Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-09
Capital Sidelights
ny WILL r. KENNEDY.

why is Maj. Charles M. Stedman,
STAFF oflcer, who rode with Lee, the last
Civil War veteran in Congress, who is
to retire next March, called 1.-THE Rear
Guard of the Confederacy'? Senator
Tom ConnaIly, himself q Spanish War
veteran, who served 10 years in the
House with Maj. Stedman, contributes
an interesting bit of history to answer
this question.
When the grand army Of half a mil
lion soldiers with which Napoleon
entered Russia, defeated by the cavalry
Of the hail and the infantry of the
snow and depleted in numbers, was on
that disastrous and ever-memorable
retreat and the last column OF 5000
men from all arms of the service under
Marshal Ney reached the BereSina, the
bridge had been destroyed. BY the
efforts of the heroic marshal bridge
was built that night. When morning
dawned $4,000 occupied the amphi-
theater of hills, and while their ar
tillery and the floating cakes OF ice
in the river threatened the frail struc-
ture, the eneiny's cavalry and infantry
made continuous assaults but were
beaten back. The bridge was broken
again and again, but was as often
the 5000 had passed. Ney then or
dered the bridge broken down, and,
Snatching musket from a private
soldier, fred the last shot at the enemy.
All night that weary and broken
column toiled on. The marshal, worn
out by constant fighting and by two
days and nights without sleep. staggered
on alone far in the rear. Near dawn q
solitary figure was seen climbing the
hill ct the first French outpost. En-
larged by the rnists of Winter and the
rising dawn, he seemed Of gigantic size.
The sentinel, alarmed at the apparition,
brought his gun to the charge and
cried, Who goes there?" The figure
replied, Marshal Ney, the rear guard
Of the grand army"
Il y -
Wnen the House was acting favor
AMY On the bill providing for q Fed
eraI appropriation to restore Wake
rleld, the birthplace Of George Wash
1ngton, to Its colonial condition and
for building Q replica Of the home of
the Washingtons, surrounded by gar
dens, Representative Allen r. Tread
tention Of his colleagues to the fact
that such o shrine should be under
the jurisdiction and control Of the Fed
eral Government, and that the same
policy should be extended to Mount
Vernon, the home and burial place of
the Father Of His Country, where en-
trance fees are now charged tourists.
During discussion of this measure to
put Washington'S birthplace in a state
OF proper preservation before the BIZ
centennial Of his birth, Representative
frTnnnmnHA 81
lowing statement, with reference to the
preservation Of many shrines in the
Old Dominion:
Last Spring 1t was my good fortune
to take O trip through Virginia and to
visit Westmoreland County. was very
much impressed with this location on
the Potomac, the birthplace of Wash
ington, as place which should be
made 4 national shrine. It will not be
military shrine In any sense Of the
word. It viii be a shrine that will
recognize rec an ancient colonial home
that was the birthplace Of q family
that had a great deal to do with the
establishment Of our Government.
In Westmoreland County Is the
home Of the Lees, at Stratfofd, Robert
z. Lee being born at this old home
stead. There also il the birthplace
Of James Monroe. There are many
other points Of historic interests there.
II am pleased to see the Federal
Government cooperating with the
Rockefeller Foundation and also with
this memorial commission In order to
establish this shrine because 1t will be
q great center where tourists from all
over the country, seeking historical in
formation and patriotic Inspiration, win
come not only to visit Wakefield, but
to visit these other old homesteads and
TO impress the members Of their fam
lilies with the significance Of these
sacred places that housed these early
patricia
The opening up Of the headquarters
at the Capitol for the associate direc-
tors Of the bicentennial celebration dis
closes that stupendous library can be
assembled Of books and manuscripts
and pictures illustrative of the life Of
George Washington and interpretations
Of his deeds and ideals and motives.
A number Of new books are being
published to create Nation wide interest
in the bicentennial. For example,
closest friends and advisers. Now
comes Representative r. Walton Moore
Of Virginia, in whose district the home
Of Washington Is located, and who is
fittingly a member OF the bicentennial
commission, and who himself has de-
livered several addresses on George
Mason. He has just advised the BIZ
centennial headquarters that a very
complete biography Of Mason has been
written by the distinguished author,
Armistead C. Gordon Of Staunton, Va,
which will be ready for the headquar-
tiers library next Autumn, and which Is
expected to be Of great value in making
historically correct plans and in making
authentic details Of the great moving
picture viSualizing the life Of Wash
ington.
Some years ago, Representative
Moore points out, there was issued q
biography OF Mason by his descendant,
Miss Kate Mason Rowland, which con-
tains highly valuable material, but 1t
left a field for such work as that Of
Mr.. Gordon, which will be welcomed by
those making research on Washington's
life. The approaching bicentennial has
aroused widespread interest In books
about washington and his friends, and
there is a growing a4Ssse pm Of the
character Of George Mason and the
valuable service he rendered the Ma
ton In Washington'S day.