Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1896-02-07
Confederate Memorial Hall.


United Confederate Veterans, New Orleans
La, December z, 1896, is commended to the
careful perusal of our readers;
General Orders No. 1856.
The progress made by the able and dis
tinguished committee appointed in General
Orders Nos 145 and 149 from these head
quarters to examine into aud report upon
the plan submitted by the great philanthro-
pist and benefactor, Charles Bread way
Rouss, for the establishment OF grand Me-
mortal Hail. where Confederate relics and
mementoes are to be deposited for all time,
and which is to become the battle Abbey"
OF the South, must be very gratifying TO the
old veterans and to all those who love the
traditions OF the South and who cherish the
memories OF The courage and herusm oI her
sons, and the unparalleled devotion OF her
noble and sell sacrificing women.
This splendid committee has now success
fully launched the grand enterprise, and
through their action and that Of their sub
committees, have formulated a mode oi pro
cedure which, If energetcally carried out,
cannot fail OF success
Ii will be remembered that the generous
and large hearted donor, MIR, Charles Broad
way Rouss, who alone conceived this pro-
ject for the perpetuation OF the history and
glory OF his countrymen, presented plan
| Tor It's ConsummatiOu to the veterans at the
Houston re union, at the same time sub
scribing 100000 as his individual sub
scription to assist in carrying out his grand
views and ideas, conditioned upon the veter-
ans raising a like amount.
To raise this 100000 additional, and
enough more to endow and insure the per
petuation of the institution, is the problem
which now occupies the attention and efforts
of the committee.
1t is believed that one half of the amount
required will be raised through the sub
scription OF the more than $4,000 members
OF the U. q. V. Association, and which will
entitle them to certificates showing their
contributions, thus giving each contributor
an interest in this glorious enterprise, which
is 80 near and so dear TO the heart OF every
veteran-and it is considered to be sure and
beyond peradventure, that the other halt, OF
balance, whatever may be required, Will be
raised by the noble women OF the South.
The committee suggests that the most
feasible manner of reaching the desired OBJ
ject is to set apart Memorial Festival
Day" and they ask that the General Com
manding will designate the date, and issue
general order.
The General Commanding, therefore, in
compliance with the request OF the commit
tee designates Friday, May |, 1896, us the
most suitable for a Memorial Festival Day,
to be set apart for the use OF the women OF
the South in raising funds for this great
Memorial Hall.
All the details and exercises OF this "Me-
mortal Festival Day" are TO be planned, con
Quoted and carried out entirely under the
orders, control, ideas and management OF
the women OF the South in their respective
localities.
For, in whose hands could this sacred
trust more properly be placed, and with
| more certainty of success, than into those
of the gentle women OF the South, who have
never yet faltered or tailed in the perform.
ance of any duty, either in war or in peace,
imposed upon them for the Southern cause.
Their spirit and determination animated
the men of the South at the scene OF the first
conflict they were the most constant and
! unremitting patriots and workers during
their country's mighty struggle, and the last
to abandon the sacred cause after southern
hopes vanished behind the clouds at APP
pomattox.
The true history OF their deeds and tri-
umphs has not yet been told.
| No historian has yet written the story,
nor muse sung the song, nor minstrel strung
the Tyre, which fifty celebrates their praise
The straits to which they were reduced
for food and clothing, the self abnegation
and hardships endured by them during those
dark and gloomy days of war, finds no par
allel in history; their patriotism and cour'
age will be written in golden letters upon
the tablets of time, inetfaceabIe while mem
DRY lasts, and, as ministering angels, their
names will live upon the pages oil poetry
and in romance as long as chivalry exist
in the hearts and minds Of mankind.
This Battle Abbey" will not be dedi-
Gated alone to the history and deeds OF the
civic and military heroes OF the greatest OF
civil wars but the General Commanding
will see that within its sacred portals suffi
| cient and conspicuous space VIII be reserved
| for the names lnd fame of the "HeroneS OF
the South"
As yet, only wandering troubadours, like
the Dards Of the middle ages, lOurneyiug
from castle to castle, have very family sung
their praise; but the tender and sacred
memories which cluster with halo of love
and generation around their living and dead
demands that their names and the story OF
their glory be gathered ere it is too late, and
chat some Master, whose pen is inspired
with celestial fire, and whose touch is mel
lowed and haIioWeG by the richness and
grandeur of the theme, shall mingle and
blend them with their glorious achievements
into a southern Epic, glowing with tributes
OF their unriyalled history, To be deposited in
tDlS SANCTUARY Oh . butneTn VdtDT.
In this Temple Of Fame, which is to be
consecrated TO all the people Of the coming
centuries, In niche which Will be carved
out by the story of their own wondrous
deeds and glory, q monument will also arise,
commemorative Of the courage and fame OF
the "Herones of the South" II name which
will ever be linked in history with those Of
"Roman Matron" and spartan Mother"
For did not every Southern mother, like the
"Roman Matron," proudly exclaim: "Fhese
are my jewels" and did not their fortitude
and heroism rise to even supreme heights
For they sent their offspring bravely and
Loyalty to battle for their country, and with
the "Spartan Mothers" deathless in JUNCTION
"Return with your shield, or on it,"
1t is 10 the survivors of the illustrious wo-
me and to their descendants TO whom the
General Commanding, therefore, confidently
intrusts this important mission of assisting
in this holy undertaking.
The General Commanding appeals to and
urges these heroic women survivors OF a
heroic age, AMI all Tue daughters Of the
South who take pride in the history OF such
worthy and glorious ancestors, to imme
diately, upon the receipt OF this order, or
gaBize societies aud elect presidents, secre
taries, treasurers and other officers, in every
city, town, hamlet and neighborhood in the
South, and TO notify Colonel K c. Wood,
general manager of the Confederate Memo
rial Association, No A Perddo street, New
Orleans, La, so that he can at once supply
them with subscription books and full in
structions, and respectfully requests that
they will commence without delay the col
lection Of funds for the erection Of this de-
pository OF the records Of the valor oil South
ern manhood and the heroism OF Southern
womanhood, and continue their efforts sys
tematically, making the Memorial Festival
Day" May /, 1896, the elimination Of their
efforts.
The money raised by each society and in
each locality must BE- deposited in some good
bank or other safe depository, to the order
of the United Confederate Veterans for the
use of the Confederate Memorial Associa
tinn TO remain until called for BY DrOper