The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-07-25
Fifth Maryland at Cape May-.-Spccch
Of General Bradley T. johnson.

|
Fifth Maryland at Cape May---Spccch
| Of General Bradley T. johnson.
The Fifth Maryland regiment arrived at
Cape May on Saturday. At Congress Hall
General Bradley Z. johnson, OF Richmond,
made q speech Of welcome, as follows:
Colonel Loney, Officers and Men OF the
Fifth,-I am deputed by our host and the
ladies and gentlemen here to extend to you
! cordial welcome to the hospitalities of the
| island. Your reputation as corps, your
discipline and your material, have placed
YOU at the head Of the volunteers, and the
bride which your city and your State feel IN
YOU is participated in by all of us. You are
not the first Maryland regiment which has
trod the soil of Jersey, for one covered the
retreat of Washington at Long Island, and
three regiments Of volunteers held up his
arm in the dark days OF Valley Forge.
We have observed your general orders for
the regulation of the camp with pleasure; !;
| but permit me to say there are some
dangers you have not guarded against.
Your reveille is good, for 1t is well Tor
young soldiers to get up early, and be wide
awake when they do getup. Your tattoo ls
| better, but taps is best OF all, for 1t IS not
we'll here to sleep too much. The order
against bathing by themselves Is capital, and
|
is no doubt it will be literally obeyed. But
the dangers referred to do not lie here.
This is the enchanted island. Here it is
always May, and perennial spring bears
blossoms TO flowers and growth to all. 1t is,
however, fringcd with breakers, and the
undertowS too often sweep oil the unsus-
Dcctinr. The seashore has always been
dangerous TO soldiers with absent wives.
There lEneas got into his difficulty with the
Calthagcnian queen, and there also the
wisest of them all had to fly from the wileS
OF Calypso.
am credibly informed that you have pro-
yided against such troubles by bringing no
married men with you, and that all your
command are under the orders OF the ladies.
This is wise in you. 1t was not here that
Dido sighed her soul away for her runaway
lover, nor did the nymph refuse to be com
forted for the departure OF Ulysses. No
history nor fable records any desertion by
the military from this island. 1t was, in
truth, the old-timc abode Of Circe and her
svrens, and even since the bad conduct OF
those soldiers these shores have been IL
habited by her nymphs. Venus arose
here from the sea foam and straight
way fell to making love to Mars,
who then commanded volunteer regi-
ment for the siege of Olympus. She
was not satisfied with the conduct Of that
colonel, and she laid the spell here
which has found us ever since. She changed
her tented shell into clearinghouse, and
clothed the glorious beauty Of her ocean
birth into the Cape May bathing-dress. She
pretended that it was to keep these syrens
from looking as pretty as they can look, but
it is q deluson and snare: They are more
dangerous thus than ever. / warn you OF
| ~ + iS
change since then in the hearts OF men or
women either. All the world loves lover,
and all brave hearts love the brayest, no
matter under what sky nor what flag. The
soul goes out to the hero, and have not
observed any difference whether he wears q
blue coat, or gray jacket, or scarlet uni
FORM History but records the uni
versal sentiment when it tells the
fiery story of the charge. OF Cardi-
gan and his light brigade into the
Jaws of hell; Of Ashby with the sword
of Bayard and the soul OF Sydney, dying
before his charging line; OF Stuart, the
flower of cavaliers, his plume, like Henry
of Navarro, dancing on the crimson tide OF
battle, and pouring out bis life IN defence OF
a Maryland battery; and last and brlghtest,
when that Sir Galahad OF the cavalry, tnat
peerless knight Of all the cavalry, with ms
honor on his guidons and his HE on the
point of his sabre, Custer, with his three
hundred, rode down the black valley OF the
shadow OF death among the rayines OF the
Rosebud. Not one to tell the tale! [Cheers.J
why, fame sprang from the very chambers
OF the ambient air; and all the ages shall
echo with her song, and nations yet unborn
will repeat the story how Custer rode, and
fought, and died.
uCood knight and true. rs ever drew
His sword with knighty Roland,
| Or died by Sobieskis side
For love of nartyred Poland,
Or prayed with Cromwells 1ronsides,
or sang with brave GusfaVus.
Or on the field of AusterlItz
Poured out his dying aves."
These are the men and these the deeds
that consecrate the profession OF arms to oil
true men and women forever. You, sir,
| and your command are undergoing the
| proper training in that honorable pro1es-
sion, and we do not doubt that when duty
calls you will do rs your grandsires did IN
TT, as your fathers did in '12114, as your
brothers have done-you will prove your
selves worthy Of your lineage and the flag
you 80 faithfully bear. [Applause.]
Colonel Loney, in returning thanks, said
he was proud that on this the third visit OF
the Fifth to Cape May its welcome had been
so great. He felt sure OF the disposition OF
the command to carry out the orders OF its
officers, and that its members would COM
port themselves rs citizens OF the country,
IL, Nod dana yryhpfhp