Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-01-20


A HAPPY OCCAsIoN.-The observ-
ance of Yesterday hereabouts as the an
niversary of the birthday Of General
Lee eliminated last night in a happy
gathering of the camp of Confederate
Veterans bearing his name. They com
pose in part the remnant Of that patri-
otto band who thirtytwo years ago,
before most of them had reached the
age of manhood, had shouldered guns
and fought during four years OF war;
And for them to allow their beloved
Generals birthday to pass without
some sort ola public or private recog
milton would have been a graYer act
than that of an ancient who should
have presumed to annul law Of the
Medes aud Persians. 1t is an event al
WAYS happily anticipated by survivors
of that noble banda time when they
can meet and discuss over a sumptuous
feast the "reminiscences ofby-gone days,
when they wore the gray and helped to
keep up the unequal contest which Gull
minated in the triumph Of might
against what was regarded as right.
But the champions of the lat
Ter have ever been in the minority
since the world began, and like
true Christian warriors, those who last
night gathered around the festive board
were willing to forget the things that
were behind to accept the new re-
CINE and to press forward toward other
Goals which will eventuate in more
stable good. The recollection, how
ever. of the by-gone days will ever re-
main green in the minds of those who
were members ofthe Army of Northern
Virginia and to meet once yearand tell
Of the hardships endured and recount
the many incidents Of the Quarternion
of years during which they took their
lives in their own hands and faced
death in defence of what they were
convinced were principles just and holy
is but natural and commendable, too.
The night air was crisp and sharp;
snow was everywhere, and the bleak
northwest wind was penetrating and
cutting. But "All udS quiet on the Po-
tomac," last night; no temporary ces-
sation of picket firing, but the fact that
sweet peace prevailed made everything
serene and all happy. The MEM
bers of the camp, while in Con
fcdcrate uniform, carried frail walk
inc sticks. not guns or sabres.
The sword had long since been beaten
into the pillow share and the spear into
the pruning hook, and none felt dis
posed to LEARN war any more, nor to
s.hurt or destroy" The fratricidal
conflict exists now only in the memory,
and the olive branch of peace is hailed
with delight, while the barbed shaft,
rendered useless, rusts III the
ouiyer. Such was the good
natured spirit in which about fifty of
The ex-Conlederate soldiers Of AleXan-
tlria. sprinkling OF Sons of Confeder-
ate Veterans and few of their friends
Gound themselves last night rs they as
sembled in the Columbia engine house,
the headquarters of r. +. Lee Camp.
The young and the old were there
the veterans and the sons of the veto
rans and the handshaking and the COZ
dial greeting showed the sincere cor
diality with which comrade met COM
radc and friend met friend, Command
or w. A. Smoot in his social and ui-
bane manner, greeted comradc after
comrade as they entered, while Gene
raj Corse never seemed happier in be
ing brought face to face with the f"-
miliar figures with which he was iden-
titled in the field from 1861 to lS62
Shortly after eight o'clock Mess;s. Geo.
Ouffev. A. F. Cox, G.. VIM. Ramsay
aud s. C. Boush the committee who
had been entrusted with having suit
able banquet for the occasion prepar d,
left the hall as the vanguard for the
Opera House Restaurant. a few min,
utes later the camp and their invited
guests fell in line and in charge of
Commander Smoot followed. Upon
arriving at the restaurant they were
escorted to the large banquet room
where luxuriousiy set tables had been
spread and where ali the emblems OF
she camp had been tasteiuliy arranged.
The following was the menu: