No military escort could be spared from the front to accompany the funeral procession to Hollywood or to fire the usual parting salute to the dead commander. But as the body was lowered into the grave, the earth trembled with the roar of artillery from the battlefield where his old troops were obeying his last command and driving back the Federals. No better salute could have been given the gallant leader. Leaving the body of their brave defender beneath the pines of Hollywood, the officials and citizens of Richmond returned to their homes to meet other sorrows. Before a year passed, the devoted city was overtaken by the fate which Stuart had so ably aided Lee in averting. Richmond fell into the hands of the Federals, General Lee surrendered, and the southern Confederacy was no more. When the city arose from her ashes and again put on the garb of peace, one of her first works was to erect memorials in honor of the men who had fought so nobly in her defense. In 1888, a monument was erected by some of Stuart’s comrades to mark the place at Yellow Tavern where he received his mortal wound. Governor Fitzhugh Lee was the orator of the occasion. He had been one of Stuart’s most trusted brigadier generals, and had known him since they were cadets together at West Point. In beautiful and touching language, he reviewed the chief events of Stuart’s life, his brilliant campaigns, and his last hours. [Illustration: MONUMENT AT YELLOW TAVERN Marking the place where Stuart was wounded] The shaft at Yellow Tavern is twenty-two feet high and stands on a knoll about thirty feet from the spot where Stuart was wounded. Upon it are the following inscriptions: _Face_: Upon this field, Major-Genl. J. E. B. Stuart, Commander Confederate Cavalry A. N. Va., received his mortal wound, May 11, 1864. _Right_: He was fearless and faithful, pure and powerful, tender and true. _Left_: This stone is erected by some of his comrades to commemorate his valor. _Rear_: He saved Richmond, but he gave his life. Born Feb. 6, 1833, died May 12, 1864. In 1891, the “Veteran Cavalry Association of the Army of Northern Virginia” was organized for the purpose of marking the grave of General Stuart with a suitable monument; but it was afterwards decided that, with the aid of the city of Richmond, the association would erect an equestrian statue. The city donated the site on Monument avenue, near the equestrian statue of General Lee, and also contributed a large sum of money, so that the association was enabled to erect the statue.