Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-07-29
AN APPEAL.
Response TO the Call Of the Ladies
Association OF Fredericksburg, Va.
To the Ladies of Southwest Texag-TO the
Cemetery and Fannin Monument Asso-
ciation-To the Churches.
AN APPEAL.
CoIiad Guard.


lows:
We respectfully call your attention to the fact
that there lie buried in our Confederate cemetery
1850 Southern soldiers from the following states;
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Car
DINA, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana, Texas Arkansas. Tennessee.
The wooden posts with their NAMES on them
are rapidly decayi2C, and II Is necessary to re-
place them as soon as possible. Having no means
at disposal for this purpose we are compelled
to ask ior aid, Feeling sure that our appeal VIII
not be III vain.
Many Of these graves, which we have lovingly
cared Tor during many years, contain the dear
ones of Southern homes. where their memories
are still cherished. and throb OF sympathy viii
60 cut to us in our efforts to rescue their names
from oblivion Mothers, widows, orphans,
sisters and comrades help us in cur sacred work
ana we believe that before another year we Will
have money enough to begin our work. If some
responsible person in each city, town and vii
lage VIII offer % receive contributions for this
cause and viii forward them 10 Charles Wallace,
Esq, president First national bank, Frcdericks-
burg, Va, viii be very grateful.
a number of leading gentlemen of this
immediate section have counseied and
advised together on this humane subject,
and have deemed advisable to publish the
call as the most practicable and eIfectiy e
way Of accomplishing the most good IN
sf9se shortest time, hence it is these lines
are penued. Old Virginia stood the
shock of battIe-her soil for long years
was the theater of the most stupendous
conflict Of arms to be found in the annals
of war-On her fields silently sleep the
so!diery OF every state-rude boards
Wondering and tumbling down bear
their names and mark their graves,
and the fostering care and kind
hands Of Virginia women without
ceasing have kept the sod dressed, and
on every recurring memorial day decked
with tender care the sacred spot III pro-
fusion with ivy and immorteiles. The
conflict, confined and waged as it wa 8
while it G ave Il prestige and fame to our
soldiers of surprising merit and brill
liancy, ruined and paralyzed the indus
trial and productive resources Of the
state and left her citizens. in poverty and
rags. That patriotic commonwealth
feels to-day the ruthless vandalism of
our great war aud struggles still under
the strife ana political oppression it en-
tailed. Former affluence is supplanted
comparatively by penury and want.
Through ali these vicissitudes of for
tune and war our dead heroes have never
been neglected. But the burden borne
so long is now gTlevOusly heavy, and Il
voice comes from historic old Fredericks-
burg-frOm the noble matTonhoOd of
Virginia, asking for help in the common
cause Of patriotism and humanity. She
asks help, not in pity, but fer duty 5
sake, to keep the graves of our common
soldier dead green and fragrant; she
asks help to have their names in
scTibed on more enduring epitaphs;
she asks as the last sad rites are hur-
riedIy done long since, to guard and pro-
tert the vast sepuloher against sacrilege
and intrusion; she asks help to make the
last silent bivouac fair and attractive, to
stand for ali time q special tribute of q
heartfelt, grateful people. The respon-
sive chord of the human heart IS touched
by the tender solicitude OF such an ap-
pEsEbsg5 Cold indeed is the heart, and I'M
+ generous is the hand that is not moved
by it. The father, the husband, the
brother the son TepoSe there and there
they VIII remain forever-away from
home and kindred and the pleassi
ant scenes Of childhood. sgAf-
ter -. the smoke and carnage of
pattle cleared away they were garnered
There from the line of the impetuOUs
charge, from the track of the furious
assault, from the defensive bulwark,
from pestilential camp and the hard
march, they went down at the post of
duty, fighting for what they conceived
TO be principle.
For long years in solid column, in
unbrOken phglanX, maTshaled by the
greatest chieftains Of any age or country,
they stemmed the tide of unequal
conflict often victorious, often
vanuuished, but never conquered, and
at last when by sheer attrltion of
martial force, exhausted and over
powered they yielded to the imperious
y,r1,i e,,os oFt$ Of 20 I'm H.r
that waved so long and lordly over the
ChicahominY and the Potomac at
Gettysburg, at Charlottesville, Co
rlnth, Chicamauga, and hundred other
fields, the pride of Jackson and hope OF
Lee slowly faded from the galaxy Of
nations, and its capGcious folds droop-
ing, dipped and trailing, the seas OF
oblivion gathered about, rolled over it
forever.
Thus was enacted q drama on the stage
OF human action without a parallel i'll
the worlds history-its numbers, its
duration, its relentless tenacity, the con-
st;mate ability displayed by its leaders,
the endurance, herOism, obedience Of the
file soldier, together with the trancend-
ant devotion of its women furnish u con-
sflicaous epitOme of history which the
F~coming chronIcler viii find painfully Off
fcult TO Go commensurate Justice.
The survivors of that strug-
gle having passed that crucial
ordeal, accepting in good faith its
results ana the changed condition, have
adapted themselves to the political rela-
tons eugendered, and are now most loyal
to the flag Of our common country. True
in all things, more especially to the
memory OF their fallen comrades, and
their Iealty will endure as long as there is
any virtue in patriotism, gratitude and a
st6mmon interest. Let every true man
ana woman in this vigorous young
giant state Of ours, so boun-
tifully blessed OF Providence,
read, ponder, art and give generously
and freely their mite to the fund solicited
by the noble women OF fredericksburg
Va It VIII gladden. their hearts almost
beyond measure, and will be faithfully
and eheerfullv applied to purposes for
which it is intended. Let every one be q
committee Of one TO read the call TO his
neighbor and friend and all labor for
common purpose.
"a land without ruins IS land without mem
cries:
s.Yest Give me Il Ind where r1ips are spread