The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-05
OUR DEAD HEROES.
Exercises at Elmwood Yesterday.
Concentrating Deeds of the Con-
federate Soldiers
Whose Bodies Lie Beneath the Sod
in That Burial Place.
An Grafton, Poems and Appro-
pirate Music the Features
or the Celebra,ion-Flowers Sent From
National Cemetery, Compliments
ofEx-Federal Soldiers, Arouslng
Pleasing Sentiments.

The beautiful custom of strewing flowers
over the graves of the Confederate dead at
Elmwood cemetery was observed Yesterday
with the pomp, circumstance and solemnity
usual on such occasions.
The day was lovely and nature was clothed
in its most attractive garb. The morning
opened trihe cool. the temperature mark
ing as low as within two degrees OF frost
point but no feck or speck was TO be seen
in the sky. and when the sun rose in its re-
. 1plgent glory the warmth il impaired caused
everybody to remark upon the charming
weather.
AT the cemetery def hands were busy at
an early hour and as the day advanced re-
Inducements participated in the gathering
and arrangement OF the floral adornments
intended for the profuse establishment OF
the Confederate monument. that massive
monolithic shaft Of granite standing, forty
feet high, In the midst Of the area several
acres broad, wherein lie 0i0 departed sol
diers who wore the gray when war
ragged through our beloved Southern land.
The monument was fesiooned with CUR
lands bending down from the summit at
paraholic angle, some fifty feet distant from
each corner and fastened TO n base of flowers
arranged with taste aud skill that ladies
only know how Co do so well. Tits true that
men aided In the work, and were especially
useful In scaling the monument 10 put the
fastenngs aud the decorations at the top.
This latter work, as well as that of making
nearly 500 feet of cedar wreathing. was per
formed by Capt. Clary, who for many years
has never faileu 10 respond TO the call Of the
ladies at the decoration period. He, Of
course, had helpers, and these were members
of the Fire DEPARTMENT some four or five in
number who laborrd earnestly for week
or so past TO carry the work 10 a state OF per.
lection. A perfect bank OF flowers WIS
spread all around the base Of the monument
aud for the noncc the place was a READ bed Of
roses, and though the poor soldiers lying
there never knew anything Of rosy beds in
life-ccrtainly not during their soldier expe-
rience-thcy, IN death. lay under beds Of
roses on this annual recurrence OF floral dec
Grafton.
The crown Of the monument had flowers
Of thc.rcd, white and red type spread over
IL and the lower point Of the garlands or
strcamers rested on bases Of flowers OF ox-
quiitc types, while all about the fragrant
parti-colored flowers were spread In great
profusion. All In all, the effect OF the floral
and evergreen display was charming In the
extreme.
Some time ago eight or ten massive can
non balls. from Fort Pillows stock 81 Con-
federate ammunition, lay on one of the bases
OF the great monument by some means
unknown one Of the largest l2O-poundcr,
rolled OIL and fell upon the flags below,
breaking the same, and recently tablet has
been placed IN the broken spot, the space be.
: Ing four aud a half feet square. One half Of
the tablet has Inscribed, In Memory Of
Lieut. W. $. Pope, Killed at Tishomingo
Creek, June TO- 1904. Erected by w. +. Tay-
lor." The other half l. inscribed: "In Mem.
DRY Of Brigadicr-Gcneral o. +. strahl, G. s.
A., Killed az Franklin, Tenn, November
10, 1904 Placed here by James l.. Bcas!cy."
These memcntocs will last o. long Us time
lasts. and are uficctionntc tributes placed
there BY the apprccistiyo comrades OF each
Of the departed soldiers named and who still
survive, but who are steadily trcading nearer
and nearer 10 their last resting spots.
There ere three spaces similar 10 that
occupied as named, whorc surviving friends
may yet place tablets of the same kind 90
commemorate their lcllow-comudcs. aud m
this connection IL l. proper To add that
several floral pieces OF appropriate design
were laid on the monument as uibuics 10
soldiers gone by their surviving comrades or
feminine relatives. Among the list was
noticed one marked ~. d. Collins OF
Datrs's Second Tennessee Regiment"
also John II. Ball Of the One Hundred and
Fifty-iourth Tennessee Regiment killed
OF franklin: John H. Collins. Of Arkansas. "
and member Of Kirby smiths command
also one 20 Lieut. Eubanks, Of the Second
Missouri Regiment, killed near the State
Fcmalc COLLEGE, when Forrest captured
Memphis When Lieut. Eubanks was killed
near The college by a mimic ball fired ai
long range from the Federal lines lac was
riding along with n comrIdo named
Klein, aud his body was picked up
and buried by the Fcdcrals together
with ak or eight Others. who fell
during the same combat In aud around thC
city. Later soycral ladies. who belonged "a
}, tho Southern Mothers Association, applied
60 Gen. n. J. r. Dana, then In command
here, and received permission 10 remove
the bodies 30 Elmwood This was done very
quietly, the ladies going about among thciI
friends 10 raise the funds necessary 90 cover
tho expense. The transfer was made with
out ceremony aud the remains we're laid IN
the graves they nov inhabit In the Conicder
ate area.
remember. numbered 800 originally, and
Mrs. :. &. Law was their president No
moro than six or seven Of them are nov
alive. but tho president Mrs Law d
OF this small number. while Mrs. Ball.
very active member is also Of the list, ant
was a. busy In the decorative service ycstcr
day az Ale was la the work 81 relief TO sui
fcfinE soldiers in year. gone by
One ~ the notable features OF yesterday
decorative work was the udornmcnt Of thl
grave u the great leader Forrest, who died
twelve years ago. and whose remains Tic u
Chapel I'LL Circle, facing Prospect avenue
100 yards or 10 from where the big monu
mcnt stands. Several ladies did the work d
the early morning hours, and they did
clcycrly. The grave Of the departed hero !
hidden beneath bank Of evergreen pyrile
but wealth ~ roses was put Ia and frounl
and there were some handsome pieces. IN
Guiding floral harp, aud another larg
piece in form Of q cruss, surmounied Win
star made of lilies. Efforts have been mad
ON various occaaors- n. stpp the work o
decorating aft tA--stsfs- graves on Decor
alton Day aud this was notable feature Q
yesterdays ceremonies One grave that
always adorned, the keeper Of the ccmctcr
looking after aud keeping Us stone olcal
and bright and fresh roses growingin IT, .oil
was the grave Of the martyr maiden
Matte Stephenson, who died for US b
October. IS3. Allusion Is made TO this be
cause visitors passing through the ccmeior
rarely fail 10 gaze upon this attractive spot
beneath Tho surface Of which were laid ih
bra,s little hcrOnes pho came here 20 nun
and relieve the N but who herself fell
victim 10 the swcgIl .g mnlady then anon
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