The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-06-12

i And every soldier along that line knew what
Knew that 80
ate was to be done, and that interests SO ire
mendous hung upon its successful doing, that
everything, even the life of our great chief
himself, must be put to the dreadful hazard, il
necessary to secure the result. But those men
needed no such order and no such example.
4 They wanted no General or Field Marshal dis
| mounted in their front to stimulate them to do
and dare all in mortal power.
From three Thousand lips at once burst the
would stir until he was led back through gap
in the line; and then the word was given. and
| Inc line moved forward, without pause, or
Waver, or break, right on up to the very face of
the solid opposing mass; on, till sabres clashed
and bayonets crossed; on, till the first line was
| driven back in confusion upon the second, and
first and second upon the third; on. into the
angle Of the salient, where batteries, massed
on right and massed on left, poured in storm
of shot and shell upon either flank, and still
on, pressing back the stubborn heavy mass
the enemy, his organization lost In confusion on
retired from the dreadful carnage yielded back
| the field was saved. @"o
Or the French engaged In what Napoleon
e Gals tne terrible passage Of the Bridge Of Lodi
| ia the force engaged in that charge on the 10Th
| Of May do not know; but in one regiment
me centre rsgim ent of one of the brigades and
| II more exposed than others know it moi and
know not why-the loss was one in two
me time has come, or is soon coming, when
personal sorrow for the loss of these men will
pc consoled The time will soon come when
these dead men, and those who mourne1 then,
Will belong alike to the past. '
Their record is made up, and in it is written
the verdict that they were worthy of the ca1se
for which they died-were worthy Of any cause
in which men ever died.
Some pages are yet to be added to our REGARD
and let us endeavor 50 to fill them as to secure
14r ourselves Inc verulct that we were worthy
the offering of such lives
At the conclusion of the address, salute,
from the artillery were fired, and the Band
again played, whilst throughout the ceme-
terry, gentle hands were wreathing the
graves.
AS tile procession returned, the band
paid touching tributes to their dead COM
rades. Sweet and solemn tunes were played
at the graves of the following, who once
belonged to the organization, or were mem
bers of the West Augusta Guard: II. NJ.
Stoddard, w. E. Woodward, Thomas B.
Barkman, r. Peyton Suinmerson, and S.
Travers Phillips.
Many of the graves in the private lots
were beautifully decorated, and especially
so were those of Lieut.. Woodward, Col.
Baldwin and others.
i
When the memorial services had closed, a |
meeting of the Augusta Memorial Associa-
ton was held in the rooms of the Y. NJ. C. |
A. Col. Skinner as President OF the organ !
ization, read the following
REPORT.
Conference.-The Cemetery grounds, "oeauti- |
full as you are aware, "for situation, are in
good condition. A rich green sward now re-
wards our 1abols, and the trees and evergreens |
whether, in all the South, there is lovelier |
spot devoted to the burial of the Confederate |
dead. 1t is susceptible Of still further improve
ment and ornamentation, and it is hoped |
that the means of the Association will yet be
enlarged for this purpose.
18th Georgia Regiment were removed from
Highland county, where they fell in the battle
Unknown Dead in our Cemetery, all trace of |
their names having been obliterated.
made, for the Association, Of two Shares Of stock
of the Staunton Gas Company, at par and ac-
cruing dividend. The Association now holds
five hundred dollar 8per cent. Bond of the City
Of Staunton, and these two shares of Gas Stock.
The yearly income of the Association from
these sources Is $50, sum insufficient for the |
proper care and preservation of the cemetery
grounds. A committee was appointed at your
meeting in 1877, and was renewed and continu-
ed at your last meeting, charged with the col
lection of additional funds from our citizens to
be used as a reserve fund, from the income of
improved. am not aware, however, that any |
steps haYe been taken by the Committee in
making collections for this purpose. 1t will be
for you to say whether any other effort shall be !
made in this direction.
An itemized Report of the Treasurer of the
Association shows balance in his hands at this
date of S2465; per contra, there are several out
standing small accounts against the associa-
ton, amounting probably to forty-fve dollars,
which, however, the association will be able to
satisfy or before the LIST of July.
During the late session of the General Assem-
bly,, your President procured the passage of an
Act-through the agency of Major Marshall |
Hanger, and of our other members-empoWer-
ing the Board of Supervisors of Augusta coun- |
ty, should they see tit, to make provision for the
removal of the remains of such OF the Confed-
crate dead as lie in Augusta county outside of
regular cemeteries, to the Cemetery OF this As
sion not exceeding $500, for the care and i'm
provementof our cemetery Under this Act
your President applied a day or wosince to the
Board for the grant of the of 800 for this
year. The Supervisors not having yet been fur
nished with copy of the Act comforting this
power upon them found it necessary to post |
pone action upon our application to a future
day. 1t is greatly to be hoped thatwheneverac-
ton is had 1t will be favorable to petition. OF
the thousands of dollars which have heretofore
been contributed by our citizens and expended
on our soldiers cemetery, it has happened that
at least three-fourths or four-fifths has been |
given by the people of Stanton. We there
fore feel sure that the people of Augusta will
heartily sustain their Supervisors in granting
even greater sum than that which we ask of
them.
All of which is respectfully submitted,
JAMES II. SKINNER,
INC AesO