The record-union., 1891-07-22
STONEWALL JACKSON.
UNWILLING OF THE STATUE OF
THE FAMOUS GENERAL.
Imposing Ceremonies - Thousands o.
People View the Statue-Speeches
and Music.
Special to the REcoRp-UrroN.

LEXINGTON (ya.}. July 21.-This is the
! thirtieth anniversary of the first battle of
Manassas, and Lexington, a quiet agri-
cultural village. in which was spent the
life time Of Stonewall Jackson, the most
picturesque figure of tho Southern Con-
federacy, is brilliant with life and color,
while 10000 strangers are assembled
within It's environs, to participate III the
exercises incident to the unveiling Of q
monument symbolic of the esteem and
yeneration felt for the great soldier.
The weather is superb,a q fresh, cool
breeze tempering the rays Of the sun.
The streets and buildings are appropri-
ately decorated. Three beautiful arches
extend over the main street and banners
with the name of Jackson's different
battles printed on them swing within lG0
yards OF each other across the line of
march. On each one appears Jackson's
noted telegram after the battle of Me-
Dowell: fGod blessed our arms with
victory ct Mcdowell yesterday Long
streamers OF Confederate States flags
and battle flags, set off with national
! colOrs, decorate the houses, and Lees
! nausOleum is covered with eyerGreenS
/ and cnt flowers.
! The statue stands on an eminence of Il
/ circle, III the center of the City Cemetery
on Main street. well set off with giant
! trees. The sculptor is the Nirginian Ed
ward Y. Valentine, who designed the zee
monument. The statue is Of bronze and
Of heroic size. It portrays jackson with
uncovered head, leaning on his sword,
and resting on his LETT leg, looking out
upon the 1ield of battle. In the right
/ hand at his side is q field-glass. The
/ cta IN 7 I,n ii,I ~,
! Confederate tiieutenant-General. The
scabhard Of The sword was modelled from
Jackson's own sword. The statue propcr
measures eight feet, and sursaonnts tie
! granite pedestal, ten and half feet high.
The soldiers who followed Jackson
during the war are pleased with the
| statue.
| The parade ground of the Virginia Mill
tary institute was the place OF formation
! Of the procession, which was under the
! direction OF General James 4. Walker Of
! Nythe, Va, the only surviving COM
nander OF the Stonewall Brigade, and
! the members of General Walkers staff
occupied the right. The staff was fol-
| lowed by the Stonewall band of twenty
pieces, heading the ROcizbridge. Va, bat
| terry, under Colonel William T. Poague
/ with the guns Of the battery operated
/ under General jackson at the first battle
| OF Manassas. The guns belong to the
| Virginia Military Institute, and before
the war the cadets received instruction in
| their use from the hero Of Charlottesville.
/ The remainder of the procession was
| made up OF the survivors Of the Stone
/ wall Brigade, consisting OF the Second
! Fourth, Fifth, Twenty-seyenth and
/ Thirty-third Virginia Regiments, under
command of Colonel Andrew Jackson
| Grisby and Colonel j. X. Edmondson; a
! Maryland band and Confederate veterans
of the army and navy from Maryland
under General Bradley 7. Johnson; vari-
! GUS Confederate camps, and carriages,
one of which contained General Jubal A :
i Early, Orator of the Day; General Wade
! Hampton, who presided over the cero-
! monies; Edward Y. Valentine, sculptor:
/ Mrs. I. j. jackson, General Rosser, and
a number of distinguished Confederate
officers and ladies of the Monument Com
/ mittee.
| The procession first moved to the cam
pus Of the Washington and Lee Univer-
! sity and halted about the platform, which
was handsomely decorated. Rev. DIR. II.
! {. Hopkins of West Virginia, who as
! Chaplain of the Second Virginia Regi-
nlent, was with Jackson in nearly all his
/ lights, opened the ceremonies with
prayer.
/ General Wade Hampton introduced the
/ orator of the day, General Jubal A.
Early, and Colonel Thomas NJ. Simmes,
/ F" ~ 1Cetu lSO pcCiAISs ciItlllCu, DlOJl6-
wall Jackson's Way" and lover the
/ River"
! General Early's speech throughout was
mild and full of argument. being little
more or less than an eulogistic sketch of
! Jackson's life. He ended as follows:
Let me conclude by saying, and let
every honest-hearted Confederate who
fought bravely in the war say, if L should
/ ever apologize for any part or action taken
/ by me in the war, may the lightning of
| righteous heaven blast me from the earth,
and may be considered a spawn of the
earth by all honest men,"
The Grafton was received with tre-
/ mendous enthusiasm.
The procession reformed as soon as the
proceedings at the stand were over and
/ they marched to the cemetery in which
the statue stands. Here little Julia
Jackson Christian, from an elevated plat
( form, pulled the cords which sustained
the veil over the statue and exposed it to
view, while the Rockbridge Battery fired
a salute.