The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-15
REUNION OF PARKER'S BATTERY.
A PLEASANT DAY AT OLD HOW.
LETT HOUSE.
The Old Camping -Ground-Cailing the
Original Roil-Letter from General
stephen ID. Lec-Major Parker's
Address-The List OF the Old
Command Present.

OF this gallant organization prior to the
evacuation OF the city. The party, con-
sisting Of eighteen officers and men of the
old company and few invited guests, left
Rockets on barge about half-past 10
O'Clock in the morning, and arrived on
their destination about I'm.
When IN hour or so had been spent In
walking over the grounds, discussing the
exact position the battery occupied, and
talking over camp scenes and incidents,
dinner was announced, and the vets and
their friends answered the call with an APP
petite that did ample justice to the occa-
SION. and must have Afforded the liyeliest
satisfaction to Secretary W. NJ. Evans. who
had general charge Of the arrangements.
After dinner the first business in order
was the calling OF the original roll OF the
battery by Mr.. Evans, and OF those who
were not there to answer Mr.. Evans pro-
ceeded TO give an account. Some were
living in distant lands; some, he stated, had
been wounded several times, others had
died since the war, and for not few was
given the reply OF the old French sergeant,
d" Dead on the field Of glory" Mr.. Evans
also stated briefly the history OF those who
did answer to their names.
After the calling OF the roll, points OF
history connected with the battery were
freely discussed. and letters were read from
Major Del. Kemper, General l.. =. Alex
ander, Colonel Frank Huger. General 5.
ID. Lee, and others.
GENERAL STEPHEN D. LEES LETTER.
The following is the letter OF General
Lee. who seems to be great fayorite with
the survivors OF the battery
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, MIsS.,l
June 4, 1888.
William ". EuanS, Secretary Parker Bat
terry Association:
Dear Sir.-Nothing in many years has
given me more genuine pleasure than your
very kind letter inviting me to be present
with the surviving members OF the old
battery at their first rehnion on June 14th.
1t recalls many incidents OF the war, and
none more vivid than the gallant conduct OF
your battery at second Manassas and Sharps-
burg. Well do | recolect how that noble
company OF beardleSs boys performed the
duties Of veteran soldiers and patriots. see
ond to none in the noble army OF Northern
Virginia. Well do | recolect my thoughts
on the bloody field Of Sharpsburg as |
looked into the faces OF the poor BOYS
stretched in death around the guns they
had so gallantly manned. or all my service
during the war. none was more satisfactory
personally 10 me than that while COM
manding the old battalion Of artillery
in General Lees army. was
much attached to the command. had
faith that | could handle it well un-
der any circumstances, and that they
would ever respond 10 what | expected OF
them. Much OF what reputation won as
a soldier was due to their gallant and efil-
cient conduct. They were mainly instru-
mental in building me up. My heart goes
out TO the old command and 70 the "Par-
ker Battery" even now, after a lapse OF
twenty years.
/ wish | could meet you at your rennion
and take each gallant survivor by the
hand, and recall the battles and incidents
through which we passed.
God bless every one OF you, and may His
choicest blessings follow youas long as YOU
live. Nv commencement exercises extend
from June 10th to the Goth, 20 it will be
impossible for me 10 be with you.
thank you personally for the very plea
SAINT manner in which you have written
me. beg to be especially remembered to
Major Parker, if he is still living.
Yours truly, :. d. LEE.
AAJGR PARKER's ADDRESS.
Major DR. w. w. Parker then addressed
his comrades as follows:
We meet to-day, fellOw-soldiers, after
eighteen years separation, with mingled
feelings Of pleasure and pain. our sad
farewell after AppomattoX, and the subse-
quent struggle Of long, weary years to re-
pair our fortunes bring up a thousand
memories; some bright, but many dark
and gloomy. But we meet to-day specially
to renew our friendship which eighteen
years have not, am sure, broken or weak
ened. We all, while we clasp hands, thank
God and take courage. II we did cur duty
il matters not how the struggle ended. We
are not responsible. While war is a great
scOurge it is not without its blessings. II is
a great school for courage, self-possession,
endurance, patience, obedience 10 orders.
and cOntentment. But it is i'm this high
school especially that grand and glorious
patriotism is fOstered and developed.
In q conversation with my father several
years before the late war | said that II was
doubtful whether patriotism" was any
thing more than a sentiment, and partook
often OK an illiberal party spirit. finding its
expression or power sometimes in selfish
ness. But / had not then felt its spell.
Patriotism is OF Heaven. Ii is universal
instinct. extending through al. the animal
Kingdom from the ant up 10 man, and
strongest Of all in the most enlightened.
Il has love for its fOundation-lOve Of
home, love OF friends and neighbors, love
OF trees and running brooks, OF rivers,
valleys, and mountains, and OF the grave
yards OF our ancestors. II is love the high
est, deepest, strongest, most noble, and un-
selfish. IL is to love "sweet home" " next
only to the heavenly home. For both how
cheeriully has many noble man surren-
dered his life-blood, and was glad that he
was counted worthy TO pay this price.
It is stronger than love for wife and chill
dren, father and mother, sister and brother.
Had this dread alternative been offered
me at AppomattoX OF deciding the fate OF
the Coniederacy by yielding up at one fell
blow every relative and friend on earth, so
that should 20 forth thence a stranger IN
my own native land, how gladly would
have made the offering. viii not the
90 three hundred" live forever! Was il
In vain they diedy What was their short
and humble lives worth TO them and TO the
worlds But dying. they have been lesson
to a hundred generations, and Sparta VIII
be honored as long as one brave heart sur
wives. Those gallant fellows who fell by
our side on the field have not lived nor
died in vain. They are in the true line OF
succession OF noble men OF every land and
nation. They are akin to all the bright and
noble spirits that the world has embalmed
IN song and story. Sleep on, brave COM
rades May a glorious resurrection await
you.
The party returned to Richmond late
evening, one and all being loud
IN their praise of Secretary Eyans's manage
nent OF the affair, and voting the day most
enjoyable throughout.
Appended is a list OF the members OF the
Did command who were present.; Major