Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-06-12
DECORATION DAY.
FLOWERS FOR THE GRAY AND
The BLUE.

CORNER STONE-DECORATION OF THE
GRAvEs-TRIBUTE PAID TO THE FED
ERAL DEAD AT THE NATIONAL GENE
Terry,
| &C., &C., &C.
TIE sky was blue, the sun bright, and
O'Clock the sidewalks of the city began to
show that more visitors from the county
had come to Decoration Day than had
come in five years past. Before IL o CLOCK
| Chief Marshal E. &. Fishburne had the
procession in line on Main street, and the
marching music of the Stonewall Band
was filling the air. In the line were the
Stanton Artillery, Capt. j. L. Long;
pupils of Dunsmore's Business College,
Augusta Fire Company, and the follow
ing Masonic lodges-Lee Lodge No. 8 of
Waynesboro, Augusta Lodge No. Ill of
Greenville, Lauren Hill Lodge No 1853 Of
Newport, Worthington Smith Lodge No.
&c of Mt. Scion, New Hope Lodge No.
1853 of New Hope, and Staunton Lodge
No. 10 OF Stanton.
LAYING THE CORNER STONE.
Besides decoration day, it was the day
for laying the corner stone of the Soldiers
Monument, which is soon to be erected by
the Augusta Memorial Association and
that labor Of love was attended to on the
arrival of the procession at the ground.
All the Masonic lodges assembled around
the corner stone and it was laid with the
usual ceremonies by the Master of Staun-
ton Lodge. In the stone were deposited
the usual tokens of the life of this day
and many more OF the past. Among the
most curious things deposited we're cor
poration note for fifty cents issued by
Staunton in 1926; a Virginia Treasury
(war) note of 1862; an Augusta county
(war) note of 1862, signed by Geo. W.
Fuller for Robert Guy, Pr esident, pho
Jograph Of President Cleveland. and 50
forth.
DECORATION.
The regular exercises of the decoration
day celebration were then begun. Presi-
dent G. Benton Koiner, of the Memorial
Association, introduced Rev. DIR. Repass,
of the Lutheran church, who opened them
with prayer, Rev. j. P. Strider, Of
Staunton. in introducing The orator of
the day, Col. J. W. Lyell, of the Virginia
Military Institute, made an eloquent ref
erence to the true meaning of the oeca-
sion which bad brought the large assembly
together
Col. Lyell who was commander of the
37th Va. Infantry, then proceeded to de-
liver the address of the day.
FLOWERS FOR THE BLUE.
After the close of the Confederate dec
Grafton, new step was taken forward,
the first of the kind in StauDton, by pay
ing tribute to the Federal dead in the
National Gem etery. The Staunton Art H.
lery under Capt. J. L. Long, the Stone
wall Brigade Band and number of citi-
zens, marched out to the National
cemetery. On arriving there, the mound
in the centre, on which the National flag
staff is planted, was decorated with flowers
while the Stonewall Band played funeral
dirge and several National airs. W. FL.
H. Lynn, ESQ.,. who had been selected by
the -Confederates as their spOkesm an
for the occasion, made an admirable
little address, most commendable for
it's manly sentiments and patriotic tone:
My friends and feltoo countrynaem, members Of
the stanton artillery and StoneWaW Brigade
Band:
am. by your invitation, though only notified a
UarV present
in paying respect to the dead who lie buried here.
Ii is mete that you, two organizations. the
.tStaunton Artillery. which won its first aurelS at
first Manassas and the ''StoneWal Brigade Band,'
whose name is taken from him whom they followed
from the mouth of the lamented Bee on that same
OccasiOn) should unite together and here, amid The
homes of both organizations, St0neWa Brigade Band
and StauuGon Artillery, unite in paying tribute to
the herolsn of the men who were enemies an 1Car,
but are to-day the dead comrades OF our friends;
Then YOU were wont to meet them with shot and
shell, but to day, with respect for the memory OF
the brave, (and where was more undaunted cour-
age and unqueStiOned bravery ever exhibited than
in the ranks of the United states and Confederate
armies?) by firing national salute over the graves
of those who lie here, and playing the national
airs, to them and us equally dear.
Those known to fame on either side. in the main.
were they who wore the insignia OF office, but
there were acts of herosm done by the private
soldier which, if singled out, would win as loud
acclaim as ever greeted the ears OF the highest in
You are here to-day to pay respect to the memo
ry of brave men, not 60 make them famous 1or
herOlSm writes lCS own 1nSCTlpGlOH OH Vi
fame; and you but exhibit your manliness and the
coura ge OF yourselves and your predecessors in
honorng the memory OF your fallen foes.
He then made handsome allusion to number
of Northern soldiers and especially to Gen. Nc
Clelan for his tribute to the memory of Lee and
Jackson at Antietam only few weeks since. and
said, if the whole country could realize the truth
of the history the Wal had made, there would be
no chickering's among us, no denunciations of eth
do buta all would rncOpujZA the fact that each
side twas animated by the belief that they were
right and hence theirunexarlpled bravery and per-
sistency, even when Fate seemed most unprOpit-
ious to either and that had they who lie here and
their comrades and you and your comrades been
placed and reared differently each might have
been honestly on the other side Hence the ex
ceedng propretl of burying mslice in the pas
and honorng the brave and conscientious. no
ma tier where they fell"
He then made feeling allusion to the dying ex-
President-the successful opponent of Gen. Lee,
and said his course to the Confederate soldier at
and after Appomattox, had enlisted for him the
warmest sympathies OF the entire South
Tn conclusion. he said. "you are here assembled
around the Flag staff which bears aioft the Ban
ner of the Union-the Flag of our country May
If ever be thus! May we always join hands around
if. and if necessary. shoulder arms and touch ell
bows in defence OF what it should ever be the
symbol of-the protection of the liberty and inter-
ests of the American citizen of every class. and in
whatever land he may be found, and his advance
ment in every possible way In this the land OF his
nativity or Adoption.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Lynn IS address
ARTILLERY fired National salute of Thirty
Eight guns, and the procession returned
to the city.
RTJNSTATEn HIS POST.