Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1919-07-10
AS OTHERS SEE US.

paper a very interesting account OF MS
visit here. We are sure that our read
ers will enjoy perusing it, and we pub
lish it herewith:
On the south bank Of the Potomac,
fornenst the battlefield of Antietam, is
an old town of learning, culture, le-
gend and history, whose past throws
about it glamor of romance and
poetry. 1t is the scene of many an
Indian legend, is the home Of the first
steamboat in the world, the place that
once aspired to be the nations capital
Shepherdstown once saw visions, but
now dreams dreams of treasured
past.
Confederate memorial day is one OF
the outstanding features Of the COM
munity. The first Saturday in June
every year the people come for miles
to honor the memory of the two hun
dred or more Confederate soldiers who
sleep hard by monument in beauti-
full cemetery. Their surviving COM
rades at the base of the monument en-
gage in a simple responsive service,
which has been followed for a quarter
of a century, in which the principles OF
States rights and the cause for which
they fought are stoutly defended.
Flowers are placed upon the mounds,
PRAYERS are said and an address is
delivered.
Seven years ago we made the ad-
dress on memorial day, but it was so
unsatisfactory that we had to 60 back
this year and make it over. 1t was
hot June day, right in the midst of the
torrid spell, the remembrance Of which
causes some of us to long for a fan.
When we reached Shenandoah juno
ton about II o'clock in the morning,
of June 7, the fateful day, we found
Rev.. !. H. Haley, our Shepherdstown
pastor, with his car unblushingly dec
GRATED with Confederate flags. The
drive through the country arrayed in
garments befitting June bride was
delight. The poet could have found
inspiration for an ode, and the painter
for a landscape masterpiece.
Shepherdstown was in bustle
Confederate veterans, in grey, wearing
their priced crosses and leaning on
their canes, could be seen in little
groups on the street corners. Smart
khaki-clad soldiers who could teach
their granddads new stunts about war
mingled with their elders. The coun-
try folks in every sort of vehicle were
coming to town. Young sports rode
mettlesome steedS that had never
heard a brass band. The town hall,
however, was the general rendezvous,
for it was there that the Daughters OF
the Confederacy gave dinner to the
Confederate veterans, the soldiers OF
the war just closed, the clergy and the
visitors. And such a dinner! Chicken,
ham, lamb, bologna-but life is too
short to give such an enumeration.
At two o'clock the procession in
charge of Chief Marshal Beckenbaugh,
headed by the Rohrersville Band,
marched to the cemetery. The base
drum bore the legend, POUNDED in
1887" Not all the charter members
were present, but drum major, plen-
tifully besprinkled with gold lace and
carrying a staff with a gilded ball on
top, with which he performed to the
admiration Of the crowd, made up for
any lack. The soldiers in khaki, just
from overseas, in command of Capt.
R. d. Shipley, stepped it off immediate
ly behind the band Their 1.-THE figures
and quick, elastic step were in strik-
ing contrast to the STOPPING forms and
slow movements of many OF the
veterans who followed in automobiles
these fighters that reminded them OF
themselves in the sixties. The citizen
ry in cars and buggies brought up the
rear of this procession.
1t is estimated that there were three
thousand people at the cemetery. Az
ter the ritualistic service had been con-
Quoted and the crowd had commenced
to move to the speakers stand, the
weather which had been more or less
threatening ceased to threaten and
the rain began to fall. There was a
general scamper for shelter. Back to
the town, automobiles, buggieS, wag-
ons and pedestrians made their way,
confused mass. Scarcely had the
town been reached before the rain
poured in torrents. 1t was declared
that the Confederacy had faced fire.
quently more formidable storms than
this and the entire program was finish
ed at a hall that was hastily provided
with seats and an ancient piano that
was dragged from its hiding place.
Not so many veterans were present
as were there seven years ago. They
are becoming fewer every year. Their
ranks are thinning, their heads are
whitening as they totter toward the
sunset. They are the last links that
bind us to the old South of hallowed
memories which has gone forever
May their last days be their best days
and the dawning of new day be
triumphant without a cloud, with
out a tear. And when they are gath
cred to their fathers and sleep beside
their comrades, shall We not cover
their last resting places with beautiful
flowers, and thank God for the in
spiration of their lives?