The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-19
Monument to North Caro-
Iina's Dead at Winchester.
PICKETT ON PETTIGREW
A COPY OF THIS BROCHURE IN
THE CORNERSTONE.
WINCHESTER CHANGED HANDS 81 TIMES
The Valley Of Virginia an important Factor in
the War Both From Strategic and tcon-
omic Grounds The Herolsm OF
Winchester Women.
Winchester Women.


Winchester Women.
To the Editor: North Carolina has at
last made amends for her delinquency by
marking her 44S known Confederate
graves IN the great "Stonewalr' cemetery
at this place. The headstones all III
Mace are equal if not superior to the
best in the cemetery.
To-day, the 35th anniversary of the
hattie of Sharpsburg, was laid the found
alton stone Of the shaft to be also erected
to their memory. The Ashby Camp of
Confederate veterans in full uniform
conducted the ceremonies. The Ashby
Guards, five fire companies and the
'matchless people of Winchester en- masse
lent their presence to the imposing cere'
monies.
The pedestal Of the sha # had previous
ly been beautifully decorated with flow
ers and evergreens by the Winchester
ladies, of whom no North Carolinian can
think without blessing them.
The Rev. Dr. Cox spoke the invocation.
The Rev. DR.. Hyde, of the Ashby Camp.
in full uniform conducted the dedication
ceremonies. The Rev. Mr.. Lane, Of the
Ashby Camp uttered the benediction.
In the pocket of the corner stone were
deposited Lees farewell address to his
troops, Moores Roster of North Carolina
troops Dowd's life of Vance, Bonds
picket OF Pettigrew" and the current
North Carolina, Baltimore, New York
and Washington papers.
| will say in passing that the scholarly
and profound brochure of Capt. Bonds
picket or Pettigrew' has never recely-
ed the acknowledgment so eminently its
due. Therein he clearly shows the man
ner in which history was shaped to North
F., Carolina detriment. The Richmond pa
pers seeking to please their patrons, CHIEF
| ~ V;rginians, to put it mildly, laid great
| stress on the services of Virginia troops
and little on their failures They killed
and made alive the regulations Of men as
/ they saw fit. Pollard and other histor-
ians writing from the Southern stand
point followed largely the Richmond
papers and thus history was miswritten
to our apparently irretreivabe harm.
Capt. Bonds pamphlet should be widely
j read and its substance preserved in his
tory.
! Mr.. Aver:tt was eloquently introduced
by Gen. w. III. Cheek. AS before stated
his strong address was most impressively
delivered. He rose to the grand occa sion
and surpassed even himself. The au-
dience was large and appreciative. Ma
| t1lre and man were alike sympathetic.
| The day though overcast was delightful
| ly pleasant The address will with your
readers speak for itself and needs no
praise OF commentator at my hands.
The occasion was grand and successful
in a high degree. Few places are more
brimful of Confederate memories than
| this noble town.
For as the Shenandoah Valley was the
delatable land of the Confedracy. Win
chester was its debata BILE city. The ex-
/ act number of times that it changed
/ hands during the war were eighty-seven.
/ Again and again and again did the tide Of
battle surging in the valley break through
! its streets Countless of its houses bear
bullet marks. Many Confederate sol
der was smitten down in its midst.
It's people were proverbially loyal to the
! South. Despite the great template to
dislOyalty in the frequent and each time
apparently permanent occupation by the
Federals. few almost none were shaken
/ in their devotion to the Confederacy. Her
men went into the Confederate army.
! Her women staid at home only to devote
themselves to the care of the Confederate
wounded which the town was never
without, and unusually in very large
numbers. They never hesitated to venture
even under fire when it was necessary to
succor the Southern wounded. Many a
poor fellow struck down in the streets
was with the bullets whistling, taken up
and carried in by female hands.
And the Winchester women were as
great in peace as in war. Scarce was the
smoke of battle laid and the last Con-
federate banner furled, when began their
labors for the dead. From wherever
within their reach the storm Of battle
had broken they reverently garnered, the
Confederate dead into their great "Stone
WALL cemetery, the prototype, the model
the inspiration of all others in the South
The Shenandoah valley at the widest
part of which is situated the town OF
Winchester-the valley is here about
thirty miles wide-was in many respects
4 in important factor in the war for South
ern independence. 1t was thus from
both strategic and economic reasons. IN"
chain of mountains which skirt it on the
east formed natural rampant protecting
| the TANKS Of the Southern army in its
!
Its splendid turnpikes rendered practi-
cable the rapid movement of troops ut all
seasons of the year.
But for this protection and these facili
ties Lee could never have thlown his
forces so far to the north in rhe face
of the vastly stronger Federal armies
| But for this Gettysburg, the decisive
ba tile Of the war; mist most likely have
been fought on Virginia soil and probably
! with far different results.
The rich soil and careful hushandry
made the valley also strong economic
factor in the struggle. 1t Is now and
was then the verItabla Canaan Of thr
South-a land flowing literally with M,
only milk and honey Int with all tha,
man or beast needs. But for it's exhaust.
less supplies Of beef. bacon. grain anil
forage Lees devoted hand would hnv.
heen even more hard beset by the wolf
hunger, than II was. And the loss Of The
valley was closely followed by the Loss
of all.
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