Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-01
was greeted with hearty and continued


and man | boldly yet reverently declare
that never since the morning stars sang
together did men fight for land more
glorious or bleed for cause more grand
tApplauscD Confederate soldiers stood
by their faith and set an example worthy
to be followed. not only in the turmoil OF
bloody strife, but In the arena of peace.
Hearts warmer, souls Drawer. never dared
the battle storm. feet firmcr never troc the
field OF carnage, and eyes prOuGcr never
giarcd into the grim face of death. They
fought like Spartans; they died like mar
tyrs, or accepted. like heroes, the inevi-
table at the command Of their great
Chieftains. No tinge OF shame has ever
mantled the checks nor sentence Of re-
grct escaped the lips Of the survivors OF
that renowned band. With cOnscicnces
devoid of wrong. they have walked the
earth with the step OF conscious prowess
glOrying in their records and looking with
pity and contempt upon their deiamers
The civilized world has rendered, its YER
dict and the impartial chroniclcr can be
trusted TO carve the Judgment upon
tablets indestructible and spread me
truth from pole to pole No higher
encOmium could any man desire than
these plain words: He was a Confederate
soldier. and he did his duty" No loftier
opitaph could any tomb bear than this
simple inscription: "IIc wore the gray
jacket. and holored it," and, though he
may be among the unknown" and under
yon towering obelisk peaceful is his sleep
for sublime is his story and a knlghuy
land prOclaims his glory.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OFFERING.
But We have gathered here for a special
purpose. ana 10 me has been assigned
solemn yet pleasant task Nature has
put on her brightest robes. and Heaven
seems TO be smiling upon US. These bills
and dells are thronging with Inatrons
ana maidens. and Swarmng with llttle
children. while the silvery and hoary
locks and dropping forms Of Gods noble
men from the veteran camps and Soldiers
Home add to the intense inte-
obedience 10 custom born i'm the loyal
and loving hearts of a Virginia woman
nearly generation ago, and which mas
been observed from year TO year, as each
howery season shed it, fragrance. This
IS memorial and tribute-Offering day. We
are in this mute and silent city TO streW
these graves aad bedeck these mounds
with garlands. sing praises to the in
dWellerS, ana commune with their spirits.
We are here TO keep green the memories
of them who rest beneath this sod and
in these shady bowers. and who gave their
all for their country in the fond hope
hat their blood would not be shed in
vain. Thirty-twO years and more have
been recorded upon the ineffaceable scroll
since the cruel spade. sinking deep made
these lowly beds FOR their eternal sleep
ers. With the wuiilcG-drum beating and
the saluting-VOlley sounding, and with
tHell tluUhttS as tntlf burial fONcS. tnt-c
fallen braves from a hundred fields were
laid where the sun could shine and the
stars could CLEAN upon them. in the
trenches and In the charge amid the din
and smoke Of battle they had vowed
that whether they ever turned their
faces homeward again bearing with
them stainless name. or whether they
fell they would be true to the end, and
true they were. holding fast 10 their vow
even to their expiring breath. They re-
moi n hcf
by their coming, nor 10 bOsoms swelling
with joy. but freely offered themselves
as sacrifices upon the altar OF their
Southland. Whether they were slain by
shrieking shell sabTe-stroke. or ritle-ball.
or went TO their God from prison pen.
hospital cot. or martyr scaffold. they VIII
survive i'm sfmDiternal remembrance, ana
their courage and daring, suffering, ana
immOlatiOn will be chiselled In letters
that can never be effaCed by the ele-
ments or the vandaHs hand. Upon their
breasts might be piled the Egyptian pyra-
mids; upon them might be heaped the
Blue Ridge chain. yet they would not De
so deeply buried that the tendris or our
affections would not reach them. Here
on each recurring MemOrial-Day fame FOR
them a fresh chaplet weaVes Manassas
sends her laurel leaves, Seven Pines her
scarlet and Malvern Hill her crimson
rose: Cold Harbor. Charlottesville. Me
.cnaricsVillc yellow Tavern FrederickS-
burg. Petersburg. and the Wilderness
their choicest flowers. and even Antietam
and Gettysburg their immOrtelles. while
AppomattOX. in her mourning. gives
star to crown the wreath OF glory, more
unfading than the bravest Gaul ever
WIN this pathetic custom of tribute
Offering ever cease? As well might
ask # the bold river that foams ana
seethes al the foot of these holy grounds
will cease to flow or the gentle showers
that keep these mounds verdant VIII
cease 10 fall.
LIFE IN OUR AFFECTIONS.
VIII the month of May ever come when
mementOes of affection and gratitude VIII
no longer be scattered where lie tho
deathless dead OF the States that spark
led in the constellation OF our snort
lived but idOlized and glOrified republic?
No voice need respond. no tongue Hecd
answer. for this animating scene II re-
suonse as strong and loud as II from the
blast of a mighty trumpet down ny
mighty lungs. 1t comes with the power
of the hurricane, declaring that through
TIE unfolded ages the love so sweet now
will be precious. the memories so dear
now will be warm. and the homage so
beautiful now Will be paid by coming
generations. 1 read in the flushed cheeks
of this vast assemblage, and in the moist
evelids and teardrops the same spirit
living i'm it's pristine vigor that permeated
the earliest memorial gathering after the
funeral kueil of all our hopes on that
tated April morning had bowed the heads
OF our patriarchs in despair ana Dended
the knees of our devoted women in pray
ed / read too. the lessons that nave been
instilled into the youthful minds by
fathers and mothers-lessons which Will
sink deeper and deeper ana become dear
or ana dearer as time advances and the
beloved teachers slide down the hill oil
lie and finally enter the portals of eter-
nitv. History will indeed be searched
fruitessly for a page so instructive as
that which is written every tHelVemOhtn
in this sunny land TO tell al nations ana
climes the height and depth of a peo-
ple's LOYALTY 10 q lost cause and a peo-
ple's cOnstancy TO the clustering memo
ries of an unsceptred republic.
Never since the break of creations
dawn has there been such an exhibition
Of sublimity of character and nobility OF
soul. So il has been in the past, so II
VIII be in the MISUNDERSTANDING love,
neVer-ending devotion.
NV comrades. while we meet on occa-
sions like this 10 discharge "A sacred obli-
cation, these meetings are salutary and
good ia their influe1cc upon Us indi-
Vidually and collectively. They remind
us that we were once banded together
In a common purpose. and drew inspra-
and suffered under common flag; they
strengthen fraternal ties, rekindle the
fame OF brofhcrly regard, and revive re-
collections of that ensa lguined period
federate line WaNer nor a Confederate
muscle culver; they recall the DOMINIC
of the gray Jacket. the parting at the
loorslll Of home. the farewell look as the
old roof faded away IN the vista the first
NIGHTS cream in camp, tho first shot on
nickct. the first scream Of the shell. and
no first battle shock, and then the rush
ng whirling tide of events from Bethel
10 AppomattoX. With what lighting rd-
oidity do all these remembrances come
,roorfng and with what tenderness do we
treat them. Danish them we could not
n &c ,rnnlh hlscArh them We would not