The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-01-01
May %. for the Confederate dead, and on
May 30 for the Union soldiers. Both
were sincere and pathetic services.
Love and tears for the blue,
Tears and love for the gray"

In Hollywood Cemetery. the wealth and
fashion of Richmond, and very many OF
the humble poor of the city, brought their
floral tributes to the graves Of their sol
der dead. Every grave had its floral of
fering, although, of course. some lad more
mourners than others. Fine private car
riages stood near the entrance. Public
stages. old ambulances and army wagons.
brought their loads. Children from the
orphan asylum walked in procession with
their fragrant burdens. Negroes carried
baskets and trays full of flowers to testify
their regard for those when they had
served in life, and now honored in death.
The National Cemetery was just out OF
the city, on the Williamsburg road There,
in a large inc!osure, the tasteful grounds
of which were laid out with military PEE
clSlOn, were the green mounds covering
more than 5000 soldiers of the Govern
ment who had died in its defense. Some
of them fell on the great battletields. at
the gates of this long-beleaguered city;
some gave up their lives at a solitary out
post or Oh the advanced skirmish Lines;
others pinned away and died on Belle Isle.
in the tobacco warehouses, or i'll gloomy
Libby Prison. Little did any of them
think. in the hour of dark defeat or of
weary imprisonment, that their remains
would be watchet. and tended, and even
hold they vainly sought to subdue. But
now each grave was mounded and marked.
On its neat head-board was given the
name and battalion of the dead hero, IT
known. or the simple legend. Unknown
U. S. Soldier" which made his grave as
sacred as Corps Commanders On a
lofty staff above prominent mound in
the center of the Enclosure. the American
flag was kept flying from sunrise to sun
Saf day he
Most touching of all the observances of
that Memorial Day. thus early after the
war, was the planting of n tiny United
States flag above each grave at the close
of the opening prayer. None Of the freely
lavished floral offerings could so touch a
soldiers heart as that flag above his COM
rades grave. For love of that flag the
soldier had battled, endured, and d ed. 1t
represented all that he loved and lived
for, and for which he gave up his life.
Six thousand National flags in a sing'e
Richmond cemetery was n sight to thank
God for. Upward of 10000 visitors in
that one day honored those soldier dead.
Most of the visitors were white citizens.
yet the negroes also came there TO that
shrine of liberty, from the gray-haired.
bowed old patriarch down to the toddling
child. bringing fresh flowers as the offer
ing of grateful hearts to the memory of
those whose dying won their freedom.
At the close of the war, at least a half
million Union soldiers lay dead on the
fields where they fell or in burial places
near by.
Count who can the fields they've pressed,
Each face to the solemn sky"
Three hundred and twenty-five thousand
of these soldier dead now rest in S3 Ma
tional Cemeteries, owned and tended by
the United States Government, at various
points from New York to San + ancisco.
and from Florida to Iowa. They Wee
gathered into these sacred enclosures from
more than 100 battlefelds and scores of
army hospitals and prison stockadps.
sands more lie in city and village GENE
teries. and in smaller family burial places
all our country over. Yet unnumhered
others. buried hastily where they fell. or
left unburied. singly or in groups, at out
of-the-way places, in the extensive country
fought over by our armies. were never re-
covered, and the traces of their last lonely
bivouac are finally lost to sight Even of
the third of n million graves in our M
tional Cemeteries. nearly 10000 bear the
mark Unknown" and no loved one can
claim personal interest in them
Whether in known or an unknown
grave. the soldier who died that his coun-
try might live, who fell that we and ours
might continue to rise, is deserving OF low
ing honor to the end of time or these
dead soldiers, OF their work. and of their
worth, Lord, keep our m 'mOry green.
TO be cOntinued)