The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-06-16

O'Beirne, p Roller
English Grammar-J P Wallace, G Fl Bell
L s Whitmer, 81 M McIlwee, T M Parkins, J
D Cochran, w Fl. Lands, A s Warwick, b
L Eichelberger.
Gold medals were awarded for the highest
average on five or more studies to T Stuart
| COiner, Jno L Rowan, Jno A Hartman and
Chas D Gilkeson.
| Gold medal awarded by school to student OF
highest application was voted to Felix H. Hull,
Of Highland.
Memorial Day.
Thursday last the inclement weather pre-
vented the usually large turnout at the Me-
mortal exercises. Notwithstanding this very
serious draw back, however, the beautiful
custom of strewing the graves of the confeder-
ate soldiers with flowers was observed. The
only organizations in the procession were the
Staunton Artillery, Capt. A. H. Fults, and the
New Town Hose Company in their new uni
form, under Capt Hamilton. At the Gem
etery the following beautiful address was de-
lived by Mr.. A. G. Gordon and salute from
the artillery was fired.
Mr.. President ladies and gentlemen Of the Memo
| rial Association
| 1t is now twenty years since the men who slum-
| Der 80 peacefully sin silence and pathetic dust
under this emerald sod went forth with high
| hearts in the morning flush of manhood to risk
their lives their fortunes and their sacred honor In
defense of the Confederate South.
| Here beneath this over-arch1ng sky, In whose
| light
Snow swings the pendant bloom, and opening roses
| WOO the soft zephyrs with their balmy BREATH"
sixteen returning summers have woven above the
last Of those who fell in the sanguinary struggle
garlands Of gl1ttertng verdure
Sixteen winters with frozen tears OF grief have
robed in stainless vestures of virgin snow these
consecrated graves.
No more does the roll Of the war drum or the
bugle stir patriot souls deeds fdauntless daring
No mad riot of battle breaks their dreamless Sleep
The swords that fell from their stifened fingers
when death came have long since been fashioned
by brothers and sons into ploughshares and reap
ing hooks.
Billowing wheat fields wave in the summer wind
their glory OF golden grain where once wild up
Its bristng front and belched Its sulphurous
breath.
for ashes the oil of Joy for mourning and the gar
ment Of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
And yet II there were nothing else-tf from these
graves of those who gave their lives for u.s. no liy
Ing voices spoke Of faith and hope and love, the
beauty OF this summer scene would mock us to
despair.
Year after year when the flowers bloom, you who
fought at their sides or aided them with sympathy
| and we who were too young to help, but who loved
them none the less, gather in this silent city Of the
dead to garland their low graves and keep their
memories green.
But we come not now as once perhaps, feeling to-
ward those who reft from us our BEST the bit
Of anger and the caulking impulse Of unfor
g1veness. Time has laid his healing finger on the
lips OF agonized affection and they complain no
more.
The hot tears OF new and passionate grief are
dried long since, and calmly and quietly now but
no less tenderly renew in this expression Of our
changeless love the lessons that these green graves
teach us with each recurring year. The mute lips
that never more shall answer to mortal rOll-cau
speak eloquently yet Of courage of selfsacrifce-
and most Of all, of duty nobly done.
tin the first of this century," the hStOr
ian, a great battle was fought the plains Of the
Danube determined charge on the Austrian
centre gained the victory for France. The courage
and example of private soldier who there fell con
tributed much to the success Of the charge Ever
after, at the parade Of his b9tallion the name Of
Latour d'Auyergne was first called when the oldest
Sergeant stepped to the front and answered. 'Died
There is no one Of these deathless dead, whether
he lay stark and bloody In his death sleep at the
| mouth Of the cannon-whether with bistered feet
and throbbng head he persisted in the blaze Of the
noontde sun on the long forced march whether
yet In the fever smitten cot Of the hospital death
came at last to free his soul from Its racked and
tortured frame-but like Latour d'Auvergne, died
on the field of honor.
No poets pen speakers rarest phrase can ever
fifty paint him as he was-this Confederate soldier
who loved his country 30 we'll to give up his life
for it. No words can portray in all Of it's splendid
subltmity his lofty spirit of self abnegation, of
courage in trials and danger and dtf1cultes Of
faltering love for fatherand and home and friends
In WEAKNESS and painfulness In watching, often,
in hunger and thirst in faintngs ofen in cold and
nakedness, he followed with unfaing faith the for
tunes OF GQaG CrO6S-Darr6Q nag which 1url6Q at
last at Appomattox Court House to be unfurled no
MORE forever.
Yet no pale minstrel of the FUTURE no learned his
tntershifting lights and shadows of his strange
reer-weird arabesQuerie of honor and of agony, of
herosm and Of sacrifice, OF duty and of heartbreak.
They may tell in mellow cadences Of martial verse;
and the pomp Of majestic prose the spirit stirring
story OF the grand though 9navailing struggle and
deeds Of its great leaders-of Ashby and Stuart of
Lee and Stonewall jackson.
uIxnI
ton and song survive.
eThey'n speak of them for years to come,
In cottage, chronicle and tale;
When for aught else renown Is dumb,
Their legend shall prevail"
Marble shafts and stately statues In bronze shall
commemorate them. Poet and painter, sculptor and
them honor. 10
But is only in days like these, 1t is only in the
traditions OF his own Preside and friends that the
story OF each soldier Of the ranks shall be perpetu
ated in all Its splendor OF peril and OF heroic
achievement. What virtues dignifed his life! What
bravery eD6ed out with the blood thst flowed from
And Yeti say to you that even that marble tomb
at Lexington, where lie the ashes Of the whitest'
souled-soldter of ancient or modern times is not
more sacred spot than the hiock the hillside that
marks In the glowing green OF summer the grave
OF the humDlest private soldier of the Confederacy
He risked and gave for us his all. Who could do
more than this
When Rome was in the zenith Of her glory,-when
her legtons had borne with tnvincible courage her
eagles from the mountains Of Caucasus to the Pill
larsof Hercules -when.powersand prtncipalities in
the west and empires and dynastfes in the east
bowed In ab1ect submission before her sovereign
power, the most magnificent boast Of the dweler In
the city on the Tiber was 81 am a Roman citi-
zeni"
The confederacy is only the shadow Of name.
It's life went out many long year ago In one great
throD OF passionate human grief Its flag Is furled.
Its hopes are dead and await the dawning Of no
resurrection day. Its women wear garments OF
its wake.
And yet this day and this scene remind me that
In common with many another in thissouthern land
possess heritage In whose noonday splendor not
ever the pride Of the imperial Roman might light up
afeeble taper That goodly heritage is the recolec
ton that my father was Confederate soldier who
died In defense OF this people.
M MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION.
In the afternoon at the meeting of the Me
mortal Association, Col Skinner, who for ten
years has been the jealous President of the
body, rendered his resignation and DIR. A. M.
Fauntlery was elected to succeed him. The
following additional officers were chosen:
Capt. James Bumgardner, jr., Capt. John N.
Opie aud DR., Carter berkeley. Vice Presi-
dents; Jos. E. Rollins, Treasurer; Capt. 7. S.
Doyle. Secretary, and an Executive Commit
tee composed of the President, Capt. Balthis,
Prof s. Fl. Coleman, Capt. ]. H. Waters and
Lt D. L. Long.
The report of the Treasurer, Jos. E. Rollins
showed receipts during the year to be $191.S0.
After vote of thanks to Mr.. Gordon for his
appropriate and eloquent address, the Associ-
alton adjourned
PROPERTY SALR-On Monday last, Elder
Nelson y Cushings, real estate agents, sold the
W. =. Cave cottage, on Sag street, to j. A.
Wehn for $3.50, cash.
The Third Virginia Regiment, to be COM
posed Of military organizations of Alexan
dria, Warrenton, Culpeper, Charlottesville,
Lynchburg and Danyllle, was organized at
a meeting of the commissioned officers Mon
day at Charlottesville, the following officers
being elected: Colonel. G. G. Wertenbaker. of
the Monticello Guard; lieutenant colonel, Kirk
Otey, of the Lynchburg Home Guard major,
Francis l.. Smith, of the Alexandria Light
infantry.