The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-06-18
ON TO RICHMOND AGAIN.
AN OLD REBEL GOES BACK TO THE CON-
FEDERATE CAPITAL.

Names OF Some Of Those Who Joined
Him on the Trip...TaIk of the
War. When Old Soldiers Fight
Their BATTLES Over.
Messrs. w. R. Dunn and John NJ. RaSor,
boarded the &. & G. train for Richmond, Va.
On board we met Messrs. Waller. Bailey,
burst and Hartzog Of Greenwood, and John
son OF Ninety-Six. At Pelzer Messrs. &. w.
ISulivan, &. A. Smith and NJ. Manly Joined us,
arriving at Greenville OIL schedule time. AT
Las o'clock P. NJ: we boarded the Ar Line
train Joined by the Butler Guards OF Green.
willie and quite number of veterans, oil
bound for Richmond to witness the unveiling
Of the Lee monument.
Nothing special transpired on the trip, en-
cept we were delayed several hours near
aulsburX n c. by the irSeDd sngime iniinE III 70
o'clock A. NJ; This was my first visit i,t9 to the he
Grants army. The city seemed to be In n
prosperous condition, and advancing rapidly
in population and wealth. The western por.
ton Is building, up rapidly: The ground
where the Winder and Jackson hospitals
were located during the war have changed be-
yond recognition. Han ndsome residences and
ties and tents that were there In 1864. Lots in
| this part of the city command fancy prices,
and still advancing. Land near the Lee mun-
ument cannot be bought for less than ten to
In company with other veterans we visited
the Hollywood cemetery, where twelve thou
sand Confederate soldiers are buried. The
grounds nre neatly kept Some very dne
grave OF one OF our Abbeville boys, Frank
Wardaw, Of Co. Il, Orr's Rifles. died June 30,
| 1862. A neat headstone marks his grave. We
did not have the opportunity OF visiting Oak
wood cemetery where sixteen thousand Con-
federate soldiers sleep their last sleep. In
| Hollywood the tomb Of President Monroe at.
| tracted attention, also the monument OF Gen.
J. T. b. Stewart. We were surprised 10 find
| no monument to the grave OF Gen. A. p. Hill.
| 4 mound of earth covered with grnss and
flowers mark his grave. ON the curb stone
| Hill Is cut In the rock. We felt sad that such
a noble son OF the Lost Cause was apparently
50 soon forgotten. The survivors of HIS
command ought to take the matter In hand,
and place n suitable monument to his grave.
| Very few OF the soldiers graves are mark ed
by headstones. Granite rocks numbered and
lettered mark each plat. book OF reference
| Is kept to locate such graves as are known.
May ~, $780, dawned bright and clear-a
day long to be remembered by all who wit
|as .he bGSav E busness Was ss
pended and the population was In the streets.
| At o'clock A. NJ. the volunteer troops and
veteran organ nlzutlons began TO form ranks.
affair and ecfipsed anything of the kind ever
seen in the South. There was. TO make u mod
crate estimate. fifteen thousand persons In
| line. Sicn. Lee WAS the CnleI mar
shal. All the Southern States were represent
cd in the procession by veterans and volun.
teer troops. Maryland made good showing
| also. Itw's a warm day and the march not
a short one, but 1t was through streets pro-
| fusely decorated with buntings and flags by
the thousands. both National and Confeder
ate. The procession was four miles long, IL
took two and half hours to pass given
Carolina was we'll represented In the line.
Over one hundred veterans marched In the
procession. Several old battle flags were dis
played. All the flags from South Carolina
were lestooned with long Palmetto leaves,
| and all the men wore badges Of the same.
Several infantry companies carried palm leaf
| fans In the mouth OF their muSkcts.
The ladies' old and young, along the line of
march were enthusiastic. Many OF them
were anxious to possess piece OF palmetto,
and 1t was well among them
carried back to 1S6l-2 when the Southern
troops arrived In Richmond, when the war
spirit was running high, when our purpose
Wide gap between those days and to-day.
Thousands sleep in soldiers graves. Many
more have passed over the river since Lee
who participated cd fn the stirring times OF 81
TO '65 are growing grey. Old age Is plainly
marked on the faces OF many.
The unvelling OF the Lee monument was
oration OF Colonel Anderson, Gen. Joseph +.
Johnston arose from his scat and the way was
made clear for him to leave the stand. The
people knew what was coming. All were
eager 10 see all they could. About the time
General Johnston reached the monument
some one cried out, take your hat off," Gen:
eral Joh nSton took the rope from the hands OF
some one else, and walked back q few steps.
Every eye was now upon the veil. 1t parted
at the top and General Lees head appeared
in sight. General Johnston gave another
pull, aud the veil which was in TWO pieces,
| fell to the ground. Such yell was never
| heard before as went up then. Imagine one
hundred thousand people shouting and yell;
es The souns men
and children waved parasols, fans, banners
and scarfs. The artillery thundercd. Mus
sSSF sy eeased ey she rng So
dreds Of muskets were fired at one time. The
memories OF many wero carried back TO the
times when they met the enemy In deadly
conflict. Not many old soldiers witnessed
this sham battle and felt unmOved. This
feature (he sham battlc) surprised the most
Of us We were not prepared for IT.. The old
soldiers did not expect to sec a battle SO faith
fully initiated. and the young people had new
or seen any thing like IL. The sham battle
ended the ceremonies, and the throng dis
persed.
The monument stands near the Exposition
grounds In the west end OF the city. The
bnse Is built Of granite forty feet high. The
statue something over twenty feet in height,
making the distance from the ground TO top
of statue over sixty feet The statue is q very
good likeness OF General Lee. The artist
meant to show him receiving an ovation from
his troops as he passed along the line of bat
tie. His hat Is Off his head and held In his
right hand; both horse and rider are good
| resemblance.
| Gen. Joseph +. Johnston was Justify cheer
| ed all ulong the line of march. Some affect
| ing scenes were witnessed when Generals and
| members of their old commands would meet.
General Longstrcet was received with wild
cheers along the lines. Many Of those who
| followed him in his campaigns pressed for
ward To shake his hand once more. Generals
Jabal Early, Fitzhugh Lee and many others
were greeted with demonstrations of joy.
The volunteer troops and veterans from
South Carolina should be proud OF their re-
ception In Richmond. We were treated well.
| All we could desire SO far as the writer could
| learn. In the procession South Carolina vet
Grams were first. We were marched up to the
monument and taken our places on tho base
and around 1t.
| Some amusing Incidents happened along
| the line OF march which reminded us OF old
| times. The cavalry In passing were question
ed as TO the prospect OF a fight, and old names
applied to them. In the procession OF horse
men one old grey headed, dried up specimen
out, "Come here boys: don't you see that fcl-
low over there? he was killed during the war
and they dug him up to ride on this special
OCCASION" The old man give 1t the lie In a
very emphatic manner. Said he was living
yet, and was not killed or died during the
war.
| Time will not allow me to write more at
present. The day following the unveiing, in
company with some Of my old comrades and
| others, we visited the battle fields OF Gaines
Mill on the Chckahomlny, also the Mechan.
icsville battle field. We were all well pleased
with our trip. A long felt desire has been
gratified, and We may give you some of our
| ham In fs h fc frIF f,,ft