Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-06-01

and the tread of soldiery were heard nj AN
early hour andsOon the principal thorough.
fares were thrOngcd with people enjoying
the genial sunshine and balmy atmosphere,
all eager to participate i'll the impressive
ceremonies of the occasion. The day being
legal holiday there was almost a general
suspension Oi business. The few establish
ments that were open during the morning
closed at noon.
The morning was devoted to receiving
contributions of flowers, arranging them
Ill bouquets wreaths and other embleins
and sending them to the cemeteries, where
veterans were kept busy firing sautes and
strewing the graves of fallen comrades.
At ADMIRAL IN FONTS GRAVE.
About O'Clock du Pont Post, G.. A. r.,
started on its annual pilgrimage to the
grave of Admiral 5. +, du pont The vet
Grams left the French street station Of the
Wilmington a. Northern railroad and Jour.
neyed by special train to Montchanin,
whence they marched to the du Pont's pri
vatc burying ground. overlooking the his
toric BrandyWine. Here the usual ccre-
monies were performed, supplemented
with music by the choir of Mt. Salem
Church, led by Henry W. Zimmerman,
and an address by the Rev. 5. NJ. Morgan,
Jr. The speaker said
THE REV. MIR. MoRGAN's ADDRESS,
want to express to du Pont Post, in the
first place, my sincere gratitude for the
invitation to address you on the occasion
of your annual visit to the grave of Rear
Admiral ;, +. du Point. Since have been
Il resident Of your city you have honOred
me with two invitations to speak 10 you
once from my pulpit one wear ago and
now to stand with you with barred head,
by the mound that covers the dust of the
brave soldier whose name your DuSt bears.
IL was not my privilege, by reason of
my age, TO take part ~ the struggle for
national union, but it is with unfcgned
felicity that | stand with battle.scarred
and manned veterans of that struggle, and
tell you how much | and the thoughtful
of my generation appreciate what you did
for us.
1t is fitting that you should make these
annual pilgrimages to the graves of your
fallen comrades and strew their graves
with fragrant flowers and thus keep fresh
their memory and it Is eminently fitting
that one OF these pilgrimagcs should be to
the grave of ono of the bravest and most
distinguished soldier and sons OF Della
ware. Born AS he was in the lap OF wealth
and abundant resources for II life OF ease
and pleasure, he preferred rather II life of
prVation and hardship in the service of
his country, that his country and ours
might remain intact and that generations
then unborn might enjoy what he and YOU
and your comrades living and dead suf-
fered aud sacrificed to maintain.
A brief mention of the eventful career
of this distinguished soldier is properly
part of this address. Born in the neigh.
boring State of New Jersey he, at an early
age. removed with his parents, To Della
ware, aud settled ON the lirandywinc, not
far from where We now stand. At the age
of II he was appointed by President Madi-
SOIL rnidshipman in the United States
navy, AbOutth same time he was offered
a cadetship at West Point, but preferring
the former he entered upon It's duties,
Thus began his useful career Eleven
years midshipman, l6 years lieutenant Is
years commander, years captain and 3
years rear admiral. he thus rose by we'll
earned steps of promotion until he reached
the highest office but two in that part
of the United States army, giving 10 years
all his life but II yearS-ln this part of
military service During that long and
eventfu career he went in every direction
on the globe and entered every important
port He was five times stationed ntlc Med
iterranean sea, was in the South Atlantic,
Gulf of Mexico, southern, Western and
Eastern Pacific, in the ports OF South
America, Japan, China and India and
wherever he Went he bore aloft Our ma.
tional ensign with answering loyalty.
He took active part in two wars the
Mexican war and the rebellion, and III
both he rendered important service. luthe
Mexican war he took possession oil several
ports and gunbOgts of the enemy, His
most DFlllullL utultNtllltut, however, was
when ne landed his men off the town Of
San Jose and marching through the hot
fire of the enemy to the town relieved
Lieutenant Haywood and his men who
were surrounded and held as prisoners.
but his most renowned service was rem
dGred and his most brilliant laurrls won
during the late war. He helped to keep
open the Chesapeake bay to Annapolis and
enabled troops to land there and proceed
to the defence OF the national capital. lie
made Il study of the coast bordering on the
Southern States, and his reports became
the basis OF our naval operations in that
section. lie accepted the command of the
South Atlantic squadron and proceeded 10
Port Royal one Of the finest hArbOrs along
TINT coast. Admiral du Pont planned, and
on the morning of the 9TH OF November,
1861, led an attack upon the forts and in a
few hours the garrison was driven out or
captured and the stars and stripes planted
i'll the harbur and waved on South Carolina
soil for the first time since the dastaIdly
attack on Fort Sumter III the April pre-
Yious.
That VIC may appreciate the importance
of this victory want To notice some of its
results. IL was the most important victory
that had been won since the war began.
Indeed il was almost the only victory and
came not long after the disastrous defeat
of Ball Run. 1t was the first rift in the
cloud that overcast the northern sky, aud
lCt Ill tIlt lllSt ray pL nope lulb lllG
.ern heart and Just in the same proportion
thickened the cloud that darkencd the
southern SKY and sent doubt into the south
ern heart. More than this, it gave notice TO
the nations OF The old world, some of
which were either in open or secret sym
pathy wish the south that the northswas
not TO be overcome nor the south to'be
victorious, and to become separate and
independent nation So easily as some OF
them imagined.
Some OF US perhaps do no not appreciate
the Importance of the naval operations ~
the late war. | doubt that the south could
have been reduced without the assistance
OF the navy. The whole coast Was locked
and it could not be unlocked by an attack
from the land only This implied the
necessity of navy Our navy Was weak
at the beginning OF the war, and what sc
had was stolen by the south. 1t therefore
had to be recognized before it could be OF
much service, but when SO dealt with was
of incalculable aud in bringing back int
The Union the secediug state.
| want TO say "A few words IN reference tc
pur citizen soldiers. | mean those brave
patriotic men, who, at the call of Father
abraham for volunteers, left their shops
stores, farms, offices, pulpits, and homes
Ind DOTTED their citizens garD and donned
Ihe blue, shouldercd the musket and went
IN the front to fight for their country. Tho
Dne over whose grave we stand was trained
by the study and practice OF the art oil
Sar. But Of majority Of our land forces