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About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (June 7, 1895)
THE HESPERIAN I .t EVENTS OF COMMENCEMENT WEEK. June 7. Graduating Concert, Conservatoryof Music, University Chapel, 8 p. m. June 8. Chancellor's reception to Seniors and Faculty, University Conservatory, 4-6 p. m. Joint Program, Literary Societies, University Chapel, 8 p. m. June 0. Baccalaureate Sermon, Bishop John H. Vine , Lansing Theatre, 8 p. m. June 10. Commencement Concert, University Music Union, "The Creation," Lansing Theatre, 8 p. m. June 11. Class Day Exercises, Lansing Theatre, 10 a. m. Campus, 8:30 p. in. Alumni Banquet, Academic and Industrial Colleges, University Conservatory, 5 p. m. Open-air Concert, Glee Cluband Cadet Band, Campus, 8 p. m. June 12. Commencement Exercises, all Colleges, Orator Rev. F. W. Gunsaulus. D. ID., Chicago. Lansing Theatre, 10 a. m. DECORATION DAY AT GFTYSBURG NATION AL CEMETERY. . A day or two ago Decoration Day was observed throughout the length and breadth of our land. It m.iy not be amiss to dos- r cribe one of our great National Cemeteries, and sec how the day is there observed. One of the most beautiful of these is the one at Gettysburg, Pa. If you have never been over the battle field at Gettysburg, a visit ro that historic spot will well repay you for any special ef fort it may cost. Space will not permit any attempt at description of that Hold where was fought on the first three days of July, 1803, a battle winch was the turning point of the civil war. The victory to the Union was gained at the cost of the lives of 23,000 bravo men of the Army of the Potomac, and at a much greater loss to the vanquished. Shortly after the battle, the Gettysburg Cemetery company purchased the site of the present National Cemetery, then acorn field, situated on the top of what is now known as Cemetery Hill, at the south edge of the town of Gettysburg and directly adjoining the Citizens' Cemetery. After laying out this and removing the bodies of the Union soldiers there from their graves, then scat tered over the fields where they fell, this company turned it over the to the U. S. government, upon condition that it should always be kept in good order. Should the government over fail in its part of the con tract tho cemetery will rovcrt to this com pany. The government has cared well for these grounds and a more beautiful resting place for our dead heroes could not well be planned. Here, at tho occasion of the ded ication of the cemetery, President Lincoln, amid the hush of the thronged multitude, in his own calm and peculiar manner rose and slowly adjusting his spectacles, read that speech which has become immortal. Ed ward Everett, who sas the orator of the day, said he would gladly exchange his forty pages for Mr. Lincoln's hundred linos. Upon tho spot where Mr. Lincoln then stood has been erected a National Monument, sixty feet high and twenty-five feet square at tho base. Upon tho central column is a statute representing the Genius of Liberty while from the four projecting corners are allegorical figures made in Italy, represent ing War, History, Peace and Plenty. Hanging in semi-circles around this mon ument and with their feet toward it are tho graves of tho dead. These are divided into twenty. two sections, one for each of tho eighteen Union states, one for tho United States Regulars, and three for the unknown. Tho original numbor buried hero was 3,590, though a few more have been added from time to time since then. Tho most touching sight is tho rows of little square marble stones each bearing a number and indicat ing that beneath it rests the body of an un known hero. There are 970 of these. Nearly all of them are from tho first day's field. Our army, driven from tho field, y.'oro compelled to leave our dead and wounded behind to tho mercy of tho enemy, who stripped the uniforms from our dead and thus destroyed all means of identifica tion. Where their state is known tho un- o
