Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 17.djvu/311

 The Monument to General Robert K Lee, 303

that I am glad to meet the survivors and my old comrades. Amongst them I greet most heartily the private soldiers, who did their duty during the war, never deserted during the war, and have been doing their duty and remained faithful since the war.

That man who is a private soldier is equal to the highest in rank, and I can take him by the hand most cordially, and greet him as my comrade and a soldier.

I am glad to find so many of them here. But, gentlemen, I did not rise for the purpose of making a speech. A wise man of old has said, ** Speech is silvern, but silence is golden,'* and I feel on this occasion like investing in gold, as language is too inadequate to do justice to the subject. I shall therefore close my remarks by intro- ducing to you Colonel Archer Anderson, the orator of the occasion, wh6 will address you.

COLONEL ANDERSON.

Colonel Anderson had committed his address to memory, and did not refer to his manuscript.

His remarks could be heard very distinctly by all the people on the stand, and he was frequently applauded with a great deal of en- thusiasm.

A REMARKABLE FEAT OF MEMORY.

It was a matter of profound surprise to many that Colonel Ander- son could deliver his speech without reference to manuscript, but those who saw him perform the same feat in his superb speech on tion of the Army of Northern Virginia, were prepared for its repeti- tion.
 * ' The Campaign and Battle of Chickamauga,'* before the Associa-

The crowd was at its greatest while Colonel Anderson was speak- ing. It covered the entire space from some distance north of the monument to Broad street and extended from Lombardy street to the slope of the hill on the east of the monument.

[This address is given in full in subsequent pages.]

THE GREAT FEATURE.

The crowning feature of all the ceremonies came with the ending of Colonel Anderson*s oration. Just as the orator finished his re- marks. General Joseph E. Johnston arose from his seat, and the way was made clear for him to leave the stand. At the steps he was met