Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1888-06-12

Saturday, is considered to have been
the best ever organized for like oc-
aston in the county. The members
acquitted themselves with credit, and
have the hearty thanks of the Memo
rial Association for the interest
evinced by each and all. The selec-
tions were beautiful, and all new here.
Some beautiful special Aoraltributes
were presented to the Lee Memorial
Association-notably a beautiful floral
star by the Friendship Band of Win
chester, magnificent boquet from the
battlefield of Antietam, presented by
Mrs. DIR. Charles Russell, and rich
boquet contributed with the compli-
ments of Rev. S. A. Lewis, pastor Of
the Colored Methodist Church of this
place. Several ex-Federal soldiers
contributed handsome floral offerings.
At 1880 P. NJ. the hour announced
for Col. Douglass famous lecture on
ssThe Southern Volunteer" there
was assembled in the Court House a
choice and very appreciative audience
to listen to the eloquent words of IL
lustration and touching allusion, di-
rected to drawing correct picture
of the Southern soldier boy during
the trying days when wars red hand
held the sceptre high.
.//Hon. w. L. Wilson then introduced
Col. Douglas with very complimentary
mention of his military, literary and
professional attachments And that one
who was so long with the South and
Of the South, was peculiarly fitted for
sketching with master hand, 1.-THE
Southern Volunteer" of whom the
foremost. Won rising to address the
audience Col. Douglas was greeted
with warm applause. His tall, hand
some figure, intellectual face, grace
full manner, and commanding voice
soon won the earnest attention of his
hearers. During the course of his
lecture he said: As the lecture here
was for the benefit of the Lee Memo
rial Association, he was rejoiced to
see such an interest taken in the well
fare of such noble principles,-pre-
serving the records and memorials in
lasting remembrance of the gallant
dead. He pictured the stirring
scenes of the wars beginning; the
volunteer troops, their want of discip-
line, but their unbounded confidence
in their leaders, and their deep, res.
olute courage. The federal army
were the best fed, the best clothed
and the best armed of any troops in
the world and their superab undance
of supplies and ineXhaustible re-
sources of men and all munitions of
war, served to counterfeit the want
of discipline and steady courage
The Southern men were individually
drawer and restless under restraint !;
and their pluck and faithful fortitude
supplied the want of order and reg
ular soldierly regulations. In the
Southern army, there was great no.
mogeneity; friends of lifetime, from
same town, same society, all welded
together against common foe that
was attacking our rights. This rem
dered them very formidable to the
heterogeneous hosts of the Union
army. The latter being foreigners,
fighting for pay, and substitutes fer
money, and the balance bra We. men
of our sister Northern Stat "a
they could not work in accord, tiGf
near four years of camp discipline had
made them feel a common interest.
Contrary to statements of some histo-
rians, the Southern men were full Of
dash and endurance both. and Get
tysburg, Antietam, the Wilderness
and Petersburg prove this.
He sketched the brilliant strokes
of Stonewall jackson the endurance
of his men, and the christian charac-
ter of the great captain, and of nearly
all the southern chieftains, and how
such characters tended to raise the
morale of an army. Never had there
been purer patriotism exhibited.
In the North as in the South gall
lantry was never belittled; but the
Southern men had greater load to
bear, and knew that no one was talk
ing care of the loved ones at home,
no country to pension their widows
and orphans. He carried the volun-
teer front Harper's Ferry to Apo
mattox, and gave the true picture of
the soldier life, the trials, the plea
sures and the humorous phases of the
war time; and placed the boys in
gray far up in the haloes of the COM
pletest form of the perfect volunteer.
That the niachine-like armies of Eli
rope may be model conquerors, but
the volunteers of America, the brav-
est that ever met in mortal conflict,
would cut to pieces the ranks of any
foreign troops. The glories of the
Union victors are the trophies of our
Southern heroes. No monument can
blazon the victories of the former
without bespeaking the virtues and
valor of the latter. Thus poetic
justice shall brighten the successes of
the Southern Volunteer; and each
day as you watch the shadow of the
monument at Gettysburg you see
it with the rising and the setting
sun passing over the field where
Pickett's Virginians charged so
supremely brave; and the soldier
statue at Antietam points the finger
of his outstretched arm to the spot