Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1896-06-02
Memorial Day.
county,

Saturday was an suspicious tune for Ne.
mortal Day in Charles Town, and a largo
assemblage OF persons from this county and
elsewhere were hereto do honor to the memory
OF our heroic Confederate dead. The process
sion was formed at IL n. m. by Chief Marsha'
David Howell, with Mr.. B. C. Washington a.
Assistant Marshal. and consisted of tn,
following organizations, viz:
Charles Town Cornet Band.
&c. i, LIST Regt, W. v. N. g.
Citizens Fire Company.
Blue Ridge Band, of Round Hill, Va.
Independent Fire Company.
john w. Rowan Camp. C. v.
Procession moved to the Methodist and
Episcopal graveyards. and after strewing the
graves of the Confederate dead there with
flowers repaired to Edge-Hm Cemetery,
where an immense throng of people were
gathered and the exercises proper took place.
The band aud choir organized by Madam
Ruhl first rendered God of the nations hear
u.s. after which Rev. J.. Harry Moore offered
prayer. ''Our comrades meath the sod" was
then given by the band and choir, and a col
lection taken up TO aid in securing headstones
for the soldiers graves.
The orator of the day was Rev. DR.. p. D.
Stephenson, of Woodstock, Va, who was in
troduced by Rev. DR.. A. G. Hopkins, Presi-
dent of the Lee Memorial Association, as one
who had left Missouri at the outset of the war
as a STRIPPING boy, and served galIantly Us a
t'private soldier throughout the memorable
fonr years contest-the first two years in an
Arkansas infantry regiment, and the last two
in the celebrated Washington Artillery.
DR.. s. then addressed the audience in a
speech rarely equalled upon such occasions
chaste in style, earnest in delivery, and full of
instruction. He spoke upon the obligations
of the present generation to their fathers who
fought the war The conflict. he said, was
inevitable, and had it not been met by the pa
triots of '61-65 it must have in its fury
upon the present generation. The patient ex-
ample of the veterans through the trying
period of reconstruction had taught this
generation lessons of heroic fortitude under
adyersitics; and the manly courage with which
the veterans of many bloody battles had re-
turned to their dcsolatcd homes and repaired
their fortunes in peaceful pursuits had taught
this generation 4 lesson of gratitude which
they should earnestly cherish. In passing he
paid a thankful tribute to the negroes for their
behavior during the war until they passed I'M
TO the baneful influence of political tricksters,
aud warned his audience that the same spirit
Which ignored the scriptural authority, ant
appealed 10 the ''higher law doctrine againsf
slavery still makes the same appeal in behal
of other reforms, as temperenc e and woman
sphere. The speech is worthy of all praise il
its advocacy of truth, pure morality and gen
uine patriotism; was free from ali bitterness
and was a strong defence of the memory o
the men who fought and died in the Southern
cause.
At the conclusion of DR.. Stcphenson's adj
dress the band aud choir rendered " Cove
them over with beautiful flowers" Rev. j. P
Stump pronounced the benediction, and Co.
fired three volleys over the graves of the Con
federate dead, after which the flowers wer,
strewn.