Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-10-24
PORTRAIT OF GEN. CoRsE

PORTRAIT OF GEN. CORSE
1t was stated in Saturdays Gazette
that portrait Of the late Gen. NJ D.
Corse was Oh Friday night last pre-
sented to Lee Camp of Richmond, on
the walls Of whose camp rooms it is
proposed to hang portraits Of all the
brigadier generals of Pickett's division
TIE portrait was the gift of Messrs.
Arthur Herbert, Herberr Bryant and
W. A. Smoot, of this city, and the pre-
sentation speeches were made by Capt
G. U. Williams, of Richmond, aud Col.
Arthur Herbert, of this city. Col. Her
bert spoke as follows:
Mr.. Commander, ladies and gen.
temep and old comrades of the days
that tried mems souls: 1t is with feel
,ugs of great interest and much pleas
ure that find myself in Richmond to.
uight among old friends and amid
scenes that arouse many thrilling asso-
Citations of the past. 1t was my pleas
ure many years ago as captain of the
Alexandria Rlhemen to assist in the
uilitary pageant and ceremonies Incl
deaf to the unveiling of your beautiful
equestrian statue of Washington, sur
rounded as it is by the most distin-
4uished men ever born to one common
wealth, men whose virtues, lives and
transcendeDt talents are ftly repre-
seuted in colossal bronze. was in
your midst one Sabbath day, the quiet
and holy calm of whicn was rudely
lroken by the clsuging peal of bells
and the cry passed from lip to lip, 1.-The
Pawnee is coming" The Pawnee is
coming. Then came one of the most
stirring scenes of excitement ever wit
uessed. Men and women poured out
Of the churcnes, scarce waiting for the
the benediction; the faces Of the former
excited, set and determiued; of the lat
ter, eager, pale and many in tears;
while past me through the public
square rushed old men with grey hair
aud pallid faces aud boys with cheeks
flushed and eyes bright With
tne unwonted excitement, sing-
ly and in groups, armed with
such weapons as they could get, toward
che supposed point of danger. Truly my
heart was stirred within me, as it had
hardly ever beel before by such an ex-
hibition of a whole peoples determi-
nation TO defend their homes and llber-
ties from rude invasion. During the
four years of our civil war l have laid
out many night on every road lead
ing into your city and one night in your
Capitol Square with nothing but old
mother earth's soft bosom beneath me
and heavens blue vault above. have
marched back and forth through your
streets as the ebb and flow Of the tide
of war made it necessary with ever de-
creasips raoks, but unhnching faith in
the cause, and since our ohieftain order.
ed, it was ours to obey. Were we asked
~ here are you goiog boys" the reply
came back 1--WE don't know, but Mars
Robert knows. "To the old soldiers who
followed him through those four Ion.
years of hardship and danger the SOU
oriquet OF Mars Robert was touching
but magical. We're they puzzled by a
| Sudden move, wearied and out of tenn.
! per by an all night march, depressed by
defeat and Il retrograde movement, they
would say 1t is alright boys, Mars Rob.
ert knows" 1t was this faith in their
leader aud in themselves that made the
| deeds Of the Army of Northern Virgin
| ia the wonder and admiration of the
world. As the history OF our civil war
un;olds itself, and the character of Gen.
| IL. E. Eee is revealed in all its noble.
ness, he stands out among the men of
| this and past generations as does Mont
Blanc among the Alpine peaks, tow
ering grsndly above them ali and with q
life and character as pure and spotless
as the eternal SHOWS that crown its
summit. can shut my eyes and in
imagination once more fill your streets
with the rythmic step OF armed men,
the rumble Of guDs and caissous; can
near tbs roll Of drums and the blare of
| the cavalry trumpet; eau see the well
coming excited crowds that greeted
them from streets, windows and house
tops, and hear once more the swell Of
| the rebel yell that rang out again and
again from the marching column. l
have witnessed partlngs on your streets
| 10 those war days-the intense pathos of
which might be imagined but not de-
scribed-Detween husbands and wives,
mothers aud sons, maidens and lovers.
No Spartan women of old gave up those
nearest and dearest to them with more
loyal and heroic hearts. Blight were
the smiles that hid ire aching hearts,
ch, ecy their words of farewell. They
Kepl back their tears lor the silence of
their own chamber and the eyes of an
all seeing and plying God above.
'ris well for US then to preserve for those
who come after us those memories OF lhs past
and the faces of our leaders. that future gen.
erstions may see what manner OF men they
were. congratulate Lee Camp upon it' sue'
cess in this direction. The gsllery is an hon.
or to them and an interesting, though some
what mouruful link with the past. Among
the portraits presented tonight is that OF my
old friend and oomrAds, General nj. u. Corse'
The face of no truer man or Drawer soldier
adorns your walls Was he your friend to.
day Mother time, circumstances nor a6sence
changed him. Yours to count on. either In
Joy or sorrow, veal or woe. AS cOmmshder
and soldier he Was one of the few who could
keep his hesd under excitement, thus max ng
the most OF success and rising superior to . O.
feat. He obeyed orders with unq lestionng
momptness his vigilance in the presenre of