The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-31
Times-Dispatch Bureau,
100 North Sycamore Street,

Yersary of the battle of the Crater. fol-
lowing the explosion of Grants mine
on the morning of July 80. 1864. a very
interesting ceremony took place in his
toric old Blandford Church. commence
rative of the heroes Of Mahone's Bril-
gade who fell on that day and field
AS a memorial OF these heroes. l19
in number. whose names, rank and reg
tment appear thereon large and
beautiful bronze tablet. placed on the
wall Of the church. was unveiled and
dedicated this afternoon between 5 and
o'clock. The tablet was the gift of
the Crater Legion. of which Colonel
william II. Stewart. OF Portsmouth, is
chief The legion is composed of the
surviving members of Nahone's Brigade
who participated in the battle of the
Crater and In the famous charge which
resulted in the recovery OF the Confed
crate lines. The services were memo
rial In character and were held in re-
Spouse to call issued by Colonel
Stewart. chief of the legion.
The church was crowded. and many
persons stood outside. unable TO gain
admission the assemblage in large part
being composed of the Confederate Or
CARNATIONS OF the city and visiting
veterans and guests. Among the lat
ter were Governor William Hodges
Mann and his chief of stan, Colonel A.
d. Hamilton; Grand Commander Whit
tie. or the Virginia Grand Camp, and
his chief of staff Colonel Bidgood, of
Richmond. and others.
Colonel w ii. Stewart, chief OF the
Crater Legion. accompanied by a am
Der OF members OF the organization. ar
rived on the Norfolk and Western train
early in tn day. and. with veterans OF
frnr
established headquarters at the STRAIT
ford Hotel. where they were called
upon by many of the Petersburg vet
erans
Al O'Clock "A. P. Hill Camp of Con-
federate Veterans. Colonel s. NJ. Green
commanding, marched to the hotel, and
from thence escorted the members of
the Crater Legion to Blandford Church
and gave them reserved seats The
organizations participa ting in the GER
emonies were the Ladies' Memorial
Association. under whose auspices the
services were held; the Petersburg
Chapter. Daughters of the Confederacy
the A. p. Hill Camps OF Confederate
Veterans and Sons OF Veterans the
beautiful old church. built in 1875,
winch has been restored 20 its original
desigH and condition by the Ladies'
Memorial Association. has been con-
verified into memorial chapel and con-
tains many interesting memorials OF
Revolutionary and Confederate times
Each Southern State has contributed a
magnificent memorial window. com
memorative of its dead heroes buried
in Blandford Cemetery Altogether,
the church stands as one of the most
beautiful, unique and complete memo
riats OF its Kind in the United States
The ceremonies of unwilling the
tablet this afternoon were simple but
Impressive. They were opened with
the singing of the hymn Onward,
Christian Soldiers" followed by the
reading of the evening service of the
Episcopal Church by the Rev
BraXton Bryan. D. D.
Address of Presentation.
The presentation of the tablet u
the Ladies Memorial Association was
made by George s. Bernard, OF Com
pany z, Twelfth Virginia Regiment.
Mahone's Brigade, in an admirable and
highly appropriate address, as follows:
Comrades. Ladies and Gentlemen;
We are assembled in this historic
cnurch this afternoon 10 pay tribute
to the memory of the one hundred and
nineteen men OF Mahone's Virginia
battle OF the Crater when the brigade.
under the. gallant lead of General
L Datia a. "e!siger and the skilful d.
made its famous charge on the soth
Of July. 1864.
1T is indeed hitting that this day.
me forty seventh anniversary of the
oatt!e. should have been selected to do
honor 10 those who yielded their lives
on that memora BILE field Upon the
beautiful tablet which adorns the walls
Of this old building OF sacred memo
RES are inscribed the names OF these
men. the rank OF each, his company
and regiment. the. careful and loving
GERS OF the brigade who led his regi-
ment, the Sixty-first Virginia. in the
eharge-Lieutenant- William II.
Stewart
Why did these men die? WHY we're
they and their comrades taken from
their position in the breastworks on
sh e tMioeo ;bd fa h1. marched under the
Run TO the old Harmon pond. thence
across the Jerusalem Plank Road by
eoserea ways and ravines, to the low
ground In rear of the Confederate
oreastworks running northwardly from
the Crater. and there. on the slope OF
me nan. placed in battle array a couple
Oh hundred PAGES from these works.
troops? Was this mere manoeuvre
IN harmless game OF war. Intend ed
f TO- t Inc instruction instruction Of young soldiers
Tragedy was about to be enacted. the
work or grim. red handed war. in
wnich blood was to flow freely and
many men on both sides were to sur
render their lives The men OF the
brigade. veterans who had participateo
IN nearly score of battles. veterans
VINO had heard the hiss of hostile bull
lets ana the violent, angry rush of shot
ana smell on many famous fields well
Knew what was about to take place
The breastworks in their front teen
, with men in blue preparing to charge
iheir standards, in numbers indicating
me presence OF very large force. are
defantly floating above them. Tb,,
| was the situation when the hundred
ana nineteen .-en whose memory we
are mere TO h Or and their comrades
! cost. at the cost even of life itself
rested on the hill slope. ready to begir
me deadly work each man feel!ne
.nat Within the next few minutes he
might be in another world
=, General Malone calls the regiment.