is grand one. Stretching for mill
ne as far down as the eye can rea'
are until the view is lost, in the dim, d
IT. tant horizon, are the hills of the She
Ii@ andoah. At their feet course
', I'VE muddy tides of the historic stream
that name. Around on every ha
81. peaks shoot haven waMl from amo
me the high hills and photograph the
ne selves with magnificent effect agail
'oe .e the light blue sky.
on The valley lies before yeu in its gra
ho deur. Farther up, clearly cut in
magnificent proportions, can be seen
Massanutten Mountain and back of
~ is discernible the range of the Bl
lsr Ridge. Manassas, Chester's and sn
nos GERS Gaps, names familiar in the h
~ tory of the late war as being places
tv heavy carnage, can also be seen. I
At. surroundings are perfectly alive wi
90. historic "reminiscences revolutionary
,;.. we'll as National and Confederate.
all AT quarter past II O'Clock the Ii
of military moved. The artillery CT
erred the right. while the infantry for