Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1902-06-06
Confederate Memorial Day.

OF PRESIDENT JEFFERSON DaV1S'S Dlrth
5 day, was observed in Lexington a
Confederate Memorial Day. TIL
day was propitious and everything
conspired to make the occasion
success.
Interesting services were held il
the chapel at Washington and Lee
beginning at 4;30 p. Ill. A large anC
appreciative crowd was present
Delightful music was furnished by @
special choir, as follows: Mrs. Reid
White, Misses Helen Booker, Sallie
Preston, Bette Glasgow, and Janet
Allan, Professor A. l.. Nelson, DR.. l..
K. Wall, and Mr.. B. +. Vaughan.
Mrs A. ID. Estill presided at the
organ. ''Tenting on the Old Camp
Ground" How Firm Foundation"
and "Auld Lang Syne," were the
selections rendered.
The exercises opened with prayer
by Rev. Dr. Thornton Whaling, pastor
ofthe. Lexington Presbyterian church.
The memorial address was delivered
by Rev. George w. Finley, ID. d., of
Augusta county, who was introduced
by Commander j. p Moore, of Lee
Jackson Camp of Confederate Vet
Grams, the presiding officer DR..
Finley is no stranger in Lexington.
He graduated from Washington Col
lege in 1858. He was 1st lieutenant
of Co. X, seth Virginia Infantry,
Pickett's division, and was in com
mand of his company when it was
captured at Gettysburg.
Dr. Finley's address was an eloquent
tribute to the cause of the Confed-
eracy and the devoted men and
women who followed its fortunes.
His theme was THE Private Con
federate Soldier After expressing
his appreciation for the honor of adj
dressing the old Confederates of
Rock bridge, he declared that he and
they were yet loyal to a cause though
lost still, loved. The men, he said,
were right who wore the gray and
right can never die. The speaker
briefly reviewed the influences that
led up to the struggle, stating that
after long years of oppression borne
with resignation, the South finally
turned on her oppressors and waged !
a war whose daring and bravery have |
challenged the admiration of the |
world. The private Confederate, he |
said, was the peer of any man, the |
best of the land, true to the best |
of his Southland. When |
duty called he obeyed. The professor
md student left the halls of learning,
.he judge his bench, the attorney his
client, the artisan, the farmer, all
when duty called. Nor was
he soldiers life, said the speaker,
without its happy side. Quaint and
rood humored were the boys even in
he midst of danger.
At the conclusion of DR.. Finley's
.ddressCOmmander Moore announced
hat the procession would form on
he campus and march to the GENE
cry. This was done in the following I
rider:
Chief marshal, Col J. ID. H. Ross,
nd Col. J. A. Gibson, DR.. A. j. ,
Iayslett, Capt. J. A. Mcneil, Messrs. /
v b. F. Leech, r. S. White, and j.
. Moore, aids; Virginia Military !,
band, officers and cadets of !
he V. NJ. l., Lexington Fire Com
any, Lee Jackson band, Confederate
'eterans and citizens. Arrived at :
he cemetery flowers were placed on |
he graves of Confederate soldiers, l
hitch had previously been marked I
18th Confederate flags by Mr.. w. G.
charlton.
The recumbent statue and mauso-
leum of General Lee ut the chapel and
he statue of General Jackson in the
9metery had been deliberately deco "
tied with flowers by the ladies of h
he Mary Gusts Lee Chapter, a
of the COnfederacy, and 81
lie soldiers square by the Daughters h
Rebekah, |. O. O. +. Other ladies h
the community assisted in placing 10
overs on the graves of other Con W
derate heroes in the cemetery. A d
Imber of Virginia and Confederate Il
tgs were used in the decorations. ii
The firing of cannon and musketry b,
the cemetery. was dispensed with II
/ account of the serious illness of d.
RS. j. G. Boude, whose home is near W
The attendance of county people e'
rs especially large this year, many in
dies being among the number.
lille the procession was marching hi
the cemetery the streets were lined NJ
tn onlookers The day is one that ID
peals to young and old alike, nor sii
the sentiment growing less as the M
ars pass. Nj
Business in Lexington was generally G,
spended. Merchants and business fu
uses closed from $50 to O'clock in af
der to permit every one to attend tc
e services.
As the years go by it is sad to see
g line of old COnfederates becoming
IS and less. This was forcibly WI
Istrated as the Confederate group V"
the line of march passed by on III