The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-06-06
MEMORIAL DAY.
It's General Observance in Deer Lodge and
Elsewhere.

m. on the evening OF tie 10Th OF May, to OBJ
serve Memorial Day, May 30, in full form,
the impromptu resolve resulted In the spon-
taneous response Of hundreds Of our citizens,
aud the observance was as complete rs
though days of preparation had been made.
The disposition to defer the Decoration GER
emoniss had been almost imperatively forced
upon the George III. Thomas Post by the abb
sence Of its Chaplain and lack Of opportuni-
ty by the Orator selected some weeks before
to prepare an address, and the difficulty in
the absence Of the frst sexton ofthe cemetery,
Of determining the graves of the soldiers
known to be buried there. However, J Judge
Galbraith returned the evening OF the 18th,
and at the solicitation Of comrades yielded
to their earnest request to address them on
the occasion. DR.. Mitchell and Mr.. Foster,
visiting the cemetery, thoroughly identified
a number of hitherto unmarked graves, ma
king the total OF those known As follows:
Joseph Duffin, N. Y. Vols, veteran of Mex
lean war, with medals for gallantry at Cher
ubusco and Cerro Gordo. Died November
&c, 1880.
Charles Miller. Penna. Vols, Union army,
died Of Pneumonia 1870.
John Fl. Rodgers, Captain, Confederate
service, died 1870.
| VIM. ID. Mieou, veteran Of Mexican war,
U. s. Regulars, died Jan. 9, 1879.
VIM Watson, Sergeant, 9TH U. S. Inf, died
Aug. 1G, 1877, of wounds received at battle of
Big Hole.
n. v. Letter, Confederate service, died in
Deer Lodge, Of pneumonia
Frank Morrison, Union army, died of cry
sipelas.
John Peterson, U. s. Regulars, died Dec. 0,
1882
James n. York, veteran of Mexican war,
Doniphan's Regiment, died July %, 1888.
These graves were marked with flags, and
those not otherwise designated, with tablets
others are known TO be buried there, but the
places could not be identified. By another
year such ax can be ascertained will be per-
manently marked.
The day Of the Goth was beautiful through
| out. From sunrise until sunset the flags on
! every staff flew at half.mast, and at noon c
| National salute was fired from the HowitZer.
During the morning baskets of flowers were
| brought from the hills and meadows, and
these, supplemented by house cultivated
flowers and a large donation of roses pre-
sented by lady who received them from
Portland, were made into wreaths and bou- |
quetS, or arranged for strewing in the ceme |
terry. At noon the College and schools were |
dismissed for the day, and teachers and |
pupils participated in the ceremonies. AT |
go y. m, George II. Thomas Post, G. A. R., |
in their neat navy-blue uniform, formed on |
Second street, the Cornet Band on the right, |
a number of Confederate veterans in ranks |
on the left, and succeeding them some 200 or
600 citizens in carriages, forming quite long |
procession. Stores were closed and all bust
ness suspended from to p. m. Promptly |
at p. m, to martial music, the procession
marched to the cemetery, where, in front of
a cenotaph erected on grassy slope and
draped with a silk National flag, ranks were
broken and the assemblage dispersed through
out the grounds TO decorate the graves. On
every soldiers grave, Union and Confsder-
ate, gariands and loose flowers were placed
by their surviving comrades, and many citi-
zens also took the occasion to place flowers
on the graves of kindred and friends.
On the roll being beat for reassembly, the
ex-soldiers fell in line, and the large con-
course Of people gathered around the ceno-
taph erected to the memory of the Unknown
and Unreturned Col jerks, Officer Of the
Day, placed a magnificent floral wreath upon
the column, the comrades standing at salute
while he dedicated the Offering to the men,
DRY of the dead. The choir, ladies and gen.
tlemen who kindly rendered their services,
then sang America" after which Comrade
Gaibraith was presented, and delivered an
-sloquent, earnest Address, occupying sonao
twenty minutes. AS he closed, the color
bearers stepped to the trout and center, and
the National and Post colors, splendid silk
Regulation flags, hitherto furled and draped,
foated out to the breeze as the choir sang
"The Star Spangled Banner" The Band fol-
lowed with 1.-THE Red, White and Blue"
and thanking into column the procession re-
turned to town.
Thus was inaugurated in Deer Lodge Gus
tom which we trust will be perpetuated on
each succeeding Memorial Day, when even
the children who witnessed this first solemn
ceremonial shall have grown old and be LAID
to rest on that grassy slope-the Silent City
where our bodies tarry for aye, where Life's
turmoil is ended, and its brief span Is meas
ured by Eternity.
In Helena, Butte and Livingston, In vary
ing forms, the Festival of the Dead was pub
licly celebrated; but from what we learn the
observance was more general and proper
tionately larger here than at any other place.
In the meeting ut Butte, Judge Knowles pre-
sided, and in stating the observances Of the
day, "the speaker described how Decoration
Day came TO be observed by the American
people, and how the resentment felt on both
sides was disarmed at the grave, and kin
dreJ sorrow made kindred the hearts of the
two sections. These simple and kindly acts
were the harbingers of the dawn of a new
day for the Nation. As the olive leaf which
the painting dove bore to the ark rocking on
the waves of the deluge proclaimed dry land.
so here was the first trembling emotion of
sympathy that proclaimed the waves Of our
civil strife were abating; that the sea of blood
on which the Nation had been buoyed so
long was passing away, and there was hope
that the people of this great Republic might
yet become united again in heart as we'll as
in name.
"The day that gave birth TO this cheering
prospect is worthy of commemoration. As .
we are citizens of ono common government, ,
there can be no good in perpetuating the per-
sonal bitterness engendered by the civil war.
With our faces set to the future, and our
hopes clustering around coming events, it ,
avails not to determine who was right in the
past; question OF more immediate interest ,
Is what Is true and who Is right to-day"
In the spirit of devotion to the flag and
the Union-stronger, better and dearcr for !
the perils they have passed; sanctifed and ,
guaranteed by the heroisms of a struggle the /
world never saw equalled in magnitude, en-
durance and reconciliation; with one coun- ,
try to be loyal to, one flag to revere and one
noble destiny to achieve, let us gather each
succeeding year at the graves of those whose
lives were yielded up in sacrifice, and those
who sank down by the way when the bugles
had ceased to CALL and as we garland the
graves of loved comrades, lay twin chaplets {
on the bosom of brave foes as a token of (
buried resentmcnts, and as pledge of fra
ternlty and emulation in every duty that per- /
tains 10 American citizenship.
Commissioner Vineyard Resigns.