Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-04
JOHNNY REB'S" TRIP
JUDGE FARRAR TELLS OF his
JOURNEY TO HOUSTON.
Whom and what He snw-A Real
Mean Trick-P1aycd Governor
Decentralization Echoes-Mtss
Winnie Davis.
written for the pIepa,ch.l

written for the Dlapa;ch)
am not advised what the Dispatch
published about the great reunion at
Houston. One vexation OF my delightful
trip was the fact that never saw the
paper until I reached Charlotte. n. e..
l know you had given out the material
facts, but there may be some incidents
that escaped your regular reporter. a
distinguished English writer has said
that the true historian not only gives
the events OF the camp. the Senate. and
the Cabinet. but the minor details Of
the habits and sayings OF the people which
make UP the characteristics Of nationali-
ties. No southern historian will fail To
mention the names Of Davis. Lee. and
Jackson. but the story of the private
soldier may go unrecorded. have an in
cident remarkable In itselD which will
illustrate this idea. on the 9th OF April.
1867 near my residence, a North Caro-
Ina regiment was surrounded on Every
side; their surrender was inevitable. This
is the story as ] heard IL. Captain A. III,
Martin, the ranking officer, ordered his
men to surrender, but bravely said he
never would. and fell dead, with these
words upon his lips. having been killed
before the enemy could order cease firing.
He was buried near Deatonville. and a
Federal officer placed a board above the
spot, marked with charcoal, "A brave
man." My mother watched that grave.
Some months after the event q lady, at
tended by a little boy, drove up TO our
place and asked shelter for the night.
She was kindly received. She then dis
closed the object OF her visit. which was
TO find the remains OF her husband ana
convey them 10 her home. The next
morning my father and mother went
with her 10 the spot that held the ashes
Of her brave and noble husband. She
bore her sorrow heroically. until she
recognized the gray jacket that she had
made with her own hands; then she gave
wall OF anguish that melted every
heart. The next day the grief-stricken
widow started on her lonely journey
filling her sad mission.
While at Houston / was relating this
incident to some friends, and at its con-
cusion ] received letter from the son
of Captain Martin, dated May H. 1895
Asheville. n. c. This letter was an in
quiry II / could designate the exact spot
where his father fell IL was a kind, we'll
dictated letter. full of tender expressions
for my dear mother. who had Kept the
grave OF the heroic soldier marked and
cared for This touching story will never
be memoriallzed in history, but 1t is the
unwritten story of chivalric manhood and
womanly devotion.
OFF FOR HOUSTON.
On the morning Of the 18th OF May, IN
company with my cherished friend. POLK
Miller we left his hospitable home, at
Bon Air, for Houston. Both OF our
hearts were heavy in the prospect OF our
long journey. but Polk soon regained his
accustomed manner. and with fun and
good foxes enlivened my way. on we
dashed. with a roar and a rattle, passing
through thrifty States Of our fair South
land.
AT the dawn OF the morning we came
to the Mississippi coast. For miles We
could see the unbroken surface OF the
Gulf which lay Ike silvery lake, calm
and serene. on the shore were innumer-
able hotels and cottages. This continues
for forty miles. Thousands Of peo7le
resort 10 this nfe-glv.ng place. At last,
the brakeman sung ont we are passing
BeauvOir. the former residence Of Presl-
ident Davis. In \ moment a hushed ST
lence spread over the coach. In vain
we peeped through the thick underground
10 catch view OF the memorable spot.
NV heart was thouched a. ! thought OF
the dear. old man, whose vicarious SUI
ferngs will bind him TO the heart Of
every man and woman who honors the
brave. heroic, and devoted. Reaching New
Orleans. we met a crowd on their way
10 Houston. Crossing the Father Of Wa
ters. we boarded the grand Southern
Pacific railroad. For hours | gazed
through the window on the magnificent
outlook Never lid God in His mercy
give people more magnificent heritage.
Vast fields of corn in mature growth.
rich In verdure, extending in boundless
urea; sugar plantations. Win beautiful
hoinesteads. surrounded in magnolia
groves in full bloom, enrichng the ar
with delicious fragrance; sugar-mills en-
vironed by white cottages, the homes OF
the employees. on one plantation
counted thirty-six pairs of mules at work.
just thought Of dear old Virginia,
with her broom-straw and her rust
grass. the solitary negro ana the old
steer. But for all that | am proud OF
old Virginia. We have a thousand bless
ilgs those people never knew. | can't
recount them now. but when the sur
gets hot. and the malaria begins to rise,
they have to run 10 old Virginia for
health and life.
! met a splendid delegation of Balti-
mOrcans, who were gracious IN kindness
and good cheer. Florida was well repre-
scented. l had the pleasure Of being in
troduced TO Miss Clara Shipley. the
sponsor for that State: a most charming
lady; a fit representative Of the Land o.
Flowers.
We arrived at Houston on good time
Polk Miller and | wandered about In tho
surging crowd when, TO our surprise who
should turn up but Mr.. X. +. Smith. VIII
his usual dash and vim he pushed his
/ -.
hearty hello, he said. 81 have a splen-
did house for you both" Gracious words
We were soon on our way 10 the beauti-
| full residence of Mr.. ". II. Crank. an old
| friend of mine. from Charlottesville, Va.
and what a welcome-real. old Virginia
WELCOMED His accomplished and Guilt
waited wife united in the cordial greet
| ing. At this home we met Colonel c. G.
Wertinbaker, of Charlottesville. a brave
old soldier, and a jolly. good fellow
Amongst the other visitors at this home
was Miss Sinnott. the sponsor for Lou
isiana; beautiful In person. graceful IN
| manner, gentle. and winning. She would
| be a star in any galaxy.
l wish i could tell all that | saw and
heard. l visited the auditorium an i'm
mense building built for the occasion.
and gazed with pride on the grand con-
cave of silver-haired old veterans; heard
the splendid address OF General Peyton
Wise, of Richmond; looked at all the
great generals. and grasped the hand OF
| the brave, noble. old Gordon-soldier
statesman, patriot hero, His battle
SCARED face tells the story Of his devoted
| life
MISS WINNIE DAVIS.
/ watched Miss Winnie Davis in her
| first public reception. What an ordeal
| for her 10 endure. shaking hands with
| thousands in that heated room. l hardly
recognized her at first. When / saw her
| last. in Richmond. she was frail and
| slender: she now appears In stalwart
health, fine form, and commanding pre-
sence. She has reduced hand-shaking TO
a science There is a nervous magnetism
| In her grasp that IS wonderful indeed.
| 1 heard an old soldier say ,who had
shah ken her hand: Well. we'll | declare
| am on speaking terms with everybody,
| and have been shaking hands with all
sorts of folks. but l tell you Miss Winnie
| beats the world on hand shake. BY the
way, / must mention matter that war
| the subject of universal comment-that