Address of Armi stead Burwell 
 May 10, 1898 
 
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ADDRESS 
 
 OF 
 
 ARMISTEAD BURWELL, Esq. 
 
 MAY 10th, 1898 
 
 CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL SERVICES 
 
 ELMWOOD CEMETERY 
 
 CHARLOTTE, N. C. 
 
Bs 
 
 Address of 
 
 Armi&ead Burwell, Esq. 
 
 May 10th, 1898 
 
 Confederate Memorial Services 
 
 Elm wood Cemetery 
 
 Charlotte, N. C. 
 
 Almost a third of a century has passed since the host 
 that followed Lee and Johnston laid down its arms before 
 that which followed Grant and Sherman — the one 
 returning to homes made desolate by defeat, the other to 
 a land made joyful by victory. 
 
 The years that have flown by have brought wisdom 
 to all those, whether victors or vanquished, who have had 
 "attending ears" to hear their teachings, and those years 
 have borne to the brave hearts that were once estranged 
 the sweet charity that is ever kind. 
 
 Time has touched with its beneficent power the places 
 of strife — 
 
 "Where brothers faced each other's steel, 
 Grim suitors in the last appeal" — 
 
 and they are places of restful peace. 
 
 Enchantment has fallen on the now distant scenes. 
 Gettysburg and Chickamauga are beautified by nature and 
 by art. The glory of heroic action lightens the fields 
 
once darkened by the smoke of battles, and instead of the 
 roar of conflict there is heard the loud acclaim of a won- 
 dering people. 
 
 Some enemies of that seeming yesterday are our 
 heroes of to-day. 
 
 We think of Grant, not as the stern warrior whose 
 mailed hand struck down our kin, but as the mighty man 
 of war, who, in all the crises of his life, ruled himself, and, 
 pleading that there might be peace between his country- 
 men, was more heroic in the chamber of his death than 
 ever on tented field where victory perched upon his 
 standard. 
 
 And those who fought with Bragg at Chickamauga 
 salute with unfeigned respect the steadfast Thomas, who 
 stood unmoved amidst the dreadful disasters of that Sep- 
 tember day. » 
 
 Time has clothed with a new glory our friends of that 
 yesterday. 
 
 We think of Lee now, not as he led his often victorious 
 columns to newer heights of fame, but as the majestic 
 man who bore defeat with equanimity, and turned from 
 the paths that might have led to wealth to that other way 
 that led to duty and to God. 
 
 We have ceased to mourn that Jackson died, because 
 he lives in the hearts of his countrymen, and because, 
 himself removed from trouble and sorrow, his fame has 
 grown until America proclaims him one of the greatest 
 soldiers since the world began. "His body is buried in 
 peace, but his name liveth forevermore." 
 
And this nation of States, united now, and in its union 
 invincible, if its cause be just, says of all — both those that 
 wore the blue, and those that wore the gray — 
 
 "My sons — they have demeaned themselves 
 Like men born to renown by life or death." 
 
 With these words, and in the spirit they evince, with 
 charity for all, with malice towards none, we come to deck 
 these graves with the flowers of spring, testifying thus 
 again that we who survive have not forgotten those who 
 "sleep in fame." 
 
 We turn away for a while from the busy walks of life 
 to this city of the dead, hoping that the memory of noble 
 lives, here and now revived, may make us faithful to the 
 true and right, as it is given to us to know it, though faith- 
 fulness to such high purpose seem to lead to defeat or to 
 death. 
 
 And, as is most fitting, we invoke the blessing of Him 
 who rules the destinies of nations upon those by whose 
 loving labor this monument was made. 
 
 May it ever stand, not less to their gracious memory 
 than to that of the heroic dead for love of whom they 
 placed it here. 
 
 Let us, then, scatter beautiful flowers on these slopes 
 where sleep the honored dead, neglecting no grave where 
 a soldier rests, and, from year to year, as blooms come 
 forth to deck with their beauty this Southland that we 
 love, let her children perform this pious duty so long as 
 valor is here revered. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2013 
 
 http://archive.org/details/addressofarmisteOOburw 
 
UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 
 
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 FOR USE ONLY IN 
 THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLECTION 
 
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