Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-09
CHATHAM'S BIG DAY.
THE DWELLING OF THE CONFEDE
RATE SOLDIERS MONUMENT.
4 GREAT CROWD PRESENT.
The Residences of the Town Prettiiy
Decorated - The Parade - senator
Jobu NJ. Daniel the OratOr-A Fine
Address.

DANVILLE. VA, June S.-(Special)-
To-day will be memorable in the history
OF Chatham. Pittsylvania county. by
reason of the unwilling of a statue monu-
ment TO the Confederate dead of Company
j, Fifty-third Virginia Infantry, Picketts
Division. and to the survivors Of that
command. The monument project in
augurated twenty years ago by Company
Memorial Association, was taken up
two years ago by the Rawley Martin
Chapter, United Daughters Of the Confed-
eracy, and the finished work was formally
exposed 10 view to-day in the presence
OF nearly four thousand persons. The
residences OF the town were prettily
decorated with Confederate and national
flags and bunting. and ample preparations
had been made for the accommodations
Of the multitude which poured into town
by -ail and every road. Among the spec
tators were about two hundred ex-COn-
federates and about twenty survivors of
Company !. including Colonel Rawley w.
Martin. third csrtsn Of the command.
TUE Parade
About II O'Clock IN procession escorting
the guest OF honof S$t orator OF the day,
Senator John W. Harel, passed along
Main street 10 the mon1ment site, in
Courthouse Square. Chlef-Marshal j..
Hunt Hargrove and aides were followed
b. a band: veterans on foot; carriages
containing Senator Daniel, Congressman
Smopcou tho four x,onno Ia v
Daughters OF the Confederacy and Monu-
ment Association In vehicles. and the
thirteen young ladies representing Con-
fedeTate States-yiz.: Virginia, Nellie
Lucke; North Carolina, Nellie Carter;
South Carolina, Maude Carter; Georgia,
Lizzie Watson; Florida, Belle Gilmer;
Alabama, Nellie Dyer; Tennessee, Nellie
Jones; Arkansas, Lizzie Coleman; Mis-
souri,. Lucy Dabney; Louisiana, Alice
Coleman. Kentucky. Mary White; Texas.
pansy Corbin; Mississippi, Miss Riddle.
THE GRAFTON.
The exercises began with prayer by
Rev. Chiswell Dabney. after which Colo
mel Martin gracefully introduced Sena-
tor Daniel The Senator was at his best,
and for two hours held the large audi
ences attention. His Grafton was pro-
they had ever heard. lie paid a fine
tribute 10 the Confederate soldiers and
their leaders. He reviewed the Gettys-
burg campaign. in which Company
figured conspicuously. eulogized the war
women OF the South and their daughters
and commended the record Of Virginia
troops in the Spanish war. His peroratior
was a beautiful figure. comparing the
character OF the Confederate soldier, but
dimly perceived through the veil of, pre-
JUDGE. TO the yelled marble figure. and
predicting that truth would finally unyei
its grandeur TO an admiring world.
Immediately following the Grafton,
Misses Alice Carter Rebecca Tredway,
Parke whitehead. and Nellie Martin sim
ultaneously pulled the cords that re-
moved the veil disclosing the monument
20 view. The monument is twenty-three
feet high. with a base of rough granite
eight feet square. The die block and
columns are polished granite. On this
stands a life-size figure Of the soldier al
rest. sculptured In Italian marble.