The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-11-24
TUESDAY. MOVE BER %.
OLD BLANDFORD CHURCH.

The Ladies' Memorial Association
of Petersburg proposes to rehabilitate
the old BrandfOrd church. which was
for so long q time in the midst of the
fierce fighting around that city. They
have issued i circular which contains
of the south;
This association has. with unfalter
ing devotion, despite the poverty that
came with the end of h war and
the cruel period of reconstruction,
year by year made its pilgrimage to
these sacred graves, decorated the
sod with the beautiful flowers of the
spring. and by religious ceremonies
and feryent OratOry endeavOred to
keep alive unto the children, and chill
dren's children, the holy recollection
of the Lost Cause; it has done, in the
language Of Scripture. what it could,
and the Soldiers Section of BIandford
cemetery for thirty-four years has re
ceived at its hands the tender care
which is always due to the brave at
the hands of the fair.
~ N-A@N
have thinned on the ranks of the
original members. but the spirit of
the past still lives. and before the
great shall come to those
few who are now left. 1t is the pur-
pose of the association to make Il last
great effort to make a Memorial that
shall last until the great resurrection,
in which it asks every southern state
whose heroes sleep within the pre-
cmcts of hat cemetery. to lend their
aid and sympathy.
Within this holy ground there
stands an ancient, ivy-clad. historic
building, Old BIandfOrd Church, built
in 1875. disused in the early part of
this century. the walls and the roof
now standing intact, but without
floors, doors or windows, 1t stands in
full view of the great battle-tields. and
on the historic lines of Petersburg,
more memorable than ThermOpylae
in the ancient world, or SabaStopOl IN
modern history: 1t stood in the line
of fire for ten long months. close be
hind the Confederate lines it wit
messed Grants bloody assaults in the
early days Of June. 1864: in sight of
the fierce repulse of the Federal col
nuns at the explosion of the Crater,
and in full view of the brilliant, deS-
Derate and almost successful charge
of GOrdOn'S gallant corps upon Fort
ID almost the last expiring
struggle of the Incompatible Army OF
Northern Virginia..
This association proposes to rehab-
iIitate this old structure, and so to do
the work that 1t will be to every
Outhern state a nOn-SeCtarIan Nor
tuary MemOrial Chapel. carrying down
to ages yet to come the story or u
nations birth and early death; to do
this work it proposes to rely upon us
members and its good friends. the
Veterans of Petersburg and their sons
and daughters; but around this spot
lie thousands of our heroes from every
state in the C~Onfederacy. from
MARYLAND to the Lone Star of Texas
and knowing of the love that the sons
and daughters of the C~Onfederacy
bear to their dead, it is felt that this
memorial would not be complete with
out their sympathy and cooperation.
We therefore ask the endorsement of
the Camps of Confederate Veterans.
and its recommendation to the Ladies'
Memorial Association. the sons and
DaughterS of the C0nfederacy. and
kindred organization of this south
ern land. that each state C~Ontrlbut" q
Memorial Window. to be placed IN
this old church to commemorate the
mighty deeds done in their behalf