Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1895-11-20
gg. B'. d. GALLABER. Editor.
Nourmber go 1875
BITTLE ABBEY.
York Of the ConfederHfe Committee at
atlanta.

Mr.. Wallace p Red contributes the fo!
lowing interesting paper to the Atlanta Con
stitution of the 2j;h ullmo:
Col. A. G.. Dickinson, of New York, ha,
been in the city during the past few days
attending a meeting of the committee from
the United Confederate Veterans, sppoint~c
To- consider the generous offer made by Mr.
Charles Broadway Rnu>s, of New York, il
regard 10 the erection of a Confederate na
tional memorial hall
The colonel has history. He i gal
liant Virginian who served through the wal
on The Confederate side. He WAS Genera
Magruder's chief of staff, aud later com
manded the northwestern division of Magru
der's district OF Texas, with headquarters al
San Antonio. At the age of % he organ.
zed the cotton bureau" in Texas, which
supplied the Confedtrates of the trans Mis-
sivippi department with their arms aud
other necessary equipments.
After making the Last surrender OF the
war Col. Dickinson engaged in buSintss il
Spanish America, and in 20 years accumu
lated fortune large enough to enable hln
10 r~ti,c aud head lite of aa~s For some
wears past he has resided in New York City
where he Is the commander of the Camp Z"
Confederate Veterans and president of th,
Southern Democrats of the metropolis.
The colonel devotes hi- lime and good
portion of hi- means to public aud charita
be objects, calculated TO benefit the old
Confrderates and the South generally.
Naturally he is deeply Interested in the
proposed Confederate memorial hall, or bat
tie abbey, which Mr. Rous- offers TO aid t.
the extent of 500 900, provided the Con
federate veterans and people of the Souti
will rai-e another 100000.
Mr. Rouss is Virginan. lie was pri'
vate in Company b. OF tho Twelfth Nirg'ni.
cavalry, Turner Ashby's original company
which WAS made up of volunteers from
around Winchester.
He remained a private through the war
but hi. individuality WAS so striking thai
those who saw him never forgot him. Gen
Russer told the United Confederate Vvte
rans' committee in Atlanta the other day
hat he frequently saw Rou,s doing hare
| lighting at the front aud lie -sid that there
was always certain to he fight when hi'
company, the black horse cavalry, got II
front OF the enemy.
General Ros,er never met Mr.. Rnuss unit
he saw him on the streets in New York
years after the war. lie instantly remem
brred the face which he had 50 often seei
in battle aud made himself known to th'
da,hing cavslryman who had then become
one of New York'- merchant princes
"A man has a strong individuality" sai'
Colonel Dickinson, "Nhru he impresse
strangers 20 that they recognize him whrI
hey unexpectedly meet him after dozeI
wears or so. and are able to remember lh,
circumstances under which they first me
him"
The name of Charles Broadway Rouss i
an honored one in every Confederate house
mold, and in the homes of thepoOr in ever,
quarter of the land.
The young Virginian landed in New Iorl
shortly after the war, without dime an'
without friend in the city. He went t.
work and built up biz business and made
himself many times a millionaire.
He tries hard 10 make money, apparently
because he wants to put it where 1t Is mo-
NE led. He has donated hundreds OF Ih"u
sands Of dollars to various public and char
table objects in Virginia aud elsewhere
AMI has helped hundred. Of old Coniede
rates and their families. He never ignore
an appeal for help. II it seems to come
from worthy person he always responds
Such generosity would bankrupt man!
rich men, but it seems TO increase his pros
perty.
Colonel Di, nson is enthusiastic oveI
The latest scheme Of Mr.. Riu,-. When th'
Confederate veterans agree upon the ioca
ton of the propn>e'' memorial hall ahd rai-'
$50. 900, the New York millionaire will ado
hi 500 600 t. the luni The hall or ab
bey will be stately building, which wi
be 10 the south what Westminster abbey j
/ TO England.
1t will contain Confederate archives, lee