The Van Buren press., 1899-10-14

Queen City Band
DuVall Camp, q. G. V.
Fort Smith Mounted Police-Guard of
Confederate Veterans
Visiting Veterans
Bledsoes Battery-Commanded by
Lieut. Williams and Furie
Mexican War Veterans, with Battle
Flag Carried by Lieut. Wilhauf
at the Battle of Buena
Vista
Float-Goddess of Liberty with At
tendants and United States Flag.
Float-Fourteen Young Ladies Repre-
senting the Thirteen Seeding States
and the Indian Territory
United Daughters of the Confederacy
Officers of Mary Lee Chapter
Speakers of the Day
Members of Mary Lee Chapter in Car
riages
City and County Officials
Visiting City, County, State Officials
Fort Smith Commercial League
Van Buren, Commercial League
Woodmen of the World
Ancient Order United Workmen
Order of Redmen-Mounted
Van Buren, Public School Children
Citizens and Visitors, on Foot, and in
Carriages
Many of the buildings along the line
of march were tastefully decorated and
the whole presented an imposing spec
taele.
Arrived at the cemetery the speakers
of the day and the officers and members
of the Daughters of the Confederacy
were seated on an elevated platform,
while for the veterans, visiting dele
cations and members of the secret
societies seats had been arranged within
an enclosed space to the south and east
of the monument.
After all had been seated the band
struck up the beautiful hymn Nearer
My God to Thee, this being followed
by feeling invocation by Rev. j. B..
Whaling of the Episcopal church. Mrs.
H. A. Meyer, president of Mary Lee
chapter then introduced Senator Il. l..
Fitzhugh, who delivered the address
of welcome. Next on the programme
was the unveiling of the monument,
which task had been assigned by the
chapter to Miss Fannie Scott. She
arose as if to perform her part and then
turning to Senator Berry, who was
seated near her, in the following we'll
chosen words conferred the honor of
unwilling upon him, the idol of the old
Confederates of Arkansas:
MARY Lee Chapter, United Daugh-
ters of the Confederacy, have erected
this monument to the glory of God and
in memory of our beloved Confederate
dead of Oak Hill, Elkhorn and Prairie
Grove, Senator Berry my high regard
for you as brave Confederate soldier,
and one of Arkansas honored statesmen
prompts me to confer the honor of un-
yelling this monument upon you. l
therefore command my maid of honor
to deliver the veil into your hands. -
miss Caroline Scott aged seven years,
the youngest Daughter of the Con
federacy was maid of honor.)
Miss Scott action in comforting the
honor upon Senator Berry was most
appropriate one, as he has known the
horrors of war and possibly been the
companion of some of those in whose
memory the monument was erected.
Her words were cheered to the echo by
the old Confederates, and the Senator
visibly affected, took the rope in his
hand, and after feelingly thanking hel
for the honor bestowed, pulled the rope
that released the drapery and revealed
the beautiful outlines of the monument.
Everyone was hushed in silence for
moment, but as the band struck vi
Dixie cheer after cheer rent the air
Senator Berry then made one of his
happy addresses and was followed by
Miss Maggie Wood in feeling recitation
entitled IA Tribute to the Confederate
Dead, - beautifully rendered.
Judge J. H. Rogers was then intro
duced by Mrs. Meyer as the orator OF
the day, and for considerably over ar
hour he held the audience spell bound
WHY EREUWECW FGR NH