The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-06-15
THE ASHBY BROTHERS,
Sketches of Their Lives.

Memorial services were held at
Winchester, Virginia, Monday, June
9Th, over the Confederate soldiers
inferred in Stonewall Cemetery, in
Guiding floral decoration of the
graves and the formal transfer of a
beautiful and artistic granite sarco-
phagus erected over the Ashby
brothers, from the ladies of the Ash
by memorial committee to the Stone
wall Cemetery Association. The
time of holding the annual memo
rial services was made June 6 on
account of its being the anniversary
of Ashby's death. An immense out
pouring of the people of the valley
Of Virginia participated in the pro-
cession that marched through the
principal streets of Winchester to
the cemetery, where the ceremonies
took place, and where the transfer
was made. From the Baltimore
Sun, of the 9TH, which contains a
full and very interesting history of
the two Ashbys, we make the fol-
lowing extracts:
DESCRIPTION OF THE AsHBY TOMB.
1t is made of the finest quality of Bal
timOre county granite, among the first
that has been used for ornamental pur-
poses from that locality. AS q work of
art it is striking in its general effect .
The general aspect is suggestive of the
tomb of the Scipios, though the cap is
in a different style of art. The bottom
base is feet by feet s inches and IA
inches. On this rests the second base,
highly polished, 6 feet 2 inches by 8
feet 10 inches and inches high. The
next base is feet inches by feet 2
inches and 13 inches high. Above these
is the die, 4 feet 10 inches by 2 feet 6
inches and feet high, weighing oyer
ton. The cap is feet 3 inches by 2
feet II inches and 2 feet 2 inches high.
It stands about feet above the ground.
The Inscriptions and emblems are as
follows: On west side, General Tur-
ner Ashby, died in battle June 6, 1862; y
east siGe, Capt. Richard Ashby, died
in battle July 3, 1861" south side,
''The Brothers Ashby." Beneath the
last are two drawn sabres crossed. Ma
sonic emblems, square and compass, on
north side of cap. On the north side of
the die the inscription, Erected by the
ladies of Winchester, June 6, 1881"
TURNER AsHBY
was born October %, 1928, in Fauquier
county, Va. Possessed of manly and
unselfish spirit, in his habits he was re-
firing, grave and thoughtful He was
very fond of books and generally pre-
ferred history. After he became man
for some time he lived with his mother,
but after a while he bought a farm
within rife shot of old Rose Bank. He
named his new home "Wolf's Crag,
and here he lived until he was called to
take his place in the lists of death. In
politics Gen. Ashby was what was
known'as an cold line whig," believing
that the weight of conservatism lay
with that party, and the last vote he
cast was for Bell and Everett.
TIE BROWN RAID.
When on the 18th of October, 1859,
John Brown made his raid on Harper's
Ferry, young Ashby Immediately col
Iected a company of mounted men and
rode day and night until he reached that
border now so intimately asaociated in
its incidents with his name. He often
remarked that the war began rot al
Fort Sumter in 1861, but at Harper's
Ferry in 1859. At this eventful period
in Virginia's history began that friend
ship between. Stonewall jackson and
Turner Ashby which continued till by
death they were separated. The pleas
ure with which jackson In after days
sought to honor Ashby argued THE full-
est confidence in him as, at the head 81
his cavalry, the right man in the iighI
place.
THE PART AsHBY TOOK IN THE WAR.
Gen. Ashby was no secessionist, but
a revolutionist in the fullest sense OF
the term. just as soon as Sumter fired
into or rather just as soon as Lieut.
Catesby Jones commenced the destruc-
tion of tn government works and arms
at Harper's Ferry, Ashby, at the head OF
his old company, hastened down the
II n