Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-05-20
Memorial for Pennsylvania Heroes
Dedicated at Fort Malone.
EULoGY BY MAJOR BRowNELL
Beautiful Tribute to Bravery of Men
on Both Sides.
TAFT STARTS FOR CHARLOTTE
Executive VIII Speak ne Celebration
of Annicveruary of Mecklenberg
Declaration of Independ-
cnce Today.

tribute alike to the soldiers of the north
and of the SOUTH President Taft today
witnessed the unveling Of a heroic statue
in bronze erected at Fort Malone, on the
Petersburg battlefields. In memory of
General Hartranft and the Pennsylvania
volunteers who fell In the stubborn fight
about this outpost of the confederate cap
ital. The president arrived in Petersburg
shortly after 9 o'clock in his private car.
the Olympia, which was detached from
the regular Washington train at Richmond
and was run as special from there. The
president went Immediately to Fort Sted-
man, where a tablet was unveiled and
then proceeded to Fort Malone, where no
made his first address OF the day.
The day was warm. but the sky was
overcast throughout the morning and the
heat was not seriously felt The president
coupled with every tribute to the union
soldiers a eulogy OF the valor OF the con-
federates. 1--WE could not dedicate this
beautiful and enduring memorial" he de-
clared, ITO the volunteer soldiers of Penn
sylvania with such a sense of its Justice
and appropriateness had they not been
confronted by an enemy capable of resist
ing their assaults with equal vlgor and
| fortitude. Pennsylvania pride must be in
| the victory achieved by its men against SO
brave, resolute and resourceful an enemy"
| The president declared the battle between
| the states had to be touRht ana Jnat enuur'
| ing good had come of II.
President Taft said in part:
MY fellow Citizens: We are met to-
day on the soil of Virginia to dedicate
| memorial to the bravery of the sons of
Pennsylvania exhibited in contest to the
death with the sons of Virginia and the
south. We stand here In the center of
the bloodiest and most critical operations
! of the last year of the civil war, only a
| f~ava l,at Ara, mt n
at Appomattox between Grant and Lee
which marked the great qualities OF the
heart and soul of each ana which was the
real end of the terrific struggle between
the two sections.
ITO Pennsylvania. as one of the great
states of the union, engaged I'm the &C.
termination 10 save II, fell the burden OF
furnishing tens OF thousands OF men for
the struggle in the early part OF the line
OF attack but especially In the army OF
the Potomac was the force OF her people
and their devotion to the cause felt.
I'm the time which has passed the
president continued. "the bitterness OF the
internecine struggle has passed away and
we now treasure as a common heritage Of
the country the bravery and the valor of
both sides in that controversy. The army
of the Potomac under Grant and Meade
was seconded and supported by generous
government 1t was hardly so with the
confederate forces scantily clothed, rarely
on more than half rations and for consid-
cradle periods reduced to an allowance of
bacon and meal hardly sufficient to sustain
life the long winter through, their shiv-
erng infantry manned the ever extending
siege works and made head against the
vigorous assaults of the union army until
their depleted ranks were no longer equal
daF ~ lines
and they gave up a contest which by many
other soldiers but the tried and seasoned
veterans of the army OF northern Virginia
would long before have been abandoned.
Pride in Enemy's strength.
"PennsyIvania's pride must be in the VIC
tory achived by her men against so brave
resolute and resourceful an enemy That
we can come here today and in the pres
ence of thousands and tens of thousands
of the survivors Of the gallant army OF
northern Virginia and, of their descendants
establish such enduring monument by
their hospltable welcome and acclaim is
conclusive proof OF the uniting OF the sec
tions and a universal confession that all
that was done was well DONE that the
battle had to be fought that the sections
had to be tried, but that in the end the
result has Injured TO the common benefit
/ "
! Virginia fought for a principle which they
, believed to be right and for which they
were willing to sacrifice their lives. their
, homes-al, indeed, which men hold most
dear.
THE contending forces Of now half a
century ago have given place 70 a new
north and a new south and TO a more en-
during union I'm whose responsibilities and
, whose glorious destiny we equally and
, gratefully share"
EuiOgy by BrOwnelI.
Major Isaac Brownell eulogized the
men of both the blue and the gray and ex-
pressed the hope that the government Of
the United States, and all the states OF
the American union. may, in fraternal
and loyal spirit, Unite in the building OF .
joint monument 10 the confederate and
| union soldiers which shall be commensu-
rate with the great sacrifices and the un-
surpassed bravery which characterized the
American soldiers in the great siege Of
Petersburg"
Here, Near Petersburg" a familiar
phrase of old war time days" said Major
Brown, upon the sacred soil OF old Vir-
. ginia. made forever hallowed In the unpre-
cedented clash OF arms and the shedding
of American blood, do two great common
wealths extend fraternal greetings. Look
ing backward, not in bitterness, not In re-
sentiment, but In pathos and venerstion-
In tears tor the sacrifices OF their chivalric
sons. and In veneration and pride for their
limitess yalor. Yes, reverently do we obey
, the command 10 look backward when II Is
given In the name of American blood and
American bravery, but In all else our
thoughts are OF the future; cur enterprises,
our energies. our ambitious our fondest
hopes are in the promising future wherein
we look for the advancement the uplift-
ing and the greater instrumentality for
good Of this reunited American republic"
Nature sings Requiem.
There was pathos said Major Brown. In
the signing Of the pines, grown to great
dimensions on the time worn fortifieations,