Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-28
In MEMORY OF THE DEAD
IrC4 FLOWERS STREWN ABOVE
TIE SOLDIERS GRAVES.
rha otstrvarce Of memorial Day n sa-


eac-rrassds OF People Pay Noble
9rsbuts 20 The Sleeping Heroes.
Throughout the greater part Of the
santh Yesterday was observed as Memo
rial day. Although it is not kept
with AS much ceremony and display as IL
was Just after the war, yet those who pay
tae SAD and silent tribute to the soldier
dead have lost none of their love for Up"
heroes who gave their lives TO the lost
cause. In Savannah the decoration was att
tended without ceremony, and asce
from the crowds in the cemeteries
and the placing Of the thousands
If beautiful flowers upon the graves Of
The dead soldiers. there was no formal OBJ
servauce Of the day. The custom. irsll-
rJted bv the noble women OF lhe SCUM
has LOST none Of its beauty as the years
have pone hv: and each wear as they Wend
tbair vgay 80 tie biyouac Of the dead, it
recurs that the soldiers duty and death
Is not the only one worthy OF tears and
honor.
The city and government Offices, the
INST Office banks and exchanges, and
many business houses were closed in re-
spect to the day. AL of the courts were
adjourned except the superior Court me
request from the Ladies' Memorial Asso-
citation that the retail houses be
closed Sra the afternoon, in order To allow
The clerks and employees an opportunity
20 visit the @ meteries. svcry generally
omDli,i with and The houses that dd
remain open most Of them closed at
o'eiock.
Early I'M the afternoon crowds began i0
move towards the cemeteries. and for %
time the car lines We're taxed 10 then
utmost capacity. At Laurel Grove on"
crowd was the greatest between and
o'clock. Anderson street near the Gene
tery was lined with carriages, and the
cemetery grounds We're filed with nun
dreds of ladies, bearing in loving hands
beautiful tokens Of affection and remem-
brace Of the silent dead.
The ladies Of he Memorial Association
were out i'm numbers. The decoration
began early in the afternoon and con-
tinued until nightfall, and even then many
still fingered under the bending arches or
near tho iron ratings which surround the
little plot and the grave OF dear loved
one, marked only by a white shaft Of
stone. and placed over the mounds tokens
Of a fathers. mothers or brothers love.
The decorations, although not so
elaborate as last year, owing to the
scarcity Of flowers, were confined almost
wholly to soldiers graves, and the Gus
tom which has grown for number Of
years or decorating the graves without re-
gard 10 whether they were Of soldiers
or civilians was not so generally
adhered to. There were a number of
new features in the decorations. At
the entrance 10 the cemetery an arch was
erected over the carriageWay, in the
centre OF which was the inscription,
fsSnentlv, respectfully enter here. for
within our heroes slcep.v The gate was
tastefully twlned with moss and flowers.
At the northern entrance to the Con-
feaerate soldiers lot was a rustic arch
with the inscription, REST, Spirit, Rest"
over the entrance. In the centre was a
medallion portrait of Gen. Lee. At the
southern entrance TO the lot was similar
arch with the Inscription, peace TO the
Memory Of the Brave" aud the portrait
of the beloved Barlow in the
centre Under the arch was a stack
Of mGskets beautifully entwined with
flowers. Etch little stone in the lot,
under which rested fbe remains Of some
brave hero, bore wreath or gar
land Of flowers, with beautiful
emblem al its base. The monument
was tastefullv decorated. The hand Of
the marble Ggne Of ''Slence" held a
wreath of laurel. At the base Of the
monument buuches and bouquets Of
flowers were heaped and piled up AGAINST
the pedestal. on one side was an i'm
mense bunch of roses. with a star Of
pansies in the centre. Resting against it
was a card tied with white Grape and
bearing the inscription:
Sweet sleeps our heroes coached beneath the
wrapped in their winding sheets Of dusty
While o'er Their heads the fafrest flowers nod
Kissed by the breath Of May.
And yet new life through all the world doth
neat
Its rhythmic splendors through space afar;
II blossoms in the daisies ht their feet.
II glows in yonder star.
On the west side Of the monument is the
inscription;
*s.--.'.----..... ..........'.+'......k
To THE CONFEDERATE DEAD.
Here resteth tili roll -call the men OF Get
tysburg.
----......,..--.- .,..... -.--...-......-..
On the north side are the lines:
On fam6'- eternal camping ground
Their silent tents are spread,
Aud glory guards with silent round
The bvouac Of the dead.
On the south side is the inscription:
Tread lightly. for each man bequeathed,
Ere placed beneath the sod,
His aches 70 his native land,
His gallant soul % God.
Outside the soldiers lot and in other
parts Of the cemetery were many fine
decorations. The graves usually deco
rated bore the offerings placed by loving
hands, and all. although not elaborate,
were exceedingly appropriate.
The Ladies' Memorial Association ar
ranged the boxes for the reception Of con-
tributions along the walks, just inside
the gates. They were also held up by
little boys to the CARR ages which entered
through the main gate way. The C0ntri-
buttons amounted Go SOB 50.
The work done by the Ladies' Memorial
Association was admirably arranged ard
carried out, and especial credit is also
due 70 Mr. John Z. DAILY, who, unsolicited
hy the association or its committees,
erected the arches az the entrances 10 the
soldiers Tot aud superintendent many fea-
lures OF the decoration.
Al Bnnaventure and the Cathedral
cemetery the decorations were also oX-
ceedingly appropriate. AS in Laurel
Grove, they were confined almost alto
gether 10 the soldiers graves,
The Confederate monument In the Park
extension was very tastefully decorated.
On the north face the inscription "lIon0r
20 Our Dead Heroes" was wrought in
roses on a scroll. Az the base OF the
monument and underneath the inscrip-
ton Was bank OF roses. On the east,
south and west sides bouquets and gar
lands OF eYergrecns and flowers OF various