Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1880-06-05

II claimed the lOVeu ones IOr us carnival
the pangs of hunger, the brutal out
terror of torch and gallows-
though these aud countless other ills be
forever without record and utterance
enough will live to awaken sympathy
and interest when Roman daring and
Grecian courage shall have been forgot
forever. And the great moral lessons
Of the past years must live, when time
shall have grown old. The wise order
inas of Providence will treasure up for
the teaching of nations the herolsm OF
our women, untainted by trace OF
sel6shness their generous devotion with
out stint, their ministrations of chart
ty without precedent-their cheerful
sacrifice of comfort without murmur-
but will scenes like this be without
chronicler.
Shortly after the close of the war,
and whilst the Federal soldiery still &C
cupied our beautiful valley, mother
and daughter observed that the farmers
plow was rudely disturbing the remains
of some of our fallen braves, who had
had but soldiers burial. This painful
incident became the faithful mother OF
the purpose-lhe beautiful, sacred pur'
pose-to have gathered into common
burial place those who fell wearing
the gray for lis" All over this fair land,
our poverty stricken people, sad, anxious,
fearful, uncertain of their fate, afraid TO
hope, yet brave enough to struggle,
honest in their allegiance, but practi-
cally without government, began to
collect the remains of our braves in
cemeteries like this. There was gath
cred the remains of soldiers known and
unknown-it was enough to have worn
the "grey," at first we feared interfer-
ence, but soon it was known that grief
was not unconstitutional, and respect
for the dead not disloyal-that to honor
the brave, though vanquished was no
crime, and the custom grew, and to-day,
memorial day, with us is classed
amongst the sacred days The fortunes
of war, left many grave unmarked and
mutilated; but these we have not neg
lected.
In this city of the dead, sorrowing
affections, reverence, even pride has
brought its devices and designs to mark
the grave, but affection and reverence,
with these poor fellows could only say
they were comrades Of our boys, who
living and dying were very men. The
unknown may be most nearly allied at
last to the lost-they belonged TO no
nation, representing but 'lost cause"
in history. Still with us, their comrades,
they were fellows whose elbow touch
we had so often felt, whose voice i'll
shout of triumph or in fearful charge
we so often heard. Here as everywhere
friends may come with ''howers bedew-
ed with tears" and offer them as pure
tributes to individual names, that blend
ing with their sweet fragrance, shall as
cend the steep of Heaven.
There fell in the contest those who
inherited name and fortune-ease and
affluence-and those who inherited hon
est poverty and the right to toil-whose
only possessions were the free air OF
Heaven and the pure waters OF the
earth. These without distinction es-
poused the cause-these lie side by side
in a soldiers grave-these endured alike
the burning sun and winters cold; hun
gray, barefoot, they together marched
On the same field, inspired by the love
OF common cause, they poured out
the crimson tide-struggling for com
mon end and who will dare say they
loved not their country--its institutions
aye, its republican principle. Can
an ignoble cause produce such heroes as
those whose memory we honor by Our
devotion to-day?
We provoke no issue now nor seek
discussion. The war clouds are all gone
now. The Federal government has
learned from US to gather into national
cemeteries, the remains OF its dead SOL
diers, and it justly accords to them all
honor and respect on their Memorial
Days. This is right and proper and no
true Confederate will Withhold the trlb.
ute of respect due to the dead heros OF
the Federal army with whom they
fought. To the true man of the North
we bear no hate.
The animosities that spring from war
are fortunately not always enduring; see
Eng lands Queen receive in royal style
and cordial manner, our late President,
while the whole realm made haste to
pay honor to him, as having once been
the ruler of the @volted colonies.
We trust the war clouds are all gone
now; that the desolatlon in the track OF
war has been repaired, and to-day, those
who saw and felt the weight ana force
of our metal and crossed bayonets and
sabre's with our dragged veterns, cher
ish no hate.
What American will not indulge an
honest admiration when he reads how
that modest, retiring, eccentric, consci-
en,ious Professor of Lexington, enthused
with the spirit of battle, became very
"son Of thunder" and made a grand
place for himself and his country in the
Pantheon of History?
And then that other self poised, no.
BILE, unsel6sh, great, good man, when
he had filled the world with his fame,
who modestly claimed he did "the best
he could" IN war and peace-the immor-
tai Lee-whose grand heart broke I'M
der the weight OF cares, and who lived
not to see his people restored TO their
ancient rights. What historian Of our
country but that will strive to do him
Justice, and be pardoned as he proudly
challenged the world for rival in all the
elements that go to make up the mani
And then that little band, that at Apo