The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1890-06-05

In the first carriage were Governor
Mckinney, Colonel Archer Anderson,
the orator of the day, General Jubal A.
Fairly and General JOSEPH E. Johnston.
In some of the other carriages were
Captain R. E. Lee, General w. H. F.
Lee, Miss Mildred Lee, Miss
West Virginia, Senator Reagan of Tex
as. ex-Postmaster-Genera of the Con-
federacy, General II. H. Walker, of
Morristown, N. j.; Senators Butler,
Barbour, Daniel, Kenna and Pasco;
Governors Fowle of North Carolina,
Fleming of Florida, Richardson of South
Carolina; Captain Dan Lee, wife and
! children.
AS the leading carriage passed down
Broad street it was greeted with wild
demonstrations by the enormous crowd.
Fair hands flung roses from tn. win
dows, banners were torn from the fronts
of buildings and tossed high into the
air and, as the band struck up the IA
miliar air of Dixie" gray-heads bowed
low and soft tears coursed down fur
rowed cheeks.
The buildings along the line of march
were literally covered with the stars
and stripes, the stars and bars. battle
flags and other emblems of the memora-
BILE period, when, at the head OF his
troops, General Lee marched over the
fields of his native State, while the
sides of the roadway, the sidewalks, the
windows and even the roofs of the build
ings were black with people, who
cheered enthusiastically as various ia
miliar features in the procession met
their eyes.
When the procession reached the
monument the sight was a singularly
impressive one The vast audience
covered the ground for blocks around,
every eye being seemingly directed
toward the monument with its temporary
covering of canvas.
Governor Mckinley called the gath
ering to order and introduced Rev. DR.
Minnigerode, who led In a fervent
prayer. General Jubal A. Early was
then presented as the chairman of the
day, and, after brief address, he in
troduced Colonel Archer Anderson, OF
Kentucky, who delivered lengthy but
eloquent Grafton.
At the conclusion of the oration the
favorite hymn of General Lee, "How
Firm Foundation" was sung by the
assemblage, with full brass band ac-
compartment every man, woman and
child on the grounds appearing to par
ticipate. As the music died away. Gen
eral Joseph E. Johnston pulled the
string, the canvas receded, and amid en-
tnusiastic cheers from tens of thousands
of throats the warrior in bronze stood
revealed.
1.-THE statue is the work Of M. Antoin Mercie,
young but famous French sculptor. It is
equestrian in design. and critics who have in.
spected it declare that it Is equal, II
not superior, to any equestrian monu.
ment in Paris. 1t is forty feet high,
ftrty-one feet across. and weighs eight
tons. twas cast in eight sections and was six
months in the foundry. 1t represents General
Lee on his famous war horse Traveller.
He is surpassed to have just come upon the
field of Gettysburg. His uniform is Sc
verely plain. There are no trappings, but
he is gir* with sash; his coat
sleeve bears braided ornament, and he wears
the sword of a commander Of cavalry The
right hand holds his hat, while the reins
are gathered in the left. His feet are
tipped into the stirrups. Self.possession and
courage mark the bearded face, and the pose
is easy and natural. The statue stands on o
pedestal twenty-one feet high, making the total
height sixty-one feet. 1t is of granite, almost
as white as marble, with four columns
OF polished blue granite on either SIDE The
base Is designed for the statues Of six Gen.
erals who served with Lee. Three have
already been selected, viz. Stonewau Jack.
son, J. e. b. Stuart and A. p HILL The cost
Of the PEDESTAL v as s4l0oo and Of the horse and
rider $4,000. Other Incidental expenses will in.
crease the total to S78O0O the whole OF which
amount the committee has TO fts credit,