The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-24
A HUSSAR FOR FIFTY YEARS.
VETERAN w. b. FARR's LONG SER
VICE WITH THE TROOP.

A Royal Entertainment in Ceiebra-
tfon of the Occasion af the Hussars'
ArmOry Last NiEht-The story Of
How Veteran Farr Carried Through
the blockade the Powder With
which the Merrimac sunk the
Cumberland - Speeches Made by
Members of the Troop.
[ The Georgia Hussars celebrated in royal
style last night the 50th anniversary OF
the membership In that troop Of Private
William b. Farr The Hussars met at
their armory at s:15 O'Clock. and about
forty strong marched in a body to the
/ residence of Private Farr on Jones street
and invited him to the armOry at Bull
and Liberty streets. where a special en-
tertainment for the occasion had been
prepared.
The troop was in command Of Capt.
Gordon A good many Of the older mem
bers, honorary, and veteran. who turn out
now only on special occasions, were in
uniform and in line. while dozen or
more Of them were present at the armory
to take part in the celebration. Among
the older members OF the troop were Cor.
| ". W. Gordon, Capt. ]. II. Johnston,
Messrs. William b. Farr, J. NJ. FarF.
George II. Remshart, A. McC. Duncan,
L. A. Silva, John r. Martin. Z. d. Y ba-
nez, Seymour c. Stewart, W. L. Wakeiee,
5. J. NJ. Baker and James Ferguson.
Besides these and the regular members
Of the troop a large number of pay mem
bers We're on hand TO do honor to the oc-
casion
Sergt. J. b. eWest's special brew Of
champagne punch was served, together
with an elegant lunch, OF which those
present partOok with unusual fervOr, af-
ter which Capt. Bierne Gordon called for
order and congratulated the Hussars upon
being able 10 celebrate the fiftieth ami
versary Of one of their fellow members
He said he did not know Mr.. Fairs record
before he took charge Of the troop, but
he could speak for it since that time
veteran Farr, he said, had been an hon
orary member, not subject TO dues nor
nnes, but ne was always ready to enter
tilt or shoot whenever there was any
shortage in the numbers of the regular
members, and he never failed to turn
out on parade whenever a good turnout
was needed
Capt. Gordon said he would also have
70 say word for the younger MEM
bers Of the troop, which he did very grace
fully, after which he read a poem upon
the subject presented by the occasion
OF Mr.. Fairs hftieth anniversary as a
| member of the troop, written by one of
the younger members, whose name ne
said he had agreed to keep. secretl The
poem was a very pretty and appropriate
tribute to the service of Mr.. Farr as a
member Of the troop from the time he
bNSdLiic q ultnDeI OF IL, ana was warmly
applauded when Capt. Gordon had finish
cd reading it. At its conclusion Capt.
/ Gordon proposed three cheers for Mr..
Farr which were given most heartily
Mr.. Farr responded to the vociferous
calls for a speech. He said that his heart
was so fun when he considered the honor
mat had been paid him that he could
never forget it.
1t was pleasant, ne said. to receive
compliment even when IL was not deserv-
! ed, but an honor had been paid him that
! night which could never be erased from his
memory.
- 1T was the proudest day of my life"
veteran Farr went on, when my father
| put in my application just fifty years
! ago this night, and then put me into the
| uniform of the Georgia Hussars. The
hrst time / wore that uniform was to
/ attend Squire Fnneys wedding | rec
/ ollect every detail of that occasion, and
| It doesn't seem nifty years ago either.
abolished the white pantaloons and put
| on the blue, and that too is an occasion
/ which l shall never forget.
Il am too honorable Hussar to claim
| what does not belong to me. 1 did not
/ go to the front with the troop, but re-
| mained at home and did my duty here.
/ l was an exempt member then. and was
| doug government work when the war
| broke out, as | was agent in charge of a
! line Of Florida steamers. IL was decided
| that my work was of such Importance
4 that could not go to the 'front.' and 1 re-
NAMED here, where ] did great deal
/ of work for the batteries. 1 was sent
/ to receive and take charge of the 500
/ kegs of powder which the Merrimao used
/ when she sunk the Cumberland. I got
! that powder In Florida where IL had been
! blockaded, and attempted and succeed
ed In bringing IL through with four
guards. succeeded in getting II to
/ Jacksonville, where it was loaded into a
new car. For safety, and on the ad-
vice of the engineer, we brought in one
car lot of cedar buckets filled with
water, for which we found good use, as
we had a fire under one of the cars on
account of a hot axle a short time after
| leaving Jacksonville"
MIR. Farr then told in his onwn interest
| ing style about the actions of the four
| guards, who were Englishmen and who
| left the train when 1t looked as If there
was danger of its being blown up on ac-
count of the fire that was right under the
1 powder. The water was used to cool off
the aXles, the guards were brought back
into line by a little plain talk and the
powder was brought on to Savannah, af-
ter which it was carried on through Co
lumbia, s. c.. and then on to Charlotte,
where it was stopped until the manager
of the railroad was intimidated into giving
the train passage through, and 1t went
on to Raleigh There Mr.. Farr had fur
ther trouble with the railroads, and only
succeeded in getting through after a con-
had TO walt until 10 o'clock in the morn
ing, in order to comply with the COVER
nor's office hours. But the greatest COM
pliment of his life, he said. was paid him
when he met President Jefferson Davis,
who, after being introduced 10 him, shook
his hand and said; Mr.. Farr, l thank you.
ANobodS cOuiu nave uolt the Work that
you have done"
Il did that" Mr.. Farr lsaid, "and I was
still a Hussar l was afterward given
charge of the Savannah, Florida and
/ Western railroad until it was blockaded
and had charge of the carrying of pro-
visions and supplies for the army After
that l was removed to Augusta, where
did the same work until the close of the
war. have slept in camp there with as
much as $4,000 to guard at one time. and
with nothing to protect it but my two
pistols ana my pointer bitch
Mr. Farr then brought forward his
youngest son, q member of the trooD
whom he said he wished to dedicate to the
Hussars. He wanted him to take his place
he said, when he is gone. If peonle
come together in heaven, ne said. and If
they talk about uniforms and other things
as they do here, he wanted to be among
the Hussars and wear the same uniform
they are wearing now. In speaking Of his
son he said that his great grandfather.
his grandfather and his father We're all
members of the Hussars, and he was
proud to leave him the same Mr.. Farr's
speech was loudly cheered throughout
and bis war stories were listened to with
much interest.
Capt Gordon read a telegram from
Capt. J. w. McAlpin. who expressed deem
regrets at not being able to be present
on the occasion Of Capt. Fairs anniver-