The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-01-14
BATTLE ABBEY OF THE SOUTH.
a GRAND MEMORIAL HALL FOR
WAR RELICS.


An Appeal TO the United Confederat
Veterans and tie Women OF tti
South to Preserve MementOes q
yalor and Patriotism.
The following official order fror
Gen. John b. Gordon, commander G
the United Confederate. Veterans,
published for the information of ou
readers
NEW ORLEANS, La, Dec. I, 1895.
General Orders No. 155.
The progress made by the able an,
distinguished committee appointed II
General Orders Nos. Ids and l49 iron
these headquarters to examine int,
( and report upon the plan submitted b,
the great philanthropist and benefac
tor, Charles Broadway Rouss, for tn,
establishment of o grand Memoria
Hall, where Confederate relics ant
mementoes are to be deposited for al
| time, and which 10 to become the
Battle Abbey" of tho South, must bt
very gratifying to the old veteran.
and to all those who love the tradi
tions of the South and who cherish the
memories of the courage and heroism
of her sons, aud the unparalleled de-
votion of her noble and self-sacrifcine
women.
This splendid committee has now
successfully launched the grand enter.
prise, and through their action. and
mulated q mode of procedure which, II
energetically carried out, can not fail
of success.
1t will be remembered that the gen
erous and large-hearted donor, MIR.
Charles Broadway Rouss, who alone
conceived this project for the perpetu-
alton of the history and glory of his
cOuntrymen, presented u plan for it's
contamination to the veterans at tho
Houston reunion, at the samo time
subscribing 100000 as his individual
subscription to assist in carrying out
his grand views and ideas, conditioned
upon the veterans raising like
amount.
To raise this 100000 additional and
enough more to endow and insure the
perpe tuation of the institution, is the
problem which now occupies the at
tention and efforts of the committee.
1t is believed that one-half of the
amount required will be raised through
the subscription of the more than 5O,-
900 members of the U. @. v. Associa-
tion, and which will entitle them to
certificates showing their contribu-
tions, thus giving each contributor an
interest in this glorious enterprise
which is SO near and so dear to the
heart of every veteran-and it is con-
sidered to be sure ana beyond perad-
venture, that the other half or balance,
whatever may be required, will be
raised by the noble women of the
South.
The committee suggests that the
most feasible maaaer of reaching the
deaired gbyact ;s % -; apart IL "Memo-
rial Festival Day." and they have asked
that the General Commanding will
order.
The General Commanding, there
fore, in compliance with the request
of the committee, designates Friday,
May !, 1896, as the most suitable for a
f" Memorial Festival Day." to be set
apart for the use of the women Of the
South in raising funds for t..is great
Memorial Hall.
All the details and exercises of this
(" Memorial Festival Day" are to be
planned, conducted 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 sac
red trust more properly be placed, and
with more certainty of success, than
South w hn-haNe never vet faltered or
failed in the performance or any duty,
either in war or in peace, imposed
upon them fer the Southern cause.
Their spirit and determination ami
mate | the men of the South at the
scene of the first conflict; they were
the most constant and unromitting
patriots aAd workers during their
country's struggle, and the last to
abandon the sacred cause after South
ern hopes vanished behind the clouds
at Appomattox.
The true history of their deeds and
triumphs has not yet been told.
No historian has yet written the
story, nor muse sung the song, nor
minstrel strung the Tyre, which ftly
celebrates their praise.
The straits to which they were re-
duced for food and clothing, the self
abnegation and hardships endured by
them during those dark aud gloomy
days OF war, finds no parallel in his
tory; their patriotism and courage
will be written in golden letters upon
the tablets OF time, ineifaceaole while
memory lasts, and, as ministering
angels, their names will live upon the
pages of poetry and in romance as long
as chivalry exists in the hearts and
minds OF mankind.
This Battle Abbey" will not be
dedicated 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 sufficient and
conspicuous space will he reserved for
the names and fame of the Heroines
of the South"
AS yet, only wandering troubadours
like the bards OF the middle ages,
journeying from castle to castle, have
very family sung their praise but the
tender and sacred memories which
cluster with halo of love and venera-
tion around their living and dead de-
mands that their names and the story
of their glory be gathered ere it is toe
late, and that some Master, whose per
is inspired with celestial fire, and
whose touch Ia mellowed and
hallowed by the richness and
grandeur of the theme, shall ming le
and blend them with their glorious
glowing with tributes of their unrival
led history, to be deposited in this
sanctuary Of Southern valor.
In this Temple of Fame, which Is tt
be consecrated to all the people of the
coming centuries, in q niche which
will be carved out by the story of theil
own wondrous deeds and glory {
monument will also arise, commemora
tive OF the courage and fame of th'
Heroines of the South" oname
| which will ever be linked In histor,
with those of Roman Matron" ant