The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1892-05-11

MA IL Ii ED sA RAEN.
Hon. II. III. Bum the Orator al Raj
eigh.-Observauce at Various.
Points in the State.
The ladies' memorial association ves
terday morning decorated the stage
at Metropolitan hall In the centre
on line with the footlights was
portrait of Gen. William MacR
This was adorned with small Confed.
crate flags and white roses. Along
the line of the stage were also flaes
and flowers. Above, on either side.
were State flags, and over all ban
nerets bearing the names of the
commanders of the various bricades
from North Carolina in the Confade-
rate service. Ali tlis was in prepara-
tion for the memorial exercises. in
honor of the Confederate dead. The
weather was threatening and there
was quite down-pour of rain at 3
O'Clock. The capitol and the various
State departments and the banks were
closed all day. The State flags were
displayed on the capitol. BY o'clock
the business houses were closed. De-
spite the weather Metropolitan hall
was filled with people, good propo-
ton being ladies. The Confederate
veterans entered in body, and some
Of the veterans from the Soldiers
Home were also present. The Cover
nor's Guard and drum corps marched
over from the armory, few moments
after 4.
On the stage at the hall were the
orator OF the day. Hon. Benjamin H.
Bum, Congressman from this district;
Gov. Holt, Capt. Coke, Mai. Finger,
DR.. Sanderlin, justices Avery, Clark
and Shepherd, DR.. f. B. Haywood,
+. II. Battle, Esq, and J B. Bachelor.
Esq; the orator occupying position
in front. Owing to the sickness of the
wife of the chief marshal, J. Wiley
Jones, Esq, he was unable to be pres
ent, and, at the request of the ladies,
Capt. Coke assumed that position. The
exercises opened with the singing of
the hymn, ''Nearer, my God, to Thee"
and in this the choir of the church of
the Good Shepherd led, accompanied
by trombone, cornet and flute, all
being conducted by Prof. PAUL..
Prayer was then offered by
Rev. |. Mex. Pittinger, rector Of the
church of the Good Shepherd. The
hymn "Th:s is {, ii 2eed iocr," was
then sung, the audience joining.
Capt. Coke introduced Capt. Bum.
the orator, in his usual forceful style,
and paid a tribute TO the devotion
shown each recurring year by the
noble ladies memorial association,
which he termed ''a blessed conservator
OF war memories" He announced that
the subject of the Grafton would be the
life and military services of Gen.
William MacRae, a gallant North
Corolinian. The orator of the day, he
declared, was able to do justice to the
subject of the life Of one of the first
men in the State in peace and war,
having himself been the gallant com
mander of the sharp-shootins corps of
MacRae's brigade.
There was great applause as the
orator began his address.
NIr. Eunn's Address.
He said he was unaccus.omed to
speaking on occasions of this kind He
began by speaking Of certain subjects
relative to the war, leading up to the
particular subject, Gen. MacRae. He
asked why May 10 was legal holiday
in North Carolina, day devoted to
this particular purpose. Just twenty
nine years ago to-day, when Southern
people were praying for their cause, the
news came that Stonewall jackson
was dead. He expressed the belief
that with the death of jackson began
the death of the Confederacy. The
brigade which MacRae led marched
into Gettysburg on the famous march
into Pennsylvania. He then sketched
the work of Mac Rae's brigade on the
first days fight there. The victory
won that day was lost by the death of
Jackson, fer he would have marched
his corps up in time. The loss
sustained by Pettigrew was greater
than that in any army in any war.
The losses and the heroism of Henry
K. Burgwyn's regiment, the 26th n.
g., have never been surpassed. North
Carolina will tall short of her duty if
she does not erect monoment to the
soldiers of that regiment at the spot
where Burgwyn fell. He also paid a
high tribute to the 47th and sd n.
{. regiments. The facts recounted
made it clear that this 10th of May is
the anniversary Of the death blow OF
the Contederacy. He touched lightly
upon the third days fight. Lee made
a great error there, but the stake was
a grand one. Had he won it, he be.
lieved that the southern army would
have been successful. He spoke oi
the battles Of the war and the number
of men engaged. One thing which