The Tupelo journal., 1911-08-04
Of Mrs. Marmon On
the Occasion OF the Harris
burg Memorial Services.

Confederate Veterans, United Daugh-
tiers of The Confederacy, Ladies and
Gentlemen:
We are glad to have you with US to-
day. Your coming has been an event
to which we have looked forward for
over a year with a throb of pleasure
and a 1utter of excitement.
This is, indeed, a red letter day in
the calendar of Tupelo. The Veterans
of the John M Stone Camp and the
United Daughters of the Confederacy
of the Tupelo Chapter are the possess
sors of the battlefield of Harrisburg
and we are proud of u possession,
but we are most proud of the noble
men who rode into the valley death. in
to the jaws of hell Al years ago today.
Everyone here is our thrice welcome
guest. Every man who wore the Gray
in this desperately fought battle is our
guest of honor.
like the idea of the ancient Romans
The browning of their victor's brow
with wreathes of laurel. ! wish today
we could crown every gray haired SOL
der with wreathes of pansies-That's
for loving thoughts and Immortelles-
That's for fadeless glory. / would not
attempt to describe the battle of Har-
risburg. for l have seen it only in fan
cy and there are those here who have
seen it face to face. l only know that
AZ years ago today with the morning
sun shining brightly in your faces,
with the glamour of youth and the love
of Dixie over you like a benediction
you went into battle.
l fancy l can see the armies, the
Northern army 5000 strong, the
Southern 5000 strong, drawn up for
battle, Gen. Smith behind breastworks.
In fancy l can see the isolated attack
of that noble Kentucky brigade, under
Col. Grassland. as they marched 500
yards unprotected across the hot open
field straight to the enemy's line. l
can hear that murderous valley of
grape and canister, the guns of an
army as it poured upon them. Then
the smoke clears and they march back
again but not the $780,"
can see Mabry's brigade meet the
same tragic fate almost humiliation.
Then that Butcher of Harrisburg, the
gallant Bell. leading his famous brigade
against the enemy. And Rucker,
wounded twice, leading his men against
this forlorn hope, this stronghold all
meeting with the same fate. Like wave
after wave after wave of the ocean is
scattered in spray against the unyjeld
ing cliffs, these waves of living valol
Oh the foe were dashedt to pieces.
When night fell upon this bloody fielc
it is lit, as one grand funeral pyre, by
the burning homes of Harrisburg,
which was in line with General Sher-
mans policies, namely, ITO let the
people know that wherever Forest and
his men were found the land would be
waste with sword and fire"
The battle was a tragedy-one of the
darkest of the war, but we do not call
it a defeat.
We, OF Tupelo, have never thought
of Harrisburg as a defeat. We de-
scribe it with pride and tears to our
children as our fathers have handed it
dowa to US. We tell them of the noble
Forest, Lee, Buford, Mabry, Bell,
Chalmers and their gallant men. We
speak in whispers of the heroic dead
left upon the field, for Harrisburg has
stamped with immortality its gallant
dead, among them Col. Isham Harrison,
Lieut-Col. John B. Gage, Lieut.-Col.
Thomas NJ. Nelson, Lieut.-Col. L. j.
Sheriff. and Major Robert c. McCay,
and when we have finished we say
truly and General Smith retreated
because he could not safely remain
where he was.
Soldiers of a glorious cause we wei
come you. We wish we could express
to you how heartily, and to the dear
ones sleeping their last sleep under the
sod of old Harrisburg we love your
memory, we weep your graves.
we hang garlands above your dust
knowing that you are only waiting for
that grander, fuller, more e orious
r~eveilIe which shalt call you to j cause
that is not Lost"
Clopton is everybody's jeweler.