Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-08-24

TO Be UNVEILED At STAUNT
A FINISHED WORK.
HISTORY OF THE SOLDIERS CEMETERY
ITS FIRST OCCUPANT-ORGANIZA
OF THE MEMORIAL AssOCIATION-LIsT
OF ITS oFFICERs-DEsCRIPTI OF THE
MONUMENT.
&C., &C, &C.
To-day, we give picture of the monu-
ment which. at last, crowns the many
years of work, by the women and men Of
Augusta and Staunton. 1t is statement
due to the noble patriotism of these women
and men to say, that of all the Seventeen
Hundred and Seventy-Seven dead soldiers
in the Confederate Soldiers Cemetery, but
five are from either this county or city
Those soldiers from Augusta and Sta I'M
ton who fell were buried in their home
lots.
THE FIRST SOLDIER
buried there was D. c. McLeweray, of the
Sd Arkansas infantry, who was killed by
the cars, at the Z. & o. depot, while his
regiment was debarking. He was buried
July 9th, 1861, and eleven days after. A. J.
Wall, of the Goth Va. infantry. was buried
there-the first Virginian to be inferred
there. Up to March, 1862. there was no
system in the burials, but on that day a
record was commenced and regular sys-
tenn has been kept up since. The last
burial there was that of James M. Whaley,
one of the crew of the Confederate States
steamship Patrick Henry, who was inter-
ed there March q, 1887.
GATHERING IN THE DEAD.
1t was not until the war had closed. that
a noble band of women of the town and
county, headed by Mrs. Robert Cowan.
now Of Richmond, undertook the task of
gathering the Confederate dead from the
battle-6elds Of Allegheny. Mcdowell,
Cross Keys, Port Republic, Piedmont, &C..
into soldiers cemetery here. They col
lected and expended more than ST. 900 in
the work. Whenever the name. company
and regiment of the dead have been
known, they have been recorded.
1t was to perfect and perpetuate the
work begun by these patriotic women that
the Augusta Memorial Association was
formed on the 18th of June, 1870. Col.
James H. Skinner was elected President,
and his term of Office was marked by the
enclosure Of 1.-The section with handsome
iron posts and chains and the marking of
the graves with tags. This work cost
So, 565, and there still remained surplus
of $500 which was invested as fund, the
interest of which was to be devoted to
keeping the grounds in Or der.
DETERMINING ON A MONUMENT.
AS time wore on, yet another work was
undertaken--the erection of monument
to the memory of the dead. At the sug
gestion of Col. John D. Lilley. Monu-
ment Committee was chosen on June 9th,
1883. To compose the committee the fol-
lowing gentlemen we're chosen-Col. John
D. Lilley. Chairman, and member from
Riverheads; J. N. Mcfarland. Beverley
Manor; S. HI. Walker, Middle River; G.
Julian Pratt, South River; J. A. Wilson,
Pastures: W. II. Gamble, North River;
j. G. Marquis, 1st Ward. and ". L. DIV
Ter. I'd Ward. The Association chose the
following Executive Committee-J. N.
Mcfarland, Chairman; Frank B. Berke-
ley, J. G. Marquis, r. A. Hamilton and
Lewis Hartman.
A Ladies' Auxiliary to aid in the erec-
tion of the monument was formed, with
Mrs. M. Erskine Miller, President, and
Mrs Jacob Yost, Secretary.
THE STATUE AUD MONUMENT
FINISHED.
These organizations entered upon the
task of raising about So 900 for the work.
After the fund was raised the contract for
the monument and statue was given q. E.
Ehmann of Baltimore. The last finishing
touches to the sculptor's work are now
being put on, in Baltimore, in the shape of
the inscriptions. Here the foundation is
nearly ready. The height from the bottom
of the foundation (the base is not repre-
scented in the cut) is % feet, with the
elevation of the base and monument it is
80 feet high, and from the top OF the hill
occupied by the soldiers cemetery, it will
be seen the country around. 1t is of
Italian marble.
On each face of the die of the monument
is engraved fit emblem of each arm of
the service-artillery, infantry, cavalry,
and engineer corps.
THE INSCRIPTIONS.
We give below the inscriptions cut on
the faces of the shaft:
LIST face-Weigh not their worth by the bal
ance of battle.
These have glorifed their cause by the re-
cord of noble sacrifice; the simple manhood of
their lives the patient endurance of suffering,
and the heroism of death. May such Fidelity
and Patriotism endure forever.
Cd face-There is a true glory and true
honor; the glory of Duty done, the honor of
the integrity of Principle. -Ro6ert b. Lee.
Sd face-Honor to the brave. $40 lie here,
recorded by name, company and regiment
From Virginia 305; North Carolina 49,
South Carolina SO; Georgia 208; Alabama 49,
Florida 8; Mississippi IL; Louisiana 10; Ten
nessee -; Arkansas TO- Texas 3,
And 2O7 recorded by name only.
ron the sub-base of this face are the words
confederate Dead."]
4th face-As unknown and vet we'll known.
Around this shaft are gathered also the re-
mains of about 700 Confederate soldiers not