The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-01-18

"a pamphlet containing the fol
lowing address of Ge1. E. Porter Al
exander, delivered at West Point Mil
itary Academy June 9, 1902, was
handed to the Record some time ago
by an old soldier of h other side.
In view of the reception to be given
the Confederate Veterans by Sons
morrow night at the Commercial Club
rooms, we deem this a good time to
re-publish the address.-Ed.)
Decidedly the feature of Alumni
Day, Monday, June 9th, at West Point
was the speech of General E. Porter
Alexander of Georgia. 1t was the first
occasion on which the Confederate
Army had been officially recognized
in any proceedings at the Military Ac
ademy. Indeed, it cannot be said to
have been officially recognized on this
occasion, since these proceedings were
taken under the direction of the as
sociated graduates. General Ruger
spoke for the West Pointers on the
Union side, and General Alexander
for those on the Confederate side.
He was chief of artillery of Long
streets corps, n directed the Con-
federate fire n the famous artilley
duel at Gettysburg. His speech was
continually app1auded, especially his
reference to General Longstreet, VINO
occupied a seat on the platform near
the speaker, and Whose name provok-
ed al outburst of cheering that lasted
several minutes. Following is Ge1er-
al Alexander's speech in full:
Once more the light of Jackson's
sword
Far flashes thru the gloom,
Hampton rides and there once
more
The toss Of Stuart's plume.
life goes back thru years today
And we are men once MORE,
And that old hill is Arlington,
And there, the alien shore.
:" And over yonder on the heights
The hostile camp-firfies culver,
And sullenly twixt us and them
Flows by Potomac's river
"The Confederate Veteran. With
these words does there not arise in
every mind the thought of a meteor
ic army, which forty years ago
sprang into existence, as it would seem
out of a space n notning1ess, and
after a career of foul years, unsustain
ny frno cIIru Or orC0nal hllf I'M
surpassed for brilliant fighting and Law
outpour of blood, vanished from
earth as utterly as if it a been a
phantom of imagination. 1t had fol
as a banner, a Starry Cross,
born in the fire and smoke of its bat
gilg columns on many fields, and IN
Ter many leaders, whose names proud
history will forever cherish, and then
a night it also had taken its flight
earth, to be seen no more of
men. A Federal historian wrote of
once looked upon it? ina array of
tattered uniforms and bright muskets
that body of incompatible infantry,
Army of Northern Virginia-which
or four a carried the revolt On its
Dayonets, opposing a constant front
o the mighty concentrations of power
against it, which, receiving
blows, did not fail to give
me like. and which, vital in all its
parts, died Only with dts a1nih1lation.
"And the whole people who lad
tina humiliation and had up
held that vanished flag, and in their
had sacrificed its all, with
consent to the cause for which
hey had strivea vai1ly, but so well,
ne title, The Lost Cause And this
mourned over their Lost Cause
Is the captive Israelites mourned ov-
IT Zion: IF 1 forget thee, o, Jeru-
salem. let my right hand forget its
and my tongue cleave to the
'oof OF my mouth But they buried
heir grief deep in their own hearts.
exchanging swords and gums for
of industry. set them
elves to restoring their desolated
ZONES and rebuilding their shatter
d fortunes.