Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-01-23
CELEBRATION OF THE BIRTH DAY OF
GEN. ROBERT E. lee.
AN IMMENSE AUDIENCE.
A SPLENDID GRAFTON BY HON. JOHN
w. DANIEL.
Good Music by the Stonewall Brigade Band
and the Islackford Band.

utmost capacity by those assembled to honor
likewise honored themselves.
The musical part of the programme began
promptly at 10 o'clock. the appointed no ur, by
a cornet duet, 1.-The Gladiators," by Messrs
Brereton and Wood. This was followed by
the waltz, "Muetta," by the whole band, and
then followed a cornet quartette by Messrs
Brereton, Wood, Hockey and Lytton.
The music was very finely executed.
Then Capt Jas. n Mcfarland announced
that the exercises would be open ed with pray
er by the Rev. A NJ Fraser, Pastor of the
First Presbyterian church The audience arose
and Mr.. Fraser offered a we'll conceived and
admirably appropriate prayer for the occasion.
Maj. Jed Hotchkiss then announced that the
'Schumann Lady Quartette,' who occupied a
proscenium box, had kindly consented to ia
vor the audience with a song. They arose
and sang The Old Kentucky Home" They
We're rapturously applanded, and then
sang as an encore, do you hear dem bells"
in which the reverberating sounds of church
bells were perfectly initiated The audience
was delighted.
Then the combined bands played, and a
large choir sang, three stanzas of Gen Lees
favorite hymn-"How firm foundation We
saints of the Lord" &c.
Then Maj. Hotchkiss arose to introduce the
orator of the occasion. Addressing the au-
dience, he said he congratulated them on this,
the third celebration of the birth of Lee, and
hoped that each year would find them here to
honor the memory of Virginian's peerless
son, who was one of the greatest men of this
or any other country. Virginia has five red
letter days in her calendar, which she cele-
brates.
Flrst,-January 1st, New Years day, when
we make good resolutions, and then, alas, too
often break them.
Second-January 18th, the date of the birth
of Gen. Robert E. Lee.
hird,-February 22nd, the birthday of Gen.
Washington-the Father of his country"
Fourth,-The 4th of July, Declaration of
Independence day-Jefferson's day.
Fifth, December 18th, Christmas Day, in
honor of Him who brought peace on earth
and good will to men.
He concluded by saying that Virginias sol
der Senator and peerless orator. John War
wick Daniel of Lynchburg, needed no intro
ducton to Virginia audience.
As Mai. Daniel arose he was greeted with a
demonstration that must have warmed his
heart. He then delivered his great Grafton on
the theme-"Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Vir-
ginians at the battle of Gettysburg for
two hours he held the delighted attention of
the vast audience. The address was historic
and instructive as well as interesting and
eloquent. His eulogiums of Gen. Lee and
other distinguished Confederate officers were
deservedly handsome; his statements in detail
of military operations were clear and instruc-
tive; and his descriptions of battle scenes
graphic and picturesque
Nothing less than full report could do JUS
tice to it, and as it is too long to be thus pub
lished in the newspapers, it should be publish
ed in pamphlet form that those who did not
have the pleasure and profit of hearing it from
the lips of its author might have the pleasure
and benefit of reading it.
The Necs has given as good as report as the
space devoted to it would allow, and we give
our readers the benefit of it.
w. 5
Major Daniel began his address by saying
this was the S9th anniversary of the birth of
Robert Edward Lee. who was born in the
county of Westmoreland Va, the 19tL day of
January 1907 and who died in Lexington,
Va, the 10Th day of October, 1870 He had
left in tears people for whom he had done so
much that they should delight to revere and
honor him. No greater honor could be paid
by any nation to a hero than by making his
10Th hn13 To OE
ing more worthy or more fitting than this.
The name of Lee stands before US for what
ever can be honored by men anywhere Ask
of any father or mother who of all the great
men of history they would wish their sons to
take pattern of. and Lee would be their an
swer. lie stands as the noblest pattern of a
Christian soldier Ask the man of the world
amid all the cares and perplexities of business,
whom he would trust and tie to most and the
answer would be, Lee" Ask the historian
who is the most conspicuous figure in all the
manly and heroic qualities and the answer
would be, Lee" There was no assemblage
in the confines of the world that would fail to
honor that name There were many who dis
agreed with him, but all admitted his ability,
his honor, his honesty and the purity of his
motives. The army of the most gigantic and
resourceful military power of the world was
hurled against him. There was not one in
that army that opposed him who had any per
sonal enmity against him. He had thou
sand rivals for the honor of his position and
rank, but none of them had harsh feeling
toward him. He was stripped of rank and
power, but the silent influence of his life
brought him honor and dignity. He lost his
home, but every door swung open to receive
him. He lost his wealth, but he was deluged
with offers of high salaries which he refused.
He lost employment, but he had numberless
positions offered him. He lost his army, but
every man in il was nearer and more devoted
rn r nf toi1 no
wreath of victory. but no victor ever wore
wreath SO bright 1t Was said of Washington
that he had no children that he might become
the father OF the country, so Lees army and
possessions were taken from him that his
country might hail him as a brother and the
world receive him as a SON. The thought was
elevating and cheering to our conceptions All
accord to him the need of their praise and
his fame is self-suppofting and expanding II
grows greater every year as we recede from
him. As history is more clearly reviewed II
shows how wise was his conduct Men realize
more and more how great was his audacity
and his marvellous charity that concealed the
faults of others and only revealed them when
It was rendered necessary by the public wei
fare
THE LACK OF WAR HISTORIES.
Maj. Daniel then said it had been the inten-
ton of General Lee to write history of the
army he commanded, not to applaud himself,
out to do justice to the men who fought in
| that army. History, in Lees death, had lost a
| treasure and that army had lost a monument
There is none that can take his place.
Virginia" said Maj. Daniel. has made
more history worthy to be preserved than any
other state, but she has done less than any
other state in preserving it.
In the late war six hundred battles were
fought within her territory, but you look in
vain for the rolls of her armies and her regi-
ments. She bore the brunt of the contest, but
her State capitol is deficient in official docu-
ments and material. Mosby's exploits had
been recounted; there was but one regimental
history, that of the 9th Virginia and of the
| 18th battalion; there was Johnson Narrative;
VIM. Jones Memorial Volumes, Ashby and
his Compeers by Aiverett, Dabney and Coode
had written of Jackson but the Stonewall
Brigade was without a historian, although
there never was in any way grander body of
men. A regiment of the Consular guard of
Napoleon had stood in the breach at MarengO,
detied the Austrians and won thetitle of The
Wall of Granite" That is what the Stonewall
Brigade did at the First Battle of Manassas.
In speaking of the historical works extant
Maj. Daniel commended the Life of Lee just
written by his nephew, General Fitzhugh Lee.
and spoke of the valuable historical data con-
4 taio ir,t ba Of Ana Sta hu