Year: 1879

Winchester Correspondence Philadelphia Times


There is something decidedly fun
ny about the patriotism of Virginia
crowd. Patriotism in the valley OF
Virginia is a very mixed state. Half
OF it is loyalty to the Union and the
other half to the Copfederacy. Take,
for instance. a military company
which parades the streets In its jack
cts OF gray. 1t will utterly refuse to
carry the stars and stripes. and yet
the next moment Ii will hurrah for
the Union in the same breath that il
will cheer the "lost cause" Among
the 'visitsng companies yesterday was
the Light Infantry from Alexandria,
on the Virginia side of the Potomac,
within sight OF loyal Washington. !
happen TO know that when this COM
pany met in its armory to talk over
the proposal tip some one suggested
that it carry an American flag at the
head OF its column. Kisses greeted
the proposition akd it was voted
down promptly, and the company
marched yesterday without colors.
Yet this same company week pre-
vIous. when the people OF the North
were decorating the graves of the
nations dead, turned out 10 the rain
and strewed with flowers the graves
OF the Federal dead in Alexan !ria.
This example of this Alexandria CON-
pany was not followed here in the
valley. however. Although five
thousand Federal dead are buried
here, in one OF the most beautiful OF
cemeteries to be found anywhere, not
Confederate soldier was magnani-
nous enough to throw even a flower
upon a grave. although men who had
synfpathized with the North during
the war took part In the ceremonies
Of yesterday. The keeper of the ma
tional cemetery says that last week,
when the flag at hall mast betokened
the day OF mourning throughout the
North. a solitary lady entered the
yard. Expecting to find others there
she had provided herself with a
single bouquet. She was surprised
TO find the graves green and with no
traces whatever of the work OF living
or friendly hands. Dividing her
poor little bouquet into several parts,
she placed flower or two upon a
duZen graves and went away sorrow
fully. There was no other who
cared for the nations dead in all
Winchester. A year or two ago an
aged and iniirm man found his way
into the cemetery. He wandered
aimlessiy around the modest monu.
ment standing upon the mound un-
der which the bones OF the unknown
dead repose and about the little slabs
OF marble which bear the names oil
those who fell fighting for their coun


try. Suddenly he stopped. and his
eyes dimmed with tears. He fell up
on the little mound, tlasped the
gravestono in his arms and sobbed
and cried as il his heart would break
Years before he had sent son to the
war. Years before that son had fall
en--where, he knew not. He could
get no trace OF him. His comrades
were dead or scattered. and no one
knew where or when the loved son
had yielded up his life. At last this
old father had discovered what be
had long searched for In vain. On
the marble slab his sons name was
cut, and he sat down upon the grave
and gave away to the most violent
grief. This grave alone OF the
thousands in the cemetery is strewn
with flowers when Decoration Day
comes around. The old man left
orders behind him and money to
carry them out, and he has tho salts.
faction of knowing that his sons
grave Is attended to.