The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-11-13
.oS TO RICHMOND
A Book Giving m Account OF the Visit or
Post No. %, q. A. r., Department OF New
Jersey, to Richmo d-Thc Introductory
Paees-OurseIvcs rs Others See Us.

Post-Adjutant William Hatton has sent
10 the Dispatch book 12mo., ISpp.) entl-
tied "On TO Richmond by Post No %, e..
A. r., Department Of New jersey, and its
Friends, October 10, 1881. Bishop w.
Mains publisher. illustrated by Joseph
w. Phillips, Trenton, Y. j. John Il. Mur-
ply, book and Job printer 1881"
The following is Introductory:
We. rs old veteran soldiers, took this
trip OF ours not so much for the mere sake
OF recreation, a. for the purpose OF recall
ing the incidents connected with the iate
war. While history records all the facts
OF the war they are III general sense,
and are not confined to incidents along the
line OF the "march" OF the "Gratitude."
We purpose to relate, briefly, important
incidents which occurred along our track,
so that all who accompanied us can recall
many OF the tragic sceres in which they
took part, and which have been so graph
ically described in history. Many OF us,
perhaps, i'm our army life, were called to other
| fields OF action under Sherman, Thomas,
and others, and were never called upon TO
face the heroic Army OF Northern Virginia
! in the defence OF Richmond. TO all such
! brief allusion to historical facts connected
with many points along which we passed
will be highly appreciated.
IL Is the purpose OF the publisher OF TINS
book to give plain, simple statement OF
| facts, so that when you take up this volume
you can read it with implicit faith. Hlsto-
rical facts given will not be wholly OF my
/ own Imagination or conception, but VIII De
quoted from the best authorities.
In compiling the incidents which we en-
countered on this trip will use many OF
the notes kept by several members OF our
partv. 30 i'm peTilsing this volume, II you
read OF an incident occurring which did
not come under your personal observation,
YOU must not wonder thercat; for while,
perhaps. you were wandering through the
| beautiful parks OF Richmond, gazing upon
/ its magnificent monuments, others were
/ busy looking through the musty books oI
the famous library, and others were roam
/ ing over the battlefield OF Fair Oaks, dig
ging bullets out Of trees and fallen logs,
and gathering other relies Of interest, ana
others, still. were exploring the depth,
height, and lreldth Of Libby prison,
wherein many OF our comrades, nearly
twenty wears ago, sickened and died.
| We ali have personal history to relate,
and the object of the publisher is to COM
I
that each one Of us can see the part he
played in this "drama OF life."
Owing to the perpleXing circumstances
connected with the gathering together OF
the incidents OF our trip and their compi-
lation, ] may, perhaps, make some mistakes,
mot fatal mistakes, because ii is my inten-
tion to be extraordinarily particularly and
il do ask your forbearance, for l anl not
infallible. | will endeavor TO give the facts
as they really occurred, without color oi
any kind.
itwould be well to say right here that we
ms old soldiers were about to undertake
something that had never been done since
the close Of the rebellion. We are the invited
guests OF "rebel" regiment from that
stronghold of the neutrality-suspicious.
Never before had the Confederate soldier,
OF the South extended an invitation to any
organization composed solely OF veterans
OF the Union army. Therefore our Tll
Dartakes largely OF Il national importance
and each one OF us can feel honored ioi
the part he has played Captain "Dick y
Wise touched the keynote when he salt
that "such a meeting and minglng To-
potber OF the soldiers of both armies vii
do more to bind us together in one com
mon DIOiutIuOOO tiilii q i~N -
war or peace" -,
| do not propose to fill this volume will
nv own reflections, but / wish to impress
upon each one OF our comrades and friends
that This trip of ours was not one OF 0rdl
nary importance.
For wears past we had felt strong de
sire to knOio how the men VINO wore til'
gray. and so calamity fought us for foul
| f.lf
how they would talk and act toward us
II was not an idle curiosity. The desire o
our hearts has been q Union restored 10 th'
core; a state Of genuine LOYALTY on the par
OF every citizen thereof; love forthe Union
NOT mere constrained obedience TO it. |
was for this we fought, hoped, and prayed
not for mere organic Union, WIN DlI1ei
ness and hatred ranking within II. ha
were the prospects OF our hopes aI'
PRAYERS being realizedy Sixteen years haV'
elapsed since our bruised arms were h'lhs
up aS monuments, how do they feel toWar'
us at this day? What are their FEELINGS
thoughts, desires, purposes, III reiall0i
to the old flag and the old Union! I'M
information obtained through newspapers
as all know, is unsatisfactory and not rs re
liable rs might be desired. Hence ou
projected trip to Richmond-the Caplta
OF the Conicderacy as well as OF the Olt
Dominion-and hence our qualification a
receiving from "The Old First Nirginii
infantry" the tender OF reception, III re
sponse to a business inquiry as to wharfage
addressed to an official in his Official ca
pacity.
We beg it may be remembered that 1t l
the late soldiers OF the "Coniederacy
whose guests we were, and OF whom W.
speak in relation to our reception-th
men who stood upon the line OF bat
tie and faced the Union fire. We dit
not fail to see indications that there wer'
other classes of persons who were no
in sympathy with the spirit OF our reeep
ton. These, we think, are limited TO
certain class Of politicians, the ladies, (who
however. are becoming gradually recon
ciled. and some wholly so,) a very limited
class of old "iirst families" and the boy
growing up under and not yet emancipatct
from the influence OF the irrec0ncilables
Over all these, however, we desire t
throw the kindly veil Of charity, and woult
not make this parenthetic remark but u
avoid Misunderstanding.
II will be news indeed TO our people u
hear that there were any persons in Rich
mond who were not thoroughly glad to se'
the Trenton gentlemen.
The book is dedicated to the old Firs
Virginia regiment, Otey Battery, and th
Howitzer Association and their friends
Richmond, Va"
THE MATTHEWS WATCH CAsE.-ln tn
Police Court Yesterday, in the case OF Johl
/, | Hro.,l,.,,,s (ooiorodN charged with stealini