Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-01-23
REUNION OF MOSBY'S MEN.
Speech of Colonel John $. Mosby.


Fellows Hall in Alexandria last Wed
nesday. AS reported in the Baltimore
Sun, there were at the banquet about
one hundred and fifty members of
Confederate soldiers. Major Dolly"
Richards acted as POSTMASTER. Seated
on his right and left were Colonel
Mosby, Senator John W. Daniel,
Senator Eppa Hunton, Gen. W. H.
Payne, Senator John B Gordon,
of Georgia, Joseph Bryan. Judge JOHN
Critcher, Gen. Marcus B. Wright and
Gen. L. l.. Lomax.
A well trained orchestra struck up
Aud Lang Syne'' just as the banquet
ers were seated, and caused a storm of
enthusiasm. but as the strains OF
SHOULD Aud Acquaintance Be For
got" glided off into the inspiring, dash
ing notes of Dixie" the storm turned
into a tumult. The earlier scenes o.
the day were repeated. Mosbl ties
mounted their chairs and the formida.-
BILE rebel yell was again strongly in
evidence. 1.-The Star Spangled Ban
ner" caused the enthusiasm to burst
forth again, and not until the orchestra
and Dolly Richards had raped for
order was silence restored.
During the banquet Colonel Mosby's
three daughters, Misses Pauline and
Ada and Mis-. Virginia Stuart Mosby
Coleman, entered the hall, and once
more did the men who had followed
their fathers plume go wild. I'VE
love you," shouted one warrior. 1--WE
love you and your father, too" and
1--WE love you" was
shouted from every table whenever the
name of Mosby was mentioned. The
"Forty-third Battalio of Cavalry"
was the first toast, and Colonel Mosby
to it. He was much af-
fected, and the eyes of many of his
hearers swan in tears during the
course of his remarks. He said =
COLONEL MosBY's SPEECH.
Comrades: When, on April 81, 1866,
| told you that l was no longer your
commander, and babe you what we
then considered long and perhaps an
eternal farewell. the most hopeful
us could not reasonably have
ever to witness a scene like
this. Nearly thirty years have passed
away, and we meet once more on the
banks of the Potomac and in sight of
the Capitol, not in hostile array, but
as citizens of a great and united coun-
try. Gunboats no longer patrol the
river-there are no picket guards on
its banks to challenge our crossing
Your presence here this evening recalls
our last parting. | see the line drawn
up to hear read the last order l ever
gave you. l see the moistened eyes
and quivering lips. l hear the com
mand to break ranks. feel the grasp
of the hand and see the tears on the
cheeks of men who had dared death SO
long that it had lost its terror. And l
know now, as l knew then, that each
heart suffered with mine the agony of
the Titan in his resignation to fate:
All that the proud can feel of pain
| miss among you the faces of some
who were present that day, but have
since passed over the great river, and
memory brings back the image of many
of that glorious band who then slept
in the red burial of war
Modern skepticism has destroyed one
of the most beautiful creations of the
Epic ages-the belief that the spirits of
dead warriors meet daily ia the halls
OF Valhalla, and there around the fes-
tive board recount the deeds they did
in the other world. For this evening.
at least, let us adopt the ancient super
stition. if superstition it be. 1t may
seem presumption in me, but a man
who belonged to my comma nd may be
forgiven for thinking that in that as
sembly of heroes-when the feast of the
wild boar is spread-Smith and Turner,
Mountjoy and Giasscock, Fox and
and their companions
will not be unnoted in the mighty
throng. | shall make no particular al
fusion to the part you played in the
great tragedy of war. Our personal
associations were so intimate it would
not become me to do so. But, stand
ing here as | do amid the wreck of per-
ished hopes this much at least | can
say, that in all the vicissitudes of
fortune and in all the trials of life |
have never ceased to feel, as | told you
when parting, "a just pride in the fame
of your achievements and grateful
recollections of your generous kindness
to myself"
| remember-andm may my right arm
wither if l ever forget-how, when the
tidings came from Appomat-
tox that Young Harry Percy's spur is
cold,n you stood with mistaken fidelity
to the last, and never quit my side
until l told you to go.
A great poet of antiquity said, as
descriptive of the Romans, that they
changed their sky but not their hearts
when they crossed over the sea. As
long as | lived in far Cathay my heart,
dwelt among the people in
whose defense | had shed my blood
and given the best years of my life. In
the solitude of exile it was solace to
hear that my name was sometimes
mentioned by them with expressions
OF good will. Nothing that concerns
the honor and welfare of Virginia can
ever be Indifferent to me. l wish that
life's descending shadows had fallen
upon me in the midst of the friends
and the scenes l love best. But destiny
mot my will-compels me to abide far
away on the shore of that sea, where
"The god of gladness sheds his parting smile'
| must soon say to you again fare
aOeI, a word that must be and hath
been. / shall carry back to my home
by the Golden Gate proud recollections
of this evening. And l shall still feel.
as have always felt, that life cannot
offer more bitter cup than the one l
drained when we parted at Salem, nor
any higher reward to ambition than
that received as commander of the
Forty-third Virginia Battalion of
Cavalry.
General Gordon answered to "The
Army of Northern Virginia." and
Senator Daniel responded feelingly
and eloquently to Robert E. Leen
A PERMANENT ORGANIZATION.
A permanent organization of the
command was formed under the name
of u. s. Mosby Camp" The following
officers were elected: Commander, j :.
S. Mosby; first lieutenant commander,
j. A. Alexander; second lieutenant
commander, VIM. Foster; third lieu