Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-05-31
CONSERVATIVE THE GUNS.
Beautiful and Imp ressive Feature Of tho
Confederate Exercises.

confederate Exercises.
In this beautiful cemetery but a few hours
before the arrival of the remains of Secre-
tary Gresham the Union and Confederate
veterans had united in dedicating a mon
ument to the Confederate soldiers, and
the most beautiful portion of the exer-
oises probably was the conservation of the
guns. The monument corps comprised:
For cannon No. !, Colonel X. II. Stewart
and Miss Lucy Lee Hill; for cannon No.
2, Colonel Samuel j. Sullivan and Mrs.
Albert AEers; for cannon No. 3, Lieuten-
ant Colonel George Forester and Miss
Laura l.. Mitchell; for cannon No. t.
Lieutenant Colonel John w. White and
Miss Belle Armstrong;; spihing party,
Lieutenant Colonel II. Lee France and
Comrade Theodore Noel. These formed
and marched to the guns the gentlemen
cscorting the ladies, passing along the
united lines of Union and cx Confederate
veterans, which stood uncovered.
General Underwood said: 'Consecrate
the guns" At the first cannon Colonel
Stewart said: "rhis gun, having fired
its last shot on field OF battle, will now
be sounded and then silenced forever.
Spike the gun"
Whereupon the spiking party spiked
the cannon, Lieutenant Colonel France
placing the spike ana Comradc Noel
driving it home. After the gun was
spiked Colonel Stewart assisted Miss
Lucy Lee Hill on a pedestal and the lady
said: This cannon, with its glorious
record on field of battle, having been
silcnced forever, / do consecrate to the
memory of the valoroUs soldiery we now
monument as n military decoration for
their bravery and honor unto DEATH
At gun No = the ceremony was repeat
cd, with Colonel sullivan in command,
but Mrs Albert Akcrs spoke as follows:
This cannon. with its glorious record on
field Of battle, having been silenccd for
ever, i do consecrntc to the memory of
tho southern soldiers here buried as n
monument to their fortitude and endur-
ance of the hardships of captive life.'
1T gun No. g. the same, with Lieuten.
ant Colonel Forester in command, and
Miss Mitchell said: ''This cannon, with
its glorious record on field of battle,
having been silenced forever, / do con-
sccra.e to the memory OF the Confedcratcs
whose soldjCriy remains lie beneath this
sacred sod, in monumental token of their
firmness and manhood on the field Of
battle and in prison."
AU gun NO. u Si1illl1T CcrcElOuy, Will
Lieutenant Colonel White in command,
occurred and Miss Armstrong said: This
| cannon with its glorious record on field
of battle, having been silenced forever, l
do consecrate to the memory of those true
men who gave their lives to the cause, and
who, after three intermcnts are here
sleeping far from their loved southland.
General FAyettc Hewitt, chief of staff,
| then assisted Mrs. Katie Cabeil Currie to
the central pedestal and that lady spoke
| as follows:
These four cannon, being guns cap
tured from the Union forces in the battles
| of Murfreesboro and Chick amauga, and
afterward manned by the Confederates
and fought on the southern side in the
battles of Missionary Ridge, Rcsaca, Dali
ton, Kcnnesaw Mountain. Peachtrec
| Creek. Atlanta and Franklin, We're
finally rccaptured by the tederals in the
battle of Nashville and subsequent en-
| Sagements.
ut constitutes field battery of light
artillery of distinguished battle record
and is here permanently parked. never
again to belch forth deadly missiles in
horrible splcudor of war. All hail the
| silenced guns we consecrate which, with
shot and shell piled in monumental dec.
Grafton on this burial plot are hence.
forth dedicated as military tribute to
valor fortitudc and death" A mufilcd
drum-roll was then sounded.
An equally beautiful ceremony was
used in decorating the monument with
flowers, ut the close of which the Firs.
ceimcnt infantry, Illinois national
guard. Colonel Henry l.. Turner com.
manding, the firing detachment" hav-
ing previously taken position, fred three
yolleys across and over the dead, and then
came to order, armsl' and ut the com.
mand of the colonel were sounded bugle
blarc and taps, after which the military
band rendered thrilling march, the
troops moved OF and the audience dis
persed.