Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 36.djvu/141
A Tribute of Love. 125
From the Times-Dispatch, July 31, 1008.
TRIBUTE OF LOVE TO HER NOBLE DEAD.
Impressive Memorial Services in Old Blandford in Honor of Those Who Sleep There.
The memorial services held in Blandford Cemetery this after- noon, under the auspices of that noble body of women, the Ladies' Memorial Association, attracted a large gathering - of people, which would have been much larger but for the marked inclemency of the weather. As always on these interesting oc- casions, the patriotic ladies of the city, unmoved and undeterred by adverse circumstances, and ever faithful to the memory of the heroic dead of the Southland, were present in large num- gers. The ceremonies of the day possessed peculiar interest be- cause the memory of the Petersburg soldiers who fell in battle in the War of i86i-'65 was to be especially commemorated. The program of exercises was simple, but very beautiful.
The ladies of the Memorial Association met in the Mechanics' Hall at 5 o'clock P. M., to proceed in a body to the cemetery. The A. P. Hill Camp of Confederate Veterans met at their hall, Commander Homer Atkinton in charge, and paraded up Syca- more to Wythe street, where they took cars to the cemetery. The Petersburg Chapter, Daughters of the Confederacy, and the A. P. Hill Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and the children of the public schools, bearing bunches of evergreens and flowers, united in the exercises, and the scene was both beau- tiful and impressive.
INTERESTING EXERCISES.
Mayor William M. Jones presided, and the exercises were opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. J. S. Foster. The feature of the ceremonies was the dedication of the beautiful stone and iron pagoda stand, erected by the Ladies' Memorial Associa- tion in memory of the Petersburg soldiers slain in battle, and around this incident great interest centred. The dedicatorv ad-
