Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-01
CONFEDERATE CAMPS.
Valuable Information as 10
Numbers, Location, &c

rate Veterans, OF Virginia, l have Deen
reonested TO give. through your much-
read paper, some information 10 .he en-
Confederates OF our state % "
ganizatlon Of camps. 80
RI. Grand Camp has imposed upon me
The congenlal. though laborious, duty Oh
locking after the organization VI -,
cams and the inspection OF tnose a.
rsadv instituted. and as the state OF
ge nization. or Grand Camp Confederate
Veterans Is anxious to have one OF
moro camps in every county ana cry al
Virginia. and the Dispatch has Away
shown SO much helpful interest IN every
thing that pertains TO the OLD Sohieue,
rote veteran. we feel sure that you WIN
lend US a hand in this EFFORT ior 'he
extension of the organization.
Tho movement for a State ORGANIZATION
commenced I'm Richmond. on the 10Th OF
December, 1881, when military CON
ference OF representatives, from X. H.
loo Camp. No. /, Richmond; Pickett
buchanan Camp. of Norfolk; a. 4. hin
conn. of Petersburg. and Stonewah
carnn, of Portsmouth. met, when result
ed I'm the organization Of Grand camp;
on the 18th Of February, 1883, composer
of these four camps. with John K COOKE
as the first Grand Commander.
Since that time there has been erauu-
auv increasing interest In the organiza-
ton. which has for its primary OBJECT
'the aid and assistance or al worthy
Confederates who are INDECENT ana III
distress" The Grand Camp has nad elsht
meetings I'm the cities OF Richmond, NOT
folk, Petersburg, FredericksDurs hoan-
oke. Portsmouth. Alexandra, anu cna'
lottesville, respectively. ana the nuiiDei
~ canns has now reached to fifty-one'
with three or four more 10 De oiEan.
lied in the near future. Since the last
meeting in Charlottesville. when Colonel
~ A. Smoot, Of Alexandria, was elected
Grand Commander. there have peen
eight new camps instituted-as many In
five months as have been added IN any
one year since 1883. showing conclusNeiy
the increasing interest manifested.
LOCATION OF CAMPS.
The ffty-one Virginia camps are To-
Gated as follows: Two i'm Richmond. and
one each at fredericksburg. Norfolk,
Portsmouth. Alexandria. Petersburg
Leesburg Lynchburg, Hampton, Court
and west Point, Roanoke. Charlottes-
vile. Culpeper, Isle Of Wight, Manassas,
Reams' Station, Farmville. Strasburg'
Rocky Mount Winchester. Williams
burg. Berryville, Stanton, Boydton,
Louisa. Radford, Gloucester Courthouse,
Berke,eyi Chariestown. W. Va; LeXing-
ton. Chris,iansburG, Snithvllle, Gordons-
VILE. Newport News. Monterey, Lunen-
burg. Mathews Courthouse, Covington'
Aupomattox Courthouse. Pulaski, Warm
Springs, Suffolk, Blacksburg, King
George Courthouse. Fincastle, Madison.
Tappahannock, Bedford. and Ashland.
There is room for fifty more in the state
and an earnest effort is being made 10
have that many more by the time oil
the great gathering Of United Coniede-
rate Veterans, at Richmond, in May
next. when the cornerstone OF the Jet-
ferson Davis monument Is TO be lald'
Hundreds of the old Confederate heroes
are dropping out of line every year ana
II is not probable that as many Of them
will ever be assembled together again
as will gather in Richmond next May.
for II must be remembered. as Senator
Daniel said in his Fincastle speech. that
the old Confederate has the closest mo-
nopoly In the world. The lst was closed
thirty years ago. Then their members
reached the maximum: no recruits have
been added since. none can be added
ever more. Every year an increasing
cross over the river. and there
are fewer and fewer to share the honor
of carrying the furled banner
Let there. then, be a grand rally OF
those of "the Lost Cause" at Richmond
next spring: and, as that city, the most
notable place in the late Confederacy,
has been chosen for the last restins-place
of it's only President, the site or ms
monument, and the point for its last
greatest gathering, let Virginia assemble
100 camps from within her borders
and marshal in the great procession such
a column of grizzled, SCARED, and manned
Virginia veterans to escort the assembled
hosts OF their comrades from all over
the South to the grave of Davis, as VIII
do honor to the Old Dominion, the occa-
sion, and the Lost Cause.
GOOD THE CAMPS DO.
II IS not all sentiment that dictates
and encourages this organization. From
IL has originated and by 1t has been
maintained the noblest beneficence OF
the South-the Soldiers Home at Rich
mond; a protegee Of Lee Camp. OF which
she may well be proud; which has shell
tered and provided comfortably for more
than one thousand needy and disabled
Confederates. and Is now caring Tor a
notwithstanding number TO the ex'
liberal annual State appropriation, alto
eether insufficient for the demands made
upon the combined generosity OF the
State, the camps, and individuals. Much
has also been done towards collecting
and preserving the old Confederate rolls
and records, historical Incidents. and
valuable data connected with the late
war. which the Dispatch has so commend
ably encouraged, and the greater the
number Of these camps and local organi-
cations the more widely-extended viii be
these beneficent and valuable results.
The organization of camps OF sons OF
veterans, whenever II can be done. Is
also urged by the Grand Camp as valu-
able auxiliary to the veteran camps. and
as worthy successors upon whom the
mantle OF the fathers may rest in the
by-and-by And as soon as fifteen such
camps are organized. grand camp or
Is desired 1t would be a
handsome thing to have fine body OF
these sons of veterans to march in the
at Richmond next spring. as
an escort for the old soldiers. and II IL
hoped that the number OF these camps
will soon be increased to the requisite
figure.
HOW TO ORGANIZE NEW CAMPS.
In every county pf CITY
Is no camp at present a few leading
veterans or sons of vete-
rams. should unite in canyassing the
subject Of organization at once. and they
are invited TO correspond with the pro-
per officers OF the Grand Camp. who will
furnish the necessary information. blanks
and papers without charge. a camp may
be organized with twenty-five members,
though larger number Is desirable, and
a charter only costs $3.50.
Address Colonel ". 4. Smoot, Grand
Alexandria. Va: Captain
Thomas Elicit. Adjutant-General, Rich
mond, Va. or the undersigned,
r. c. MORTON, nspector-General.
Stanton, Va.
Fond Mother: And was my little boy
smart at school to-day?
Little Boy Sadly: NV teacher didn't
say Twas, mamma. but he -ook pains ~
,,oL1 smart fer--HarpQrfS Round