Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-05-17

knightly shield Holy, because it nov
ed steady upon the created front OF the
heaving pillows Of death at the com
mand Of this soldier at Richmond and
ut sharpsburg Holy, because it beck
oned on columns of fiery Confederates
at Charlottesville, directed by the &C.
MUS of this commander, so that his
great lieutenant might die and pass
through the wide-open portals of heav-
en- by the light of his victory.
Holy, because upheld by him who
could soy to u messenger right there and
then, "rell Gen. Jackson to make haste
aud get well. He has lost his left. arm,
but ] have lost my right ARM and Ia
ter when he heard of the serious char
acter of Stonewall's wound, sent again
to say Tell him | wrestled last night
for him in prayer, as1 never prayed, |
believe, for myself ! could have cho-
sen for the good of the country to have
been disabled in his stead" Holy, be-
cause it waved above the heads Of men
who made the courageous though unsuc-
cessful assault upon the strongly en-
trenched position of the Federal troops
at Gettysburg, in July, 1863, and placed
itupon the semicircle of Round Top when
it nearly trembled with the fiery diadem
Of our victory, and where, under tho
sulphurous canopy formed by the dense
smoke of three hundred cannons it was
present when the general.ln-cbief said /:
"All this is my fault. Its ] who have
lost this fight" Holy, because ut Spot
sylvania Courthouse, in May, 1864,
wien the brave and courteous Hancock
had broken our lines and the flute of
the army was weighed in the balance,
it witnessed the cheftain, who recog.
nized the crisis, ride to the front of the
colors of the Forty-nintb Virginia Regi-
ment, tne of the regiments formed to
retake our lost position, and removing
his hat, moved forward to lead them
into the very jaws of death AYE, thrice
sacred, because round its staff twas
dropping mute and mOtionless amid the
shouts of the soldiers of "Lee to the
rear.' while griln-visaged troops in
sisted upon leading both horse and RI
der to safer position, Holy, because
it was wrapped in the heart of him who
after Appomattox had come, could say
in his last published orders to the rem
nants of the grand historic Army of
Northern Virginia:
"You will take with you the satisfac.
ton that proceeds from the conscious
ness of duty faithfully performed, and ]
earnestly pray that q merciful God will
extend to you his blessing and protec
ton"
Once more holy, because whenever,
in my dreams, hear the measured tread
of phantom cavalry, so spectral, as in
column of fours, boot to boot. with cold
hands clasping rigid sabres, they noise
)essly ride by. At their head proudly
stepping with arched neck and royal
bearing ] always see the black horse
of their leader, and on his back the
prince of cavaliers As recall the
heavy Mexican spurs that jingle upon
the riding boots; the French sabre
swinging so quietly by his side I; the
"fghting jacket" buttoned back, the
dropping hat and black feather, the
strange figure and big, brown beard, the
piercing laughing blue eye, | know be-
fore me rides the commander Of the cav
airy of the Army Of Northern Virginia,
dashing J. L, B, Stuart, and ] know
above him floats the flag of the Conied-
eracy. Holy, because it accompanied
the march around Mcclellan on the Rich
mond lipes, and Stuart blazed the way
for the splendid onset Of him in whose
honor we assemble here to-day. Bless.
ed, because he ran it up on the right at
Fredericksburg over the guns brave Pei
ham commanded, and because he unfurl-
ed ii at charlottesville, when he took
the place Of the dying Jackson, and
when IN eyewitness said that he could
not free himself from the idea that Har-
~ Of Navarro was present, except that
Stuart's plume was black, for every
where, like Navarro, he was in front, aud
the men followed the feather, and, when
riding at the head and in command of the
veterans of Stonewall his ringing voice
could be heard high, high above the
thunder of artillery and the ceaseless
roar OF mnsketry, singing "Old Joe
Hooker, Won't You Come out OF the VII.
derness," sacred because he stood by it
on the Rappahannock, when they tele-
graphed him his darling little Flora, was
dying, and he replied, II shall have to
leave my child in the hands Of God; my
duty to my country requires me here ~
Love it. 1t was bathcd in the life
blood of this brave cavalryman at Yellow
Tavern, six miles from Richmond, when
Sheridan's advance was then disputed,
and when, with tast-iailing power, its
joined his minister, the Rev, DR.. Peter.
kin, of Richmond, in his last note OF
praise, Crock of Ages Cleft for me-
while the angel Of death was guiding tc
realns of everlasting light him who was
more fiery than upon the battlefield
than Rupert Of the bloody sword.
The stars upon the cross of the Conted.
crate battle-Aag shown forever thereaf
ter with increased brillancy, for they
recorded from luminous depths the re.
cord of the hero Do Louisianians revel
! it +! On high it waved when the sho,
was fired that passed from left to right
through the chest of Le0nidas Polk,
when the blood of the Christian soldier
redeemed the soil of Pine Mount Ga, OF
the thirteenth of June, 1863, and the
gifted poet sung:
"Oh Warrior Bishop, Church and State
Sustain in thee an equal loss
| But who would call thee from thy weight
| OF glory back to hear ife'S cross