Evening star., 1901-05-30
AN ELABORATE PROGRAM
SEVEN THOUSAND FLAGS UPON AS
MANY GRAVES.

Memorial day was solemnly observed at
Soldiers Home cemetery. Patriotic words
were spoken the songs of the Union were
sung and 1880 little flags twinkled above
as many green graves Thousands of these
graves, marked by their simple stones,
rested in the sunshine. and thousands were
wrapt in the shadow of somber spruce and
fir trees.
The speakers stand is at the foot of a
gentle slope in the northern part of the
cemetery. It's roof is sustained by Doric
pillars, on which are inscribed in black
the names of Lincoln, Richardson, Berry
Lytle. Cushing Wadsworth, Kearney and
Russell. Around these pillars were twined
large ensigns. and at the right of the
speakers desk there foated an American
standard draped in morning Grape. The
space before the stand is shaded by scores
of white oak trees, and in this grove seats
for participants in the memorial exercises
were arranged. The service at Arlington
was under the direction of Henry Wilson
Post, No Il. Department of the Potomac,
G.. A. r., and the veterans resident at Sol
diers' Home.
The memorial parade formed In front of
the Scott building at $40, and the line of
march to the speakers stand was taken
up in the following order: United States
Soldiers Home Band; committee and Off
GERS Of the Soldiers Home; orators, chap
lains and poets; Henry Wilson Post G. A.
r.; veterans at the home, guests and other
visitors
Arriving at the, stand: Bugler Kramer
of the Home Band sounded assembly, and
the band then played departed Days. b.
F. Bingham, senior vice commander, De-
partment of the Potomac G. A r., called
the asSemblage to order. and Rev. Allan
Griffith, chaplain of the Soldiers Home,
delivered the invocation. The choir of St
Peters Church sang How Sleep the
Brave and DR., Thomas Calver read an
~i,rir, tod Nt-~t.%
Nations Battles?"
Memorial Day Claims Homage.
This was followed by an address by Brig.
Gen. George d. Ruggles. U. 8. A. governor
of the Soldiers Home. Gen. Ruggles said
that the passing year and our passing lives
bring to US another Memorial day, to claim
our homage to the devoted dead 1t Is
we'll, he said, that we pause for the brief
hour from absorbing interest in our own little
affairs-our own little world-to recall he
roic deeds Of gallant souls who have gone
before in all our past. and to give memory
to departed comrades with whom we
marched and messed. and camped and biv-
ouacked, who in their turn have watched
for us upon the outpost, who have stood
by our side In the hour of battle, who were
gay in the day Of our rejoicing, and who
We're our solace In the time of wreck and
ruin.
within this Soldiers Home National
cemetery" said General Ruggles. there
lie the mortal remains of 6,935 American
soldiers Fifty-two new-made graves
These grand old trees. in the fullness of
their foliage; these Towering shrubs in
the wealth of their bloom and color; this
green sward in its coat of velvet seem all
in gala dress to welcome the living who
come to honor the. dead. Here rest rep
resentatives from all of our vars since
that of 1872 Here sleep many men of
lJo, IT,, not.
from wounds in battle, and others-good
duty men-whose latent ability for brave
deeds lacked only opportunity for full de-
velopment. God rest the deadl We strew
flowers upon their graves and we bid
peace to their ashes!'
Ranks With Greatest Nations,
General Ruggles introduced in his re-
marks a poem written by a lieutenant Of
the Sth United States Infantry the night
that regiment, with others, reinforced Cen
eral Taylor's army at Corpus Christi, Tex,
Immediately before General Taylor's ad-
vance to the Rio Grande. When the read
ing of the poem had been concluded Gen.
eral Ruggles said that since those Mexican
days of marching, of fighting and of uuin-
terrupted successes. the American soldier
by his great campaigns on land, and the
American sailor, by his valor and good
work on inland waters and on the seas,
have placed their country in the forefront
of all the nations of the earth. Their cam
paigns ended, their work done, they return
quietly, unostentatiously to the ways Of
peace.
In conclusion General Ruggles said that
the war cloud so recently hanging over
Cuba has given way to brighter skies. and
the one still lingering above the orient is
lifting. Through all the sacrifices, he
said, and all the horrors of war with q
half-civiized foe. as following the black
ness of night. now breaks the dawn of civil
government, Of education of civilization
and of good order In the Philippines
When Gen. Ruggles had ceased to speak
the Home Band played "Providence," Miss
L. E. Calver sang 'The Rest of the Brave"
Mr.. Edwin B. Hay recited Lincoln's Gettys-
burg address, and st. Peters choir rem