Evening star., 1909-06-01
WHERE LINCOLN STOOD
Memorial Day Exercises at
battle-ground Cemetery.
DEFENDERS OF CAPITAL
Tributes Paid to Men Who Turned
Back Early's Troops.
BOULDER TO MARK THE SPOT
Memorial to Show Where President
Stood Exposed to the Fire of
the Enemy.
DEFENDERS OF CAPITAL
BOULDER TO MARK THE SPOT

\ national salute of twenty-one guns.
fired by a section of Battery F., I'd Field
Artillery, I. s. A.. began the Impressive
Memorial day exercises held late yester-
day afternoon at battle-ground National
cemetery in Brghtwood.
Several hundred people-veterans, their
wives, sons. daughters, grandchildren and
friends-assembled in the small cemetery
to participate in the ceremonies COM
memorating the forty Union soldiers who
lie buried on the field where they fell in
defending the nations capital against q
raid by Early's troops in 1854
From a small stand draped with flags
and decorated with American beauty
roses different speakers referred to the
battle around Brightwood the only
one Tough, in the District of Columbia
during the civil war, and told how the
Union troops, watched by President Lin
coin from Fort Stevens. turned back the
victorious Confederate. forces. Fifty-four
Union soldiers were killed and forty of
| these were buried in battle-ground ceme-
/ terry. Among those TO pay tribute to them
| yesterday was James II. Blount of
Georgia. who fought on the side Of the
| troops before whom they fell.
Assembly, sounded by bugler from the
| United States Soldiers Home Band, was
/ the signal for the beginning of the eXer-
| cises. AS the last note was sounded the
gun section of Battery F. from Fort
Myer. under command of Lieut.. j. r.
Bra bson, began the salute.
After a selection by the Soldiers Home
Band the invocation was pronounced by
Rev. Claude NJ. Hesser, pastor of Emory
| Chapel, Brightwood. Capt. Newton Nj.
Brooks past department commander,
G. 4. r., under whose direction the pro-
gram of exercises was carried out. read
the G. A. r. orders.
Mr. Shoemaker's Address
Louis p Shoemaker delivered the in
| troduetor address and acted as chair
man of the meeting. introducing the
speakers who followed. Mr.. Shoemaker
said in part:
Annually we meet III this little ceme-
| terry to do honor to those who lost their
lives in the battle of Fort Stevens, dur
ing Early's raid at the close of the civil
war.
These exercises. although held under
the direction Of the Grand Army of the
Republic, are to great extent our own
and belong to community. Until
taken up by the Brightwood Citizens AS
| sociaton six or seven years ago no for
| NAL ceremonies were held here. Now we
succeed in securing the attendance OF
several hundred people each year. and we
desire to make these memorial exercises
/ impressive and interesting TO the older
| young folks.
| The children will sing patriotic songs,
and place fla gs and flowers on the graves.
We. the people Of Brightwood. are proud
| of these exercises and the chairman of
each committee and the members OF the
various COMMITTEES appreciate the sup
| port YOU have given 1t has ablel them
TO make this occasion a success
! Edgar G.. Snyder was the next spea ker
| introduced and delivered a stirring, pa
triotic address, in which he recounted the
history of the last desperate attack Of
the Confederate forces upon Washington,
and spoke of the gratitude due those who
successfully rephlsed 1t the field in
which the memorial exercises were being
| held.
| At the completion of Mr.. SnNders ad
dress a chorus OF the children OF Bright
wood Takoma and Petworth schools sang
| Beautiful Flag OF Liberty which
brought forth enthusiastic applause from
| all present. Later they sang Hear Our
| Country's Call