Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-22
written by Oscar W. Blackwell, oil
Kittrell)


Kittrell)
Strong granite. seek the skies.
Eternal stone arise,
To honor our southern dead,
To honor the men who shed
Their life's blood for the right.
With retrospective eye
see them throng 10 die
on fields their valor made
Names that cannot fade
From histOry's greatest page
our precious heritage.
Not Glory holds the bay.
But Duty points the way.
When al Cardinals call,
Their Spartan mothers call.
From cabin hearth and hall,
From station great and small
They gather TO the night
They brave resistlcss might.
Carolina from thy breast.
Thy sturdy rock-ribbed breast,
\ fit memorial wrest
For these thy sturdiest sons,
Thy duteous. gallant sons.
who faced the hostile guns.
Who AT thy stern behest
Forward to the battle pressed
Nor counted gain or loss
Beneath the starry cross.
who fought and starved and bled
with all but honor dead,
When Hope Itself had led
Who more than won success,
Who won the deathleSs fame
That belongs to the spotless name.
Theirs the happy lot
From our name 10 wash the bot
With their life blood wash the blot
BY envy cast Of old
DiSpraise was put 10 shame,
Detraction hid rs head
Before men OF such a mould.
Whom Lee with pride hath led,
Who under Jackson sped
From field TO field Of fame.
And on the biOOd!est field
Were their cOuntrys sword ana shcld.
All not till they were low
Came victory 10 the foe!
From where against our ranks
When first against our ranks
The northern hordcs were hurled
TIL on Arpomattox banks
The starry cross vas furled,
Twas only Ger our dead,
Our own Carolina dead,
That hostile foot could tread,
Could tread without recoil
The sacred southern soil
Twas only over the graves,
The earth-encumb'r'ng graves
OF our uncofined braves
That the invader came;
That We were put 10 shame.
Rise, granite shaft and stand
beacon In our ways
Rise. granite shaft, and hand
The example Of that band
That more than Spartan band
Down TO remotest days.
Let not their fall be vain.
From even this loss give gain;
Far more than victory
Than lsurels ever won
Is the example Of duty done.
or men who would not Shun
Even death when liberty
Called from her Utmost shrine.
Called forth with voice Divine
Babe them her ransom give.
Dade them their hearts blood give
Babe die. that she might live.
And TO the example high
(Ah. never let IL dieo
OF the intrepid men in gray.
We owe that to this day.
She still with US abides.
Still in our midst resides.
Twas that that made US bold.
Her garments hem TO hold
Through the dark and hopeless ways
of reconstruction days.
Upon thy face proud stone.
Nor name nor deed be shown.
Simply he II read:
ITO Our Confederate Dead,
Not all the shafts that rest
Unquarried in thy breast,
o. Mother State, could hold
In smallest characters told.
Every worthy deed
OF those who In thy need,
Who In thy sorest need
Stood a living wall
Between thee and tho Zoe,
Which they might overthrow.
Which might perish fall.
But which could not retreat
Could not survive defeat
Honor all as onel
Honor one III all!
Know neither great nor small
Greater than patriot, none
Yea, patriot to the core,
The humblest man who bore
A musket In the strife
And Tor conviction gaze his life.
The highest could be no more.
Whether with breasts unsecured,
With hope as yet unmarried.
Beneath the banner barred.
They fell most gloriOusly
When a battle meant d victory;
Or purged Of eve<s dross
Beneath the star strcwn cross.
In deadly trenches pent.
Their shattered frames were spent
TIL wounds Or fell disease
Gave their gallant souls release;
1t recks not how or where
That highest pledge was given,
Enough 10 know that there.
here's life was rven.
And those other southern dead.
For whom no tear was shed.
The southern women true
Give them their tardy due,
At heart, At hsart. they bled:
At home as In prison
They could only hear afar
The narrowing sounds or war.
In strife could take no part,
While every ball that sped
Every ounce Of Federal lead
Smote them full within the heart.
The man could die hut once.
The woman q thousand times;
The body dies but once,
The heart a thousand times.
Those issues now are past.
Have sunk within the vast,
And should no longer cast
Their shadow over our lives
LET prejudice abate,
Away with sectional hate;
Honor the brave and true.
Whether In gray or blue;
But one point never yield.
One truth forever SHIELD.
AS sure as rolls the sun.
or on the centuries run,
That these men. that they.
Who with honor wore the gray,
Were patriots every one
That motives. purer, higher.
More patriotic fire
Did never breasts inspire.
Nor men more true and bold
\ juster cause uphold.
CELEBRATION IN CHARLOTTE.
The Great Anniversary sigualiIed by BASE
hall Games aud Bike Races.