Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-07-23
THE MECCA OF THE SOUTH.
STROLL THROUGH THE CEMETERY AT
LEXINGTON, VA.

A STROLL THROUGH THE CEMETERY AT
LEXINGTON, VA.
CHANGING to spend the Sabbath in Lex
ington. the Mecca of the South, because
here sleep our most illustrious dear. 1
walked out in the evening to the PresDy-
terian Cemetery. AS passed through
the main street entrance, about fifty
yards in front of me stood several persons
around grave. It was not marked by
lofty monument of bronze or marble, but
was the grave of Stonewall jackson, and
here at all seasons of the year hundreds
come to offer the tribute of respect or af-
fectionate regret. The plot which con-
tains the remains of the immortal hero is
fifteen feet square, surrounded by an iron
railing which looks to be in dilapidated
condition. all of the top ornaments being
gone, but upon inquiry I was informed
that these little pieces Of iron had been
carried away by northern soldiers who,
during the days of war, had stood around
the grave and in imagination saw the hero
of many we'll fought battles resting calm
ly until the final roll call when every SOL
der, no matter whether he wore the gray
or the blue, must answer. These men
admired General Jackson for his worth,
and while there was not that deep-rooted
affection which is in the heart of every
true Southron, there was an esteem which
from one standpoint was as great tribute
as could be offered by those who knew
| him and loved him. 1t is we'll known that
I the ladies of Lexington have for several
years been engaged in raising funds with
which to erect a suitable monument to
General Jackson. The amount now in
hand is nearly $4,000 At pres
/ ent the grave is marked by marble SCROLL
Three feet higher upon pedestal of lime
stone one foot high there is cut in large
letters upon this scroll T. j. Jackson, at
the foot is fac smile of the scroll at the
head, only smaller, upon which is carved
T. j. j. The plot is not ornamented by
evergreens or flowers Two urns of iron
were placed upon it by Colonel J. X. Ed
LuudOoOA cbau odpuHlA VI DOuQ0s LII
which few flowers are growing. Seven
years ago, at the request of Mrs. Jackson,
Mr.. Charlton, the keep of the cemetery,
cut down tree about foot in diameter,
which was growing in about three feet of
General Jackson's grave. No trace of it
is left. By the side of the Confederate
chieftain rests his little daughter, Mary
Graham, who died May Is, 1858. A small
but beautiful monument marks this in
FAINT grave. l forgot to mention the trib-
ute offered by the Maryland troops who
fought under General Jackson. Upon
June %, 1888. they had moulded in brass
the coat of arms Of that State, which bears
the following at the top: ''Stonewall;"
on the left, June 2S; on the right, 1883; at
the bottom, ''F'atti n1oschii parole fea,eini, y
This coat OF arms is about three feet in
diameter and rests against the railing to
the left of the grave.
About seven years ago a plot was selec-
ted to which the rem aims of General Jack
son will be removed and the monument
erected. The plot is directly in front of
the main entrance and is most beautiful
and conspicuous place-Overlooks mag
niicent section of country and has
splendid view of the Blue Ridge noun
tains.
was next conducted by Mr.. Charlton
who was very kind, to the square where
the twenty soldiers rest who died in hos
pital here the last year of the war. The
square is thirty feet each way. In the
centre there is an italian monument
twelve feet high, upon which is engraved
the number OF the graves and the names
of those who lie buried here. On the
front or south side are the following No.
l, J. W. Johnston; No. 2. Captain j. 6.
Day, Co. Z, 5th Tenn; Sd, W. Fl. Wal.
tiers, Go. d, I'd N. G.; 4th, H. D. Bryant,
Co. A, 18th s. G.; 9th, J. G.. Mckinney.
Co. b, 34th N. C.; 9th, H. D. Higgins.
Co. I, I'd N. G.; 18th, j. Byrd, Co. E, 31st
Va; Sth, u. E. Bird, GO. A. 9Th Va; 9th,
H. H. Cooper, Co. G, 3rd S. G.; 10th, D.
Spright, Go. F, 47th Va.
On the right, or east side, is cut in script
these lines:
''Let us gather sweet flowers,
And garland the simple stone
That marks the spot where some one lies,
In strange land, unknown.
Walking around to the north side,
read: No. II unknown; No. -, W. G.
Gilbert, Co. D, 23rd N. G.; No 10, B Ma
thiny, Co. G, I'd Va; No. IA, a. T. Gill
liam, Co. A, 23d N. c.; No. Is, J. T. Per-
ry, Co. B, 10th Ala; No. 16, G. T. Todd,
Co. B, 26th Ga; No. II, N. W. EVERY,
23rd Va. Regt.; No. Is, j. Campbell, Co.
H, 9th Va; No. 10, N. o. Hook, Co. H,
9th Va; No. 20, R. M. Macalur, Co. H,
9th Va.
This was the bloody 9th, the famous
Rockbridge Rifles
On the west side of the monument these
words are found: Erected to the mem
DRY of our Southern soldiers, 1884," un-
derneath which there are few lines of
poetry. There are 1870 soldiers buried in
this cemetery. General Pendleton, Gener-
al Sandy Pendleton, General Paxton, Gen
eral Gillian.
General Hugh White. of .Stonewall Bri-
gade, killed at Manassas August 3Oth,