Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-30
TIE CONFEDERATE DEAD.


Tomorrow is National Decoration-Day'
and Hollywood Aiemorial-Day, as well.
Throughout the Union where Federal
veterans of the war are buried G. a. X.
Posts and personal friends VIII place
flowers and flags upon their brothers
.,raves-nowers TO signify that their
dead ones memories are kept fragrant
and green: flags 10 emblemize the cause
for which they fought.
At Hollywood. where n great Confede-
rate army is asleep beyond the
sound Of wars trump, the women Of
our city VIII place flowers upon each
heros mound and memorial exercises
will be held. Flags arc not used on
such occasions. That flag for which we
fought is 10 longer a nations symbol.
For four years the arms of brave men
upheld it and carried it to- victory Of
ten; but it went down at last, before
overwhelming numbers and resources"
The Confederacy's sorcst needs were
for provisions. for the people at home
and for the men in the field; for clothing.
for munitions of war. and for warships
and means of transportation, rather
than for men. True, we were vastly out
numbered, but we might have contended
against the odds had our troops been
well-fed and wel-clothed and we'll
armed: had they been upon such a foot
ing as their opponents were. But to
such an extremity did we come th9t
the ragged and soiled uniforms of our
soldiers made them almost look like
ragamufiins and our cavalry and artil-
lery horses were so thin that one could
nearly see through them, as the saying is.
And so at last the Confederacy was
worn out; yet in about two years after
Lees surrender our women began to form
memorial organizations to keep fresh the
recollection OF the valor and sacrifices
Of those who. in the very bloom Of their
youth, gave up their lives for us.
In those early Memorlal-days, when
our grief was freshest, when our dis
appointment was keenest, when every
family nearly had a representative
among the soldier-dead in Hollywood.
wont to repair TO tie cemetery in the fore
noon, and there remain until nightfail.
The time was spent in trimming the
soldiers graves with flowers and ever
greens, in listening to eulogies, and in
believing with tears the graves of our
loved ones.
Few of our younger generation OF men
and women can understand the fervor
and solemnity with which the masses
formerly entered upon this sacred work.
one must have lived four years in the
midst Of war TO appreciate the feelings
that were then in the hearts of our
people. But alasl many OF the partici-
pants in those soulful exercises are now
themselves mourned among the dead
and the heightened distance of the wal
from us has brought upon the living
new cares to crowd upon old ones But
we would by no means intimate
that our heroes are forgotten. No. in
deed. The contrary is touchingly Illus
trated each year at lakewood, at The
Jewish Cemetery. and I'm the anniver
S3Ty lildl oCNNlo Au-iuNlioNs We ven
ture TO assert that nowhere in this
land are our soli.er-dead more loving
~ remembered than here in Richmond
and In no cemetery are the memoria
observances more appropriate than a
Hollywood Time. that softens an sor,
rows. has tempered the pognancy o
our grief. and tears do not gush out az
formerly. yet the public heart remain:
staunohly loyal and loving.
That Is as II should be- for in Holly
wood Cemetery sleep President Davi
and many OF his generals and man,
brigades OF his soldiers. Tomorrow
each OF these graves Will be decorated
ana as we look upon the lasting pyrami'
that has beea built in the soldiers sec
ton, let our thoughts turn TO our dut,
in the matter OF erecting monumen
10 President Davis. He died January
1889, and his body was brought here fror
New Orleans. I'm 1893; but as yet actua
work upon his monument has not bee
begun.
Wave after wave OF business dopres
sion and fnanclal agitation has broke
upon the people Of the South and pre-
yonted them from doing what Other
WISE thss would have doae. But no.