The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-14
THE HOWI1ZER REUNION
ANNUAL BANQUET or TINS GAL
LINT ASSOCIATIONS
A Characteristic Letter From Dr. - VIZ
Ham Joncs-->amcs "i bn'ties I" "'
Inscribed on walls OF the ArmorS'


liam Joncs->amcs Of Battles to be
r.scr,,,cd on Walls os the Armory.
The annual banq ,c; and reunion Of the
,teu,,fx,r Asaociauon Ne4s held IN Nntf
new armory. on uofia riShtH oif''i, '"Ht
nisht. AZ O'Clock me me ni'~ "a "'.
assoeiauon ana present vatteiE "ee"i, -
assefnnle iu The O;nc'fS ROOM 'i''.a l."'i
80 fattr every one fepaitcr 10 me lai X
ar,i room, where the banquet, NAiCh
Was served 10y Colonel MuFPh}' ia. 80,
rrcyarrd. Two iong tables, coNeseu W."
Snc choicest vfauoa. stEeirheh the 're-t'
sar.,th al the room. before those pres
ami took their seats an apPlopi'", P'rs
xas offered by Rev. ar. ". "; 49,
drum. chaplain OF the ba't''f -, - ,...,
~ ranauer and between the spcech's ihc
Houffxcf-S- fand cpiiNcncu me occasion
hy rendering a number OF n"atla' r'l',"~'
'Ibe banquet was pcile't ," ',,i,,,
pointments. Hnd was seIN,e al .,e,,..r
stvic. From the blne Point anu '~N, We,
-. prelude. 10 the drippod coIee @',u
Cigar as the HHalc, WIN iAa' cns'l"
ing interim Of roast maiiAin Snu III
psgne, there was nothlns N.inil'A ~ ",..
- the Danquet. Colonel jOhn Muf9"5
bad ureuared an excellent FEAST, anu u
IS needless 10 say taat ample J"suee was
asa s,ec = Il. Hughes. president OF the
as~"clatlnp. presided at the head OF tne
festiVe board win his usual grace NJ"
LETTERS or REGRET. 49,
lie, hrfore Inc toasts began Judge
George /. Christian, who pfesieeN az
,oastuasicr. read letter from or,
Daniel. ga which he Expressed ni9 -
felt sorrow that private '"aii''''
-,,,,.d Si4 boiro present
f;overnor O'Ferraii WAS also aosisne'
OWING to the recent death OF ms VI 49,.
il was the Governors inteh.i,o" eli,os'-
present as viii be shown ny , ~, re-
SeIved from las Excehency bcfofe "0
learned of his broihers red'"' ,...t..,,o,,
Hon. George l.. Christian ma t, .t%'
Howitzor Banquet an" l'enii'o"' '''''
Mn Dear sir.-I an in receipt OF an
,nVitati "a to The annual banquet anu
reunion OF the Richmond 2oWitze5, -
ISOLATION on December Is, iN,'', a nu ~ ~,
10 thank yourself and committee 'u'
II Mil afford me pleasure 10 avail NJ
self of your hospitality il / can DosS'"F
With kindost wishes for the success OF
the occasion. J am. 800.
CHARLES +. O'FERRAl.L.
DR.. JONES LETTER.
Judge Christian next read the follow
ing letter from that grand old COnitu-
crate, DT. John william Jones;
,rOZtt, va, nee. II. lN9J.
Judge George l.. Christian. Chairman
Committee on Invitation, Howitzers'
My Dear Judge.-Accept my hearty
thanks FOR the kind invitation from Inc
committee Ia be present AT the how u
zers reunion on the l3th-memofable
anniversary Of our glorious victory at
First Fredericksburg. ! need hardly as
sure YOU that I regard IL as .eTsoiru
afiiictiOn that NV duties mere VIII pre-
vent me from being with you on the
happy occasion. II is always a privilege
and pleasure 10 me TO attend "a c"nfed-
crate reunion. and especial pleasure 10
attend one in historic. noble Old Rtch-
mond. and a very especial one 10 min
gle with comrades Of the heroic old How
itzers. whose guns / heard on well nigh
every battlefield from Bethel to AH1o-
rnattOx. many Of whose men ! learned
10 love as ] shared with them the hard
ships and the rudest delights OF the
camy. the march, the biVouac. ana the
battlefield. and many more If whom l
have learned to respect honor. ana love
for the Qualiues of true manhood they
have shown since the war
| honor no less our younger brothers
Of the present HoWiizers, who are SO
admirably treadlng IN the footsteps ci
elder brother and fathers. and count II
always a privilege 10 minBie WIN lheW
at their reunions.
And. now. will you pardon this prac-
teal suggestion from an old comrade.
who has been riding his hobby so long
that Ia is very difBcult for him 10 dis
mount from it2 These annual reunions
ought 10 De utilized for gathering thn de-
tails of the glorious history Of the How
Tiers. You made a good beginning IN
those admirable compilations of Comrale
Carleton Mccarthy. The work ought ny
all means 20 be carried on 10 completioh
for you who made the history ought 10
tell IL as II was
was very much struck with sem
tence I'm letter written YOU some years
ago by that gallant soldier. accoinolsned
artillerist. and stainless gentleman, Col
oncl Thomas ". Carter who said: n
I'll the last sad breakup at Petersburg
the line Of battle of the Army OF North
ern Virginia was never broken When
there was as much as q battalion of
artillery In position"
In thinking over it and studying mp
the facts. ] have been fuliy satished
OF the historic truth ana significance
OF the statement.
with inferior guns. with inferior am
munitiOn, and inferior equipments the
artillery of the Army OF Northern Nr-
ginia was always more than match 10
that 10 which II was opposed. ana TINS
can be accounted for only by remember
ing that the world never saw more superb
morale than was TO be found IN the RANKS
of our batteries. There were among the
officers such--such as Pendieton' George
w Randolph. Long, X. l. walker, Nlllie
Pegram. Lewis Cuinor Colem an lnoinp
son Brown. Crutchneld, Noalter tabeii'
David Watson. Mccarthy, Nelson, Latii-
mer. Pelham. Braitherd, and others
among the dead. and worthy coH!te:S
among the liVing-men who would nave
adorned any service al any country III
tho worlds history, and there We're in the
ranks among them the honored dead anu
The noble living. men capable OF hlllns
any Mace as they were always ready 10
ATTEMPT ANYTHING that men might care.
Such examples as the stand made ny
Tom Garter and Carter BraXton, and the
heroes thew commanded, AZ winchester
on the 10Th OF September. ~, when. atler
their infantry supports had been ur'Nen
hack. they stood 20 their guns. and, win
grape and canister. drove back again
and again the hosts OF sheridan VINO
charged their positiOn-such examples OF
individual heroism az We hear at every
reunion Of the Northumberland 70 ne
recorded on the brightest pages OF the
worlds history alongside OF the most
brilliant deeds of the worlds Cherished
heroes. H.. ..
beautiful Howitzer .ionunent ana con
,ributing your full share 10 rearing mo
noble monument 10 our great leduerS
and the graceful column to the private
soldier and Sailor OF the COntedrtcN' anu
I know that YOU Will bear your part IN
rearing the monument To the tan, white
chief of the Confederate States-our
President. g. -
Rut see 70 il that your erect for your
children and your childrens children a
,non,.fnent more enduring than bronze
or granite OF marble by handing down 10
Them your grand history, that after
Vanishing Yankee histories forever from
our schools YOU transmit, to future ages
story S Of the glory Of the men who wore
vhC gray.
And. remember there Is no time 20 be
lost. Every. year we meet with thinncd
ranks, our hraNeSt and 0ur best are cross
ing the river. and soon-aias' how soon
none will be left 70 answer the foH-eA''