The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-06-05
The Leo Monument.

Carolina had three thousand uniformed
men in line, without counting the Vet
eran Associations. The marked feature
of the occasion was the ovation to Long
street 1T was the most enthusiastic,
save that to FitZ Lee, accorded to any
general 1t is understood that though
anxious to be present, he hesitated, fear
iugthat political feeling might be against
him He said that day was the proudest
of his life. Generals Joe Johnston and
Jubal A. Early rode together, and were
greeted with intense enthusiasm. The
war flags of the different commands were
accorded as much enthusiasm us the gen
erals. The bands played on the march
the Confederate airs '"fhe Bonnie Blue
Flag maryland" and Dixie which
evoked enthusiasm. General Lees
daughters, Miss Mildred and Miss Mary,
were also the recipients of an ovation.
When the troops had all been formed
around the monument, Gov. Mckinney,
chairman of the Lee Monument Associa-
ton, called the meeting to order and
made short speech. He said that the
people Uttered around the monument
with no enmity against the general gov
eminent and no desire to perpetuate AM.
mosities, but with sacred memories OF
the dead and of the lost cause, which
are unconuuerable The feelings he eX-
pressed, he said. are not exceptional
We all revere the memory OF our deau,
and we have affection for the Confedera-
CIV, which is now dead. This sentiment
is not at variance with highest sentiment
of LOYALTY and devotion to our country
and its government. He referred to Rea-
gan. of Texas, IL member of the Davis
cabinet. now Senator of the United
States, and as loyal as any one to the
Government, and whom he was glad to
Welcome to dav He spoke also of the
presence in the city of Longstreet, 1.-THE
old r-horse" of the Army OF Northern
| Virginia, and the mention OF the name
elected great cheering. He also spoke
of Gordon of Georgia. and OF Hood ana
Hampton, and without mentioning her
name paid Il beautiful tribute to Mrs.
jefferson Davis, who, he said, HAS sui
| fered for the South as none have suffer
ed since Gethsemane. and who, though
unable to be here in person, had sent
word that she was here i'll heart. he
smoke of the comradeship between Lee
! and Johnston and their mutual conf
dence and respect for each other. One
OF them had gone, the other remains.
The maine of neither was mentioned,
however He said that while the people
of the South are loyal. they will never
fail to express their love for those who
fell for them. That feeling, he said, was
unconquerable.
Rev. Dr. Minnegerode read prayer in
which he thanked God for such man as
/ Lee, and held him up as an example 1of
the youth of Virginia.
General Early, in taking the presiding
officers chair. paid glowing tribute to
the private soldier. He said that silence
was golden on aT occasion ike the pres
i ent. and asserted that Lee needed no
oh "a
the people of the South for him. In the
midst of it an old veteran cried out ;
Turn this way, General, we want to see
YOU before YOU sit down." So the Gen
eral turned his bent and feeble form
around and continued his speech. Gen
eral Early declined the invitation of the
crowd to speak further, and introduced
the orator of the day, Col Archer An
dersOn.
The Grafton delivered by Col. Archer
Anderson was II scholarly address, ~
every way appreeiative OF Its subject,
and glowing with natural enthusiasm
and pride in the great Southern COM
mander, but dignifed in its ntterances,
broad in its views and earnest and sin
cere in its patriotism. Col. Anderson
uortrayed the mental and moral chalac-
teristlea of Lee and the points of resem-
blance between him and Washington
whom, he thinks, Lee must have taken
for. his model After brief account OF
his youth and early life and his. brilliant
sery;cas in Mexico, the orator described
.the painful struggle" which tore Lee S
heart when it bera,iis necessary for him
ito make his choice aud take AIS side In
an irrepressible conflict 1t was no par
tisan passion or sectional hate which
made him decline the command OF the
United States army "in manifest sacrifice
of all his pacnniary interests" but a
calm sense of duty to bis State. He did
not dislike or underestimate the North.
He was above the prejudices and tauats
of the day which beIiftled Northern vir-
tue and courage Col. Anderson sketch
ed his principal military operations dur
ing the war, described tbs disad yantages
under which he fought and the heavy
odds Of every kind against him. critical
ly considered his claims to the high mill
tary rank which he holds i'm the estima-
tion of the world, and showed how Thor
oughly the general verdict is sustained
by a calm review and dispassionate esti-
mate of his achievements,
In concluding the Colonel said 1.-THE
army of Northern Virginia ceased to lbs
recruited; it ceased to be adequately fed.
lit lived for months on less than one
third rations Itdwinded to 81, 900 men,
: holding a. front of thirty-five miles; but
over the enemy it still cast the shadow
of it's great name. Again and again by
bold offensive front Harvested the fed
eral movement to fasten on its epHmu-
pications. At last an irresistible cOncen-
tration of forces broke through its long,
thin line OF battle, trains bearing sup
plies were intercepted, and starving
army, harrassed for seven days by inces-
j SAINT attacks on rear and flank. found
itself completely hemmed in by over
flowing masses. In the agony of dissO-
luton now invading that proud army,
which for four years had wrested victory
from every peril, in that blackness of
utter darkness Lee preserved the serene
placidity of his mind. He looked the
stubborn facts calmly in the face. and
when no military resource remained,
when he recognized the impossibiIity of
making another march or lighting an
other battle he bowed his head IN SOB
mission to that power which makes and
upmakes NATIONS. What a catastrophe
What IL moving and pathetic contrast
absolute ruin and defeatz-a aFQWn of
thorns for that peerless army, which
hitherto had known only the VICTOR S
laurel Let this monument, then. teach
to generations yet unborn these lessons
of his life. Let it stand, not as q record
of civil life, but as a perpetual protest
our private and public objects Let it
stand as a memorial of personal honor
that never brooked a stain, of knightly
yalor without thought of self, of far
reaching military genius umsoiled bya am
! bition, of heroic constancy from which
! no cloud Of misfortune could ever hide
the path Of duty. Let it stand for re
proof and censure II or people shall
! ever sink below the standard of their
fathers Let it stand for patriotic hope
and cheer II day Of national gloom and
l=disaster shall eyer dawn upon our cQnn-
try Let it stand as the embodiment of
brave aud virtuous peoples ideal lead
er. Let it stand as n great public act of
thanksgiving and praise for that it
pleased Almighty God to best0W upon
these Southern States man so formed
to reflect His attributes of power, males
ty and goodness.
When the grafton was over General
Joseph e. Johnston was escorted from
the stand amid the huzzas of the multi
tude to the base of the monument, as
cending which the string was pulled and
the magnificent equestrian statue of Lee
was revealed. A scene of wild enthusi-
assn followed and the statue, which ap-
propriately surveys the southern horj
ION, was wreathed in the smoke OF artil-
lery. Rebel cheers were prolonged
onJAavtonIa6 all ovar the vast nIain and