The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-07-22
A SOUTHERN LEADER
Honored on the Anniversary ol
His Greatest Battle.
sTONEWALL JAOKsON'S MONUMENT

Unveiled in the Home of His Youth
and Manhood by His Little Grand
daughter-The Town Overcrowded
with the Host of visitors-General
Early the Orator.
LEXINGTON, Va, July 29.-Yesterday
was the thirtieth anniversary of the
first battle of Manassas, and Lexington,
in which was spent the lifetime Of
Stonewall Jackson, the most pictures.
que figure Of all the notable men of the
southern Confederacy, was bright and
bustling with life and color, while thous
ands Of strangers were assembled within
its environs to participate in the exer.
cises incident to the unveiling of mon
ument symbolic of the esteem and ven
Grafton felt for the great soldier, who's,
brilliant career was cut short in tht
height Of his fame. Their number grew
so large that the town accommodations
stretched to the utmost by the hospital
ity of its residents, was insufficient fol
the gathering throngs. There was not
house in the city, public or private.
that was not filled.
The weather was superb. The day
dawned misty and threater ing, but the
rising sun soon drove away the clouds
and togs. The sky cleared beautifully
and fresh, cool breeze stirred the tree
tops and tempered the rays of the sun
so that the day was as pleasant as could
be wished.
In the Line of March.
The programme of exercises provided
that the proceedings of the day should
begin at 10 o'clock, but owing to the con
fusion caused by the presence of SC
many people it was two hours lateI
when the procession was ready to move
The parade was under the direction oil
Chief Marshal General James A. Walker
of Wythe, Va, the only surviving com
mander of the Stonewall brigade, anC
consisted of General Walkers staff, the
Stonewall band, the Rockbridge (Va.
battery, with the guns operated under
jackson at Manassas; survivors of the
Stonewall brigade, the Maryland banG
and Confederate veterans of the army
and navy from Maryland: various Con
federate camps and carriages contain
ing General Jubal A. Early, the orator
of the day; General Wade Hampton;
Mr.. Edward V. Valentine, the sculptor
Mrs. jackson, number Of distinguished
| Confederate officers and ladies of the
monument committee.
When the procession arrived at the
campus General Wade Hampton intro
duced Rev DIR. A. G. Hopkins, the
chaplain of the Stonewall brigade, whe
led in five minutes prayer. Genera
Hampton then introduced Colonel I.
M. Semmes, Of the Virginia Military in.
stitute, who recited most beautifully
three poems : 'Stonewall Jackson's 5
Way" "Oyer the River" "Slain in
Battle"
General Early the Orator.
General Jubal A. Early, the orator ol
the occasion, was next introduced ano
began speaking from manuscript. Gen.
eral Early appeared in good health, but
showed painfully the signs of old age
He was twice interrupted by bands that
had lust arrived He stopped speaking
and turning around sharply asked il
there was no way to stop that fuss. The
Grafton was received with attention ani
great enthusiasm,
A touching incident on the stand wa,
when Mrs. Jackson met her little gran.
children, whom she had not been per
mitted to see for long tine. She en-
braced them warmly and appeared
much affected, holding little Thomas il
her arms during the Grafton. Julia sal
alone.
After the Grafton the parade was con-
tinued to the cemetery, forming in the
rear of it mt 2oclock. At2:l5 Mrs. Stone
wall Jackson and her two little grand.
children, Julia Jackson Christian anG
Thomas Jackson Christian, ascendee
the stand, accompanied by Captain john
Carmichael Two minutes afterwards
amid the firing of cannon by the Rock,
bridge artillery, the cord was pulled by
litt1a T,,1fu md tho yai1 fall ayOpgiyl6r tf
view the statue. The military and
civic organizations then passed in view
Of the statue through the cemetery
dropping out of line as they reached
their quarters.
The jackson Statue.
The statue is of bronze, heroic in size
and portrays Jackson with uncovered
head leaning on his sword and left leg,
and looking out upon field Of battle
In the right hand at his side is a field
glass. The figure is clad in the full
uniform of n Confederate lieutenant
general, with the gold lace on the sleeves
distinctly visible. and with heavy mill
tary boots and spurs. The scabbard oi
the sword upon which the gauntleted
left hand rests bears the letters u. s, ;
an historical fact, as it was modelled
from Jackson's own sword.
Inc Statue proper measures elSht reel
and surmonnts a granite pedestal ten
and half feet high, consisting of bast
course, die and capital On one face
the die bears the inscriptions: jackson
1s24-1s63;" on another is the single
word "Stonewall,' the sobriquet giyer
Jackson by his chief General Lee. Be
meath the pedestal is vault containing
six sepulcher chambers, surrounded by
circular grass plot. around which is /
driveway with four approaches. Th5
general effect of the structure is impos
ing, and the statue is considered good
! "a, = Al.