The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-07-24
STONEWA ALL JACKSON.
a GREAT THEoNG AT LEXINGTON.

GREAT THRoNG AT LEXINGTON.
Unvesttng Ceremonies-Gen.E Early Delivers
the oration-The Statue Unveiled by the
Little Granddaughter of the Great
General.
LEXINGTON, Ky, July 22.-Each train
since yesterday afternoon has been filed
with former Confederates, their number
being so large that the town accommoda-
tons stretched to their utmost by the hos
pitality Of its residents was insufficient
for the gathering throng. There is not a
house in the city, public or private. that
is not filled. This morning the country
sides are swarming with people, and every
road leading through rolling fields of
ripened wheat and blossoming clover is
pouring its contingent into Lexington
The weather is superb The day dawucd
musty and threatening, but the rising sun
soon drove away the clouds and fog. The
sky cleared beautifully and the fresh,
cool breeze tempered the rays Of the sun
SO that the day was us pleasant as could
be wished.
1t was twelve o'clock to-day when the
procession arrived at the Y. NJ l. campus,
and Gen. Wade Hampton at that hour in
troduced Rev. H. G. Hopkins, chaplain of
the Stonewall brigade, who led in five
minutes prayer. Gen. Hampton then in
troduced Col. I. NJ. Semmes, of the V. NJ
L., who recited most beautifully three
poems: "Stoncwal Jackson's Way"
cover the River" and "Slain in Battle"
Gen. Jubal A. Early, orator of the oc-.
casion, was next introduced and began
speaking from manuscript. Gen. Early
appeared in good health but showed pain
fully the signs of old age. He was twice
interrupted by bands tina. had just arriv-
ed. He stopped speaking and turning
sharply around asked if there was no way
TO stop that fuss. The Grafton was receiv-
ed with attention and great enthusiasm.
A touching incident on the stand was
when Mrs. Jackson met her little grand
children, whom she had not been permit
ted to see for a long time. She embraced
them warmly and appeared much affected,
holding little Thomas in her arms during
the Grafton. Julia sat alone.
After the Grafton the parade was con-
tinued to the cemetery, forming in the
rear of it at 2 o'clock. At s2:l5 Mrs.
Stonewail Jackson and her two little
grand children, Julia jackson Christian,
and Thomas Jackson Christian, assembled
the stand accompanied by Capt. John
Carmichael.
Two minutes afterwards, amid the firing
Of cannon by the Rockbridge Artillery
cord was pulled by little Julia and the
veil fell, exposing to view the statue.
Military and civil organizations then
passed in viewof the statue through the
cemetery, dropping out of line as they
reached their quarters.
Gen .Earfy's Grafton was u history of
the life of Gen. T. }. Jackson. Beginning
With MS bfirtfi, re traced His career to the
military academy Mt West Point, bearing
hard on his powerful tenacity and pluck
and bringing out fully HE obstinacy in the
face of difficulties.
He reviewed briefly Jackson's career in
the Mexican army leading up to his life at
the Virginia Military Institute, aid his
influence On the Young soldiers trained at
that school by him. He then made an
historic sketch of the army record OF the
great leader, bringing out forcibly the
opinion of him by his opponents, remark
ing:
"They thought they would have great
troubles in finding the faces of Jackson's
men, but they learned afterwards that 1t
was caused by their own faces being turn
ed the wrong way.
He dwelt forcibly on Jackson's cam
paign in the valley, going into dates and
figures to show that he fought always
against large numbers and was always
the victor His reference to the manner
in which Jackson obtained his name OF
"Stonewail" called from the immense
crowd of fifteen thousand people tremen-
dous applause. He said: "But Jackson
was not stone-wall, alone, as he stood
up behind those Virginians, but military
hurricane and his enemies will testify to
this truth
His speech throughout was mild and
full of argument, being little more or
less than eulogistic sketch of jackson 8
life. He ended his speech as follows:
"Let me conclude by saying, and let
every honest hearted Confederate who
fought brayely in the war, say: Ii
should ever apologize for any part or &C
ton taken by me in the war, may the
lightning of a righteous heaven blast me
from the earth, and may be considered
as the spawn of the earth by all honest