Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-23
COL TATE TO THE UNKNOWN DEAD.
Their State Honors Them and Loving
Friends Cherish Their Memories.
cs.s< r,-s..-.- c...,,.t NscnoweII Tate

Their State Honors Them and Loving
Friends Cherish Their Memories.
state-Treasurer Samuel Mcdowell Tate
was the next speaker. and SAID:
I'VE meet here to-day to lay
the cornerstone OF monument
to the memory of North Caroiinas
Confederate soldiers, and I am directed
by the Ladies' Monumental Association
who have this work In charge. to empha-
size the fact that this Is a voluntary
tribute from all our people to the heroic
dead. nor Is there one preferred ABOVE
another, for no single name appears upon
II. The general and the private soldier'
all alike, died for us and left heritage
more precious than gold and silver. more
enduring than brass or stone-imperish-
able honor. They need no stately pyramhd
to perpetuate their fame. but let THIS
grand column be accounted also as
memorial of the devotion of our noble
women and a proof OF their wortninesS
OF those whom they loved.
North Carolina. so conservative, so
modest, was often spoken OF as "a strip OF
land between two States by our defamers
and those who did not know the people.
and in truth. our more volatile neghbors
did not expect great deeds of US. We had
been pretty evenly divided on old Federal
politics, and strangers even doubted the
States action, but when Mr. Lincoln
proclaimed coercion as his policy ana
called for troops the State answered MN
by lightning. The cause of Virginia Is
our cause-milions for defence, not a
man for coercion At once all division
ceased; Whfg and Democrat. rich and
DOOR all were patriots. Ii was North
Cardinals call TO which they responded,
and in numbers largely in excess OF any
sister State. And. alas, the losses were
even more Observation-Disclosures
The general character OF North Carolina
troops was high in all branches OF the
military service, and 1t was owing to
opportunity rather than to any superiority
of material, .4rhaps, that some of the
commands may have gained more reputa-
tlon than others. They were all good
On every field they won renown. and at
Sharpsburg. probably the bloodest field
during the war; according TO numbers
engaged the North Carolinians, in the
open field. without protection. maintained
their ground against superior forces fire.
quently reinforced by fresh corps, until
night ended the slaughter. When morn
ing came the 'Tar-Hees' were there, but
the enemy were not, nor could they be
induced 10 return to the charge during
that day. They had enough.
THE GALLANT CAROLINIANS.
At Gettysburg on the second day II was
a North Carolina regiment which planted
its colors upon the enemy's gun on East
Cemetery Heights at the salient Of the
enemy's lines. and maintained them there
until after dark. No other Confederate
flag was so placed on the heights. In the
so-called Pickett charge on the third
l,xr hot,
Carolina than from any other State. To
storm and capture the almost impregnable
works at Ream's Station. near Peters
burg General Lee selected Cooks and
.MacRae's North Carolina Brigades. and
they succeeded. Besides this performance
the "charge of the 600' at Balaklava
pales into insignifcance. Yet while all
English-speaking people applaud the lat
ter, which was a failure, no one speaks
of the victorious North Carolinians led by
Cook and MacRae And such is history.
General Longstreet has recently testified,
in speaking of our troops, that he had
been impressed with .he fact that the
enomy's losses were always greatest in
front of the North Carolina regiments.
LAST AT APPUaIATTUX.
On that last and fatal day at Apo
mattox, when General Lee found his way
airy and artillery, completely surround
ing him and his famished. struggling
forces, his attention was attracted by
line of Confederate infantry moving
rapidly up beside him, as though to
charge the huge masses in front. He
asked what troops are these?' and was
answered "a North Carolina brigade
With tears streaming down his face. he
exclaimed. God bless old North Caro-
lima" Thus we see them, the first 10 the
front at Bethel; the last To 30 down at
AppomattoX.
North Carollnians are homogeneous
people. honest, conservative, God-fearing.
who by their valor and other good quail
ties. take rank among the foremost OF
mankind. II is n sad remembrance that
so many of them are In unmarked and
unknown graves, but their State now
hopors them, and will throughout the
ages, while loving friends will' cherish
their memories Thousands of them had
| no worldly goods. but they loved their
| State and their neghbors They were
| patriots, and more. they were Gods no.
| bility. Greater love hath no man than
| this, that he lay down his life for his
| friend" With all reverence. in the lam
| guage of the noble Lee. God bless old
| North Carolina"
| Chaplain weston OHereu prayer, anu
| the choir sang How Firm a Founda-
ton" The cornerstone was declared
| duly and properly set
| HON. X. T. BENEFITS ADDRESS.
| The last speaker was Hon. r. T. Ben
| nett who paid an eloquent tribute TO
| the Carolina soldiers, and said: 1--WE
| ask the prayers of this great company
! Of Christian people while we speak of the
/ tl,a
| ner-stone just laid is to hold in perpetu,y
| for generations to follow us. The sound
| Of the war in which the armies of the
| Confederate States were worn down by
| repeated blows of superior numbers has
| grown faint. Already time lends to the
events of that struggle. which were the
most energetic and tumultuous in their
| accomplishment, the air of repose. The
| South, inspired by lofty ideals Of duty
| and stimulated by precious faith. has
| done well in preserving amidst poverty
| and trial the wholesome truths of that
| great struggle. The fullness of time
| has come The daughters and grand
| daughters of the regiments that followed
| the leadership OF Lee and Jackson
| Branch and Bragg upon the crested ridge
| amid the stormy presence OF battle. the
women of our State, have set up a stone
for a pillar to TESTIFY 10 UNBORN ages
our reverence for our dead. This Is
| a white day In North Carolina, distin-
cushed as the anniversary day OF oui
first and second declarations Of inde
pendence. It Is good to be here. Let u'
| administer the sacraments to our hearts
| Standing here. harkening TO voices from
the tomb. let us baptize ourselves afresf
a the name of liberty"
Mr.. Bennett concluded as follows
'sThese dead were our comrades In th'
anguish OF the struggle: we know VIII,
they tarry so long on the homewart
march. Their record Is made up. North
Carolinians. when they would exai
their fame. are not obliged to turn ava,
from dishonoring or equivocal features
Rest on. gentle and heroic spirits. Hea
not thine accusers. The living Soutf
will defend your memories; distant ase'
In their majestic march will pause a
your graves. while philosophers and loft!
souls will say. These men had Jus
cause. They were dutiful sons OF inde
structible States; their actions wer
worthy Of their day; their achievement
were worthy Of all time
4 Vance Memorial Association.
In n