F M5L2. LABIES' MEMOBIAL ASSOCIATION. Confederate MEMORIAL ADDRESSES. MONDAY, MAY n, 1885. KEW BERN, K C. RICHMOND, VA. : Whittet & Sheppekson, Cor# Tenth and Main Streets. 1886. —ASS: Class. Book- LADIES' MEMOEIAL ASSOCIATION. Confederate MEMORIAL ADDRESSES. MONDAY, MAY ii, 1885. NEW BEEN, K C. RICHMOND, VA. : Whtttet & Sheppekson, Cor, Tenth and Main Streets. 188G. ^3 N T E N T S. {] n AT ^- 1. Frontispiece : Confederate Monument. 2. Historical Sketch of the Ladies' Memorial Association of New Bern, N. C, by Rev. L. C. Vass, A. M., . . . . 5 3. Biographical Sketch of Gen. James Johnston Pettigrew, by Capt. H. C. Grah.\]vi, ...,.,. 9 4. Address on Unveiling the Confederate Monument, by Rev. L. C. Vass, A. M., 26 5. Poem, "Dux Fcemina Facti,'' by Mrs. M.ary Bay.uid Clarke, . 29 6. Proceedings at the Unv-eiling of the Monument, ... 29 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE LADIES' MEMORIAL SOCIETY NEW BEEN, N. C. DURING the late sad war New Bern was long occupied by the Federal troops. At its close, the old citizens, long exiles from their homes, returned, broken in fortune, poor in worldly goods, but rich in patriotic fervor. The large-hearted women of New Bern determined, in some way, to commemorate the devotion of the dead Confederate soldiers of this section of the old North State. No means were available except what con- tinuous effort could realize. On November 17, 1866, the Board of City Councilmen, by a vote of four to two, passed the following ordinance : " It is ordained by the Mayor and Council of the city of New Bern, that the plat of ground in Cedar Grove Cemetery, known as the Circle, and the four adjoining triangles, be, and the same are hereby given, set apart, and appropriated to the New Bern Memorial Association, for the legitimate purposes for which said Association was formed. "Be it further ordained, that the Mayor and Council of said city shall, and will convey by deed to said Association said plat of ground, so soon as said Association shall be prepared legally to receive the same." "The Ladies' Memorial Association of New Bern" was organized in January, 1867, with the following officers: Presi- dent, Mrs. E. B. Daves ; Vice-Presidents, Mrs. J. A. Guion, Mrs. W. P. Moore and Mrs. M. McK. Nash ; Secretary, Miss H. Lane ; HISTORICAL SKETCH THE LADIES' MEMORIAL SOCIETY OF NEW BEEN, N. C. DURING the late sad war New Bern was long occupied by the Federal troops. At its close, the old citizens, long exiles from their homes, returned, broken in fortune, poor in worldly goods, but rich in patriotic fervor. The large-hearted women of New Bern determined, in some way, to commemorate the devotion of the dead Confederate soldiers of this section of the old North State. No means were available except what con- tinuous eifort could realize. On November 17, 1866, the Board of City Councilmen, by a vote of four to two, passed the following ordinance : " It is ordained by the Mayor and Council of the city of New Bern, that the plat of ground in Cedar Grove Cemetery, known as the Circle, and the four adjoining triangles, be, and the same are hereby given, set apart, and appropriated to the New Bern Memorial Association, for the legitimate purposes for which said Association was formed. "Be it further ordained, that the Mayor and Council of said city shall, and will convey by deed to said Association said plat of ground, so soon as said Association shall be prepared legally to receive the same." "The Ladies' Memorial Association of New Bern" was organized in January, 1867, with the following officers: Presi- dent, Mrs. E. B. Daves ; Yice-Presidents, Mrs. J. A. Guion, Mrs. W. P. Moore and Mrs. M. McK. Nash ; Secretary, Miss H. Lane ; .6 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE Treasurer, Mrs. Julius Lewis. For the past eigliteen years they have labored with commendable perseverance to accomplish their worthy aims. Money has been gathered from annual dues, festivals, concerts, mite chests, donations, and a final handsome and successful effort through the columns of the New Bern Daily Journal, by its editor, Mr, H. S. Nunn. Altogether they have received about $3,700. On May 2d, 1867, was laid the corner-stone of the mausoleum or vault beneath centre plat. It was completed at a cost of about $2,000. Herein have been deposited sixty-seven bodies of Con- federates, who died or were killed in or near the city during the war. Their names are preserved by the Society. Three other interments have been made since; and any Confederate soldier, remaining true to the "Lost Cause," may be buried here, if his family so desire. Above this mausoleum, on the summit of the mound, stands the Association's crowning work — the beautiful monument repro- duced in the frontispiece. It rises from a bottom base, four feet square, to a total height of eighteen feet. The bottom and sub- base, die and shaft, are of fine Rutland l»lue marble. The life-size statue on top was cut, after a design expressly for this monument, by the best workman in Carrara, Italy. It represents a Confed- erate soldier in uniform and overcoat, on picket, with every sense awake as he keenly watches for the slightest hostile movement. Calm, faithful, brave, he will never be surprised. A noble face and figure, a typical hero from the ranks ! In procuring and setting in place this statue, Mr. J. K. Willis, the skilled marble worker of New Bern, kindly assisted the ladies without charge for his personal care and superintendence. Just as this statue was put in position, the first and only presi- dent of the Association, Mrs. Daves, passed from her service here to her reward. Her last moments were cheered by the announce- ment of the happy completion of this work, so dear to her noble heart. The monument was finished in time for the annual May cele- bration, 1885. So Monday, May 11th, a most charming and auspicious day, was appropriated to the ladies memorial society of new bern, n. c. 7 Inauguration Ceremonies. Steamer and railroad poured in their contributions from river and inland, from Moreliead, Kingston and Smithfield, until a dense throng gathered aromid the tastefully decorated speaker's stand, under the pleasant shade of the Academy's beautiful grove of elms. Prominent in front were the old shot-rent and battle-inscribed flag of the Forty-eighth North Carolina Regiment, and the bright banner of the Sixty-seventh North Carolina Regiment, borne by a one-armed ex-Confederate. Old veterans of these commands honored their remembered ensigns of trying days. After music by the choir and a prayer by Rev. Y. W. Shields, Mr. Clement Manly introduced the orator of the day, Captain Hamilton C. Graham, of Dallas county, Ala., but a native of Halifax county, N. C, and formerly a captain in the Seventh North Carolina Regiment,* wlio then, in response to the invita- tion of the Memorial Association, delivered the handsome address which follows, on the Life and Services of General James John- ston Pettigrew. * Captain Graham was first a private in the Ellis North Carolina Light Artillery ; then Lieutenant in the Twenty-second Regiment, North Carolina Infantry ; pro- moted to Captain in Seventh North Carolina Regiment; severely wounded at Gaines' Mill ; then appointed Judge Advocate of the General Court-martial. He is now a practising lawyer. ADDRESS ON THE LIFE A^B SEEVICES OF GENERAL JAMES JOHNSTON PETTIGREW, DELIVERED BY H. C. GRAHAM, of Dallas County, Ala., At New Bern, N. C, on the 11th of May, 1885, by invitation from the New Bern Ladies' Memorial Association. Ladies of the New Bern Memorial Association and Fellow- Citizens : ~1 TNDER any circumstances I should feel myself higlilj hon- v_J ored in being called upon to address an audience such as I now see before me ; but when I consider all of mj present sur- roundings, when I remember the place where I am, and the pur- pose for which I am here, my heart is filled to overflowing with appreciation of this occasion. Twenty years have passed since last I stood upon the precious soil of North Carolina. With all the longing that ever possesses the heart of the absent sons of the Old North State, I have looked forward to some day when once more I could stand amid the scenes of mj^ youth. I have little thought, however, it would be on an occasion like tliis, or that I should occupy the conspicuous position in which I now find myself, through the invitation with which I have been honored from the noble association of ladies in this city, w4io have done so much, to their everlasting honor be^it said, to perpetuate the name and fame of those gallant sons of North Carolina, who went forth to die for her and for the cause of self-government. A beautiful custom, I learn, prevails in Carolina on the occa- sion of these annual memorial services, and that is, to select as the theme for the occasion the name of some conspicuous ex- emplar of valor and worth from among tliat large number of 10 ADDRESS ON THE LIFE AND SERVICES OF North Carolinians who distinguished themselves in onr great war between the States. I would, ladies and gentlemen, that some more eloquent tongue than mine, that some one more practised in the arts and graces of oratory than myself were present on this interesting occasion, to voice the virtues and to pay proper tribute to the brilliant mili- tary achievements of tliat brave soldier and true patriot, James Johnston PErriGREw, the subject of our theme to-day ; for among all that long list of brave men and skillful commanders that I^orth Carolina sent fortli to l)attle for her cause, among that galaxy of Southern heroes that, from 1S61 to 1S65, claimed the admiration of the world, lie was the peer of them all. England's greatest Ijard hath said, that — "To gild refined gold, to paiut the lily, To throw a pernime on the violet. To smooth the ice, or add another hue Unto the rainbow, or with taper light To seek the beauteous e3'e of heaven to garnish. Is wasteful and ridiculous excess." With this forcible and beautiful metaphor the wonderful poet intended to convey the idea that it was needless to embellish per- fect excellence; and the quotation has been often used to illustrate the idea that where a great and a good man dies, wdiose virtues were so conspicuous that they must of necessity have been known by all men, there is no need for eulogy. The character and the achievements of such men speak more eloquently in their behalf than any language tlie eulogist can command. Such was the character and such the achievements of that noble son of North Carolina whose memory we seek to honor to-day. A soldier of high resolve, with capacity for brilliant execution^ a gentleman far removed from the sliglitest tinge of a dishonor- able thought or action, of absolutely unsellish and unadulterated patriotism, James Johnston Pettigrew was emphatically a man for the times in which he lived ; a man for lofty and noble deeds n a great struggle that called forth the noblest and the best attributes of human nature. Of that pure and spotless character,. and elevated, knightly courage that absolutely knew not the meaning of the word fear in the performance of duty, he was a fit associate of the immaculate Lee, and a tit commander of that heroic division that scaled the heights of Gettysburg, planted their GEN. JAMES JOHNSTON PETTIGREW. 11 country's banner on that fiery crest, and poured forth, alas! such a (jopious libation of North Carolina's best blood upon that mem- orable field. Of calm and dignified bearino;, his fine countenance ever expressive of deep reflection and noble resolve, with that admirable poise of mind and disposition that was never too ex- ultant in success, nor cast down in trial and defeat, "Composed iu suffering, iu joy sedate; Good without noise, without pretension great ; True to his word, in every thought sincere, Knowing no wish but what the world might hear," he was eminently fitted to be a leader in a cause destined to try to the utmost the virtue and the endurance of man. I beg you, ladies and gentlemen, not to suppose that I am attempting merely the language of eulogy in thus endeavoring to describe some of the characteristics of James Johnston Pettigrew, for he was in truth all that I have said, and more ; nor do I feel that in the mere outline of his character and services permitted by the limits of this address, I could pay but the most imperfect tribute to the virtues and achivements of this departed hero and patriot. It is a nolJe spectacle to witness the annual outpouring of our peo|ile on occasions like this, for the purpose of keeping alive the remembrance of the heroes of our lost cause. The memory of the sad and pathetic fate of our lost and loved ones is ours now, and it is a labor of love that we perform in scattering beautiful flowers upon their graves ; but it cannot and it will not be, that the glory of their achievements will always remain the property of only a portion of this land. As the passions and bitter animosities of the war shall disap- pear, and as the sentiment of the country shall become mellowed by time, history will at last do justice to that grand army of heroes who illustrated to the world such sublime heroism, self-denial and patriotic purpose for their convictions of right, and who gave such splendid exhibition of their Anglo-Saxon origin and of American manhood. As the Englishman of to