Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1888-02-24
THE PRIVATE SOLDIER.

THE PRIVATE SOLDIER.
At recent meeting in Richmond,
Virginia, 10 consider the question of
erecting a monument 70 the private
Confederate Soldiers on Libby Hill.
the Rev Dr. Moses Hoge concluded
an address TO the meeting "a follows:
When Jackson had 10 bid farewell
TO the StonewaR brigade, as he rode
slowly toward the line the men, who,
at the sight OF his old faded cap. with
the rim resting on his nose and his
chin in the air. and the old gray coat
and the old sorrel horse, were accus-
toned TO shatter the air with their
cheers. were silent as death. They
knew what was coming. In the midst
of the profound silence and sadness,
Jackson, controlling his emotions as
best he could. commenced a formal
address But presently he paused.
He ran his eye down the line, as one
of his biographers says, as If he wished
individually 10 bid them farewell man
bv man. but as the memories of what
they had suffered and achieved to-
gether came crowding on him the sup
pressed emotion surged up beyond
restraint Mastered by an uncontrol-
able impulse. he rose in his stirrups,
threw the reins on the neck of his
horse, with an electric gesture which
sent Il thrill through every heart, and
extending his arms, added in tones.ot
deepest feeling; In the Army of the
Shenandoah YOU were the FIRST brigade.
In the Army of the Potomac you were
the First J1gdde In the Second corps
OF the army you were the First brigade.
You are the First brigade in the alice
tion of your General, and | hope, 10y
your future deeds and bearing, you
will be handed down 10 posterity a.
the First Grigdde in this our second war
of independence.
The Private Soldier. The men who
We're described by the English CORE
spoudent of the London Tunes as lean
from fasting, with matted hair and
mendicants rags. yet who followed
the battle-tlag with triumphant JOY
never surpassed and won victories
never transcended: the men OF whom
Lee said: There Is one attitude IN
whicn | could never be ashamed of
your seeing my men, and that Is when
they are lighting!
me Private Soldier-tne men of
whom northern officer wrote: Their
artillery trains look like n cOngresa-
tion of all the crippled California eni
grafton trains THAT ever escaped the
CUmancne Indians.
Their men are i'll dressed. i'll equip
ped-a lot of raganuilins that man
IL ashamed TO be seen among, even
wnen he is a prisoner and can help
it: and yet they have beaten us fairly
beaten us SO fairly that We are OBJ
Jects OF contempt even To their private
soldiers, with no shirts showing
through the holes of their pantaloons
and cartridge boxes tied round their
Waists with strands Of rope.
When at the battle of Cold harbor
Lee met jackson and listening for "A
moment 10 the roar of the guns, grow
ing louder and louder, said TO him,
General that fire is very heavy. DO
you think your men can stand ity'
Jackson answered in brief tones:
They can stand almost anything
They can stand that.
Yes, we will give them monument.
The scheme il in good hands. No bet
ter committee could be selected than
the one TO whom we have entrusted
its management. No more ardent or
efficient friend OF this enterprise can
be found than the honored Governor
Of the Commonwealth, who l. giving
10 it his fullest sympathy and his un-
firing cooperation.
LIBBY HILL.
The place for the monument II a
good One-the very best Of ! the his
make its foundation lrIn, its column
nigh, and over the city defended four
years by the bravest men VINO ever
shouldered arms or charged bayonet
We will set up the statue; and as the
sun rises over the Chesapeake bay
and darts his beams across the York
river and the James, the first object
TO eaten its beams will be the burn
ished helmet on the head OF the pri-
yate soldier. shining like the morning
star over the city Of the living, and "a
the same sun sinks TO its bed below
Hollywood, the city Of the dead, its
light will still linger like halo around
the soldier statue aloft in the air 10
remind Us that glory survives the
grave, and that when the sun Of life
goes down it, radiance will linger,
with soft. celestial splendor after
all the rest OF the world is wrapped in
darkness.
Justice OF the Peace. Had you ever
saw this man beforey
Witness. Yes
Had he came before you had
wentY'
No"
lis them your eggs what you say
was stole?''
Yes"
..NVouId Won have reco0uized them