Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1890-06-06
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DEDICATION OF A STATUE AT RICH
MOND TO THE GREAT LEADER.

day long. no one grew tired of it.
1t was gathering of the hosts of the
Sunny South, aud the music of the
Southland was what they wanted.
Old Richmond was never so full of
enthusiastic people as she was last
Thursday. Seventy-tive thousand
strangers were within her gates, and
ten thousand of them were Confeder-
ate veterans The old Louisiana
tigers were there, and the Texas
rangers and tar-heels, the boys from
the Palmetto State, the Mississippi
ans, Virginians by the thousand,
hosts from My Maryland" Georgians
from all over the South they poured
into Richmond. Many a one of them
was short a leg or an arm, and battle
sears they bore that time can never
efface But whether they limped on
one leg or two, or whether they mad
no arms at all, their brave old hearts
were running over with enthusiasm
and their kindly natures full of love
for their great NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
memory they had come to honor.
Wednesday the city began to fill up,
and when Thursday morning dawned
bright and cloudless, Richmond had
on hand the biggest celebration she
ever saw. The morning was spent in
attending the various reunions of
veterans at different points and re-
newing the friendships of twenty-five
years ago with comrades of the war.
1t was a touching sight to see the old
bows meet one another and TO recog-
nize, after quarter of century,
some friend with whom they had
worn the grey and marched shoulder
TO shoulder during the great struggle.
There were many such happy meet
ings.
The procession was to have moved
at u o'clock, but the cavalry got
mixed up, and delayed matters
couple of hours. 1t was long time
to keep the soldiers and the veterans
waiting, but they stood it well. 1t
was splendid procession. 1t was es-
timated that 10000 men were in line.
There were troops from nearly every
Southern State, including West Nir-
ginia Maryland and the District Of
lumbia-infantry artillery and cav
airy. The veterans in line numbered
six or seven thousand. The process
sion was headed by prominent men
in carriages. Among them were Gen
erals JOS f. Johnston, Jubal n. Early,
James Longstreet and many other
Confederate leaders. AS they passed
along, the thousands of people that
lined the streets cheered them until
the echoes rang again and again.
Gen. Fitz-Hugh Lee was chief mar
shall. He rode splendid grey horse,
and looked every inch soldier. AS
he passed by the veterans from Shep-
herdStown, he saw Col. VIM. a. Nor
gan and stopped an instant to grasp
him by the hand. Immediately his
horse was surrounded by score of
old soldiers who wanted to shake
hands with him, and it was with the
utmost difficulty that he could get
away from them. Gen Lee wore an
old SLOUGH hat instead of the silk hat
intended for the chief marshal. He
said he was afraid that if he wore
beaver the fellows would call out,
Where did you get that hat?' The
West Virginia troops were headed by
Governor Fleming and other State
officials, and made fine showing
The Jefferson Guards, of Charlestown,
marched we'll and looked well, as did
our other State militia. They re-
ceived applause all along the line.
North Carolina had 5000 men in the
ranks. The gallant Fifth Regiment
of MARYLAND never looked better, and
was cheered at all points.
The veterans were given the place
of honor. After the military
had passed, the vets fell into line and
were marched through the opened
ranks of the soldiers, many Of whom
presented arms as the old fellows
passed along. They went on straight
up to the monument and were given
the best places in the enclosure around
it. The military then fell i'll behind
them, the artillery was massed just |
north of the statue, while the cavalry
men took position TO the west. An
estimate of the crowd around the |
monument placed the number at |
100000. 1t was a vertable ocean of |
human beings. At the speakers |
stand Gov. Mckinney called the as
semblage to order, and DIR. Minnige-
rode offered prayer. General Early |
was asked to preside, and in brief |
speech he introduced the orator of
the day, Col Archer Anderson. Col.
Anderson made an eloquent address,
but no one heard it, for the the crowd |
was so great that the unavoidable |
confusion and buzzing made it impos-
sible for the speaker to be heard ten
yards away. 1t was long speech, |
and the thousands who couldn't hear, |
and who knew they could read it in
the papers next day, got tired wait
ing.
AT the close of the address General |
Joseph f. Johnston pulled the strings |
that held the covering of the statue,
and the drapery fluttered gently down,
revealing the splendid bronze statue
of the immortal Lee. For an instant
there was silence, and then such a
shout as went up to the heavens 1t |
seemed enOuph to thrill with life the |