Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-09

| the wife of a prominent postmaster OF
Richmond. and her descendants are no"
among our most honored citizens. III
| deed. in many cities of the Union they
| have been the queens who have ruled with
gentle sway and popularity the house
holds OF distinguished men. But l must
stop; no more about the women now.
THE MILITIA.
Don't vou hear the dfe and drum Their
| lively music concentrates all attention.
Ionder comes the militia, From the right
aud left side streets the companies marcn
into Main street, and when they reach the
hotel Frederick Fishback. the colonel OF
the regiment (the father OF the present
Governor Of Arkansas. whom. with the
other southern Governors, the citizens OF
/ Richmond will soon entertain with
| old Virginia hospitaItY). with ms sthH'
places himself at thor head, and the req.
ment marches of 10 an old hsid
adjoining the Town. Accompanying them
are men and women on rseback,
bows and children on foot, old aud
young negroes, with baskets hlled Win
horsecakc s and bottles of home-6rewed
beer on their arms. all gong 20 see me
parade: and behind them are splendid
stations prnncing and cavorting along the
IL
their sable grooms beside them showing
OF their good points, which is q pleasure
and delight to the bows and negroes.
They oil reach the grounds and the regi-
meut 10 put through its tactics. There 10
marching and counter marching; the hoi-
low square Is formed. aud the ceremonies
| wind up with tho usual dress-parade. Now
this spectacle does not exactly resemble
Whist II frequently seen in this city when
. ho u nh fle
| Capitol SuuGre 10 be reviewed by
the Governor. The officers are dressed
in uniforms OF al antiquated cut
and character the men have none.
They wore homemade clothes Of different
cOlors. Their hats were OF different &c
| scriDtions, white, black, narrow-brimme ed
! long brimmed. and no brim at all. Some
! wore boots, some shoes, and some were
barefooted. You might see every now and
then. as YOU looked down the line, an old
| fint-lock musket, hut most of the men had
sticks instead of guns. and some of them
had cOrnstalks They were motley look
| ing crew and a reader of Shakespeare,
when be looked az them. might have been
reminded Of Sir John Falstads famous
troops.
RIAL SOLDIER STUFF.
But notwithstanding their unsoldierlike
appearance these men were composed OF
the stuff of which real soldiers are made.
Underneath such an olt're aspect tner
hearts were all right. They had intelli-
gence and they had true courage. ms
was exemplified in our late war. Gulpeper
| sent all her men into the field. Ihey
never fincked or faltered III the most try
| ing circumstances. They were true, brave
soldiers. Many battles were fought upon
| the soil Of the county, and courage ana
bravery characterized her sons. In the
! battle of Slaughter's Mountain, son OF
| Culpeper. quartermaster. MAJOR James
| O.. Field, forgetting for the nonce that ms
| duties did not compel him 10 nght,
and General Jackson's order that
ouartefmasters should not enter INTO
| battle. seized a musket, rushed into the
| fight, and lost his leg and by his wound,
perhaps. saved himself from a court-mar,
| tial. Such was the spirit which pervaded
| them all. But no words of mine are
| needed 10 display the soldlerly qualities
| of Culpeper's troops and / will forbear 70
say more. The highest compliment ana
| the greatest encOmlum that was ever De-
| slowed upon southern soldier consists
| in the fact that the name OF that gallant
| son of Culpeper, A. z. Hill, was favorably
mentioned IN the last sentence that ever
| fell alike from the lips of Stonewall JACK
son and Robert T.. Lee on this earth.
JUST PRAISE AND TRUTH.
trust my readers Will pardon me for
speaking in such terms, which they may
| deem flattery, but which | deem Is Just
praise and the truth OF the people OF ms
native county. there spent my earlier
years happily there | had hosts OF friends
and home wherever | went, and should
| feel that was amenable TO the anathemas
OF the poet II did not have the warmest
affection for ola Culpeper and oil her peo-
pie.
| Breathes there a man with soul so dead
| Who never 10 himself hath said,
This ts M own my native land?
Whose heart hath ue'er within him burner
As home his footsteps he hath turned
From wandering IN fore On strand
II such there breathe. 20, mark him WeHi
For him 10 Ministries raptures swell
High though his titles, proud lis name
Despite those titles power ana pen,
The wretch cOncentred all ia self,
Living. forfeits fair renOWn,
And, doubly dying, shall 20 down
70 the vile dust from whence he sprung
UnWept, unhonOroi, ana unsung.'
II. ID. W.