The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-06-06
HEROES GRAVES AT CROWN HILL.
The Memorial Day Exercises in Indianapolis
A Successful Observance.

A Successful Observance.
All loyal citizens Wednesday turned their
minds to thoughts of the war when the life of
the nation was at stake and the thoughts Of
those who fell that she might be saved.
Twenty-seven years have passed since first tshe
boys in blue marched away to bloody fields Of
war. Many never came back, but fought, died
and were buried, and no man knows their
graves. Others came back with fatal Wounds
carrying their bodies home TO be nte rred at
Crown Hill. 1t was to drop a brief tear and
scatter flowers over the graves of these that the
survivors of the bloody carnage headed by the
same old drummer boys of yOre marched with
banners draped in mourning to the place upOn
the little rising knoll where their comrades
sleep the sleep OF death. How sad vet how Joy
ful were the thoughts that filed the minds Of
the present day when they paid brief respect
to those that suffered and died in order that
posterity might still boast OF a great republic
stretching across the continent north and
south, east and west, all under the one grand
FLAG of freedom! How thankful the people of
the generation to-day thould be to find them
selves the heirs of an undivided country, at
peace with the world, and standing foremost
among the nations In prosperity and pOWeTl
Slavery gone and the war long past, IL re-
manned for this generation TO cement what see
tional feeling yet remained, and TO
bury deep the preiudices and rank
ling sores of twenty-five years ago.
Thus the loyal people of the present day
thought of the events OF the war with sadness
and with thankfulness but the old veterans
that marched TO the graves OF their comrades
had deeper thoughts than these. The old
veterans of the war are passing rapidly away,
and those that still remain cannot visit the
graves of their former associates without think
ing that il will be soon when they shall join
them.
The little plat of ground at Crown hill in
which the soldiers that killed IN the
lay buried the ground is smooth and fiat, and
If il not for the little head-stones IL would
be difficult TO distinguish one from another.
After the graves were decorated they
presented a very pleasing sight. Morton's
grave did not receive the attention it usually
had, but still it looked very well. The graves
OF Jefferson c. Davis and John +. Rac1le were
decorated with flags and flowers, while all
through the cemetery might be seen here and
there the grave of some old soldier in the way,
with the emblems of his country floating over
il.
The procession numbered about a thousand,
GOO of whom were q. A. X. men. The posts
turning ont were the George II. Thomas, NJ. Il.
Delaney, J Ohn I. Ruckle George H. Chapman,
Joseph r. SOdin, Robert Anderson, and the
sons of veterans. The militia companies par
ticipating were the Light infantry, merchant
Zouaves. Rice guards Emmett guards, Ross
guards, English guards, and company A. The
last named company and the merchant zouazes
marched WITHOUT unioIhis- AL tile coihpaiiles
presented a fine appearance. Following them
came indianapolis division, no. ?, X of p. uni
form rank Many division, no. Is; excelsior
division, no. 43; and olive branch divis-
ion, no. As. These divisions were the
features of the procession, and eiicted
much praise. Following them came the
WOmem's relief corps in wagons, after which
came the city officials and others in carriages.
The stats of the marshal and the chiefs of di-
visions gained the usual lions share of attrac-
ton.
The train was finally reached when the pro-
cession Immediately began TO overload il.
After the train stopped at North indianapolis