The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-01-30
LIGHT ARTILLERY BLUES.
About Their Contemplated Trip
to New Orleans.
BUNKER HILL CENTENNIAL.
a "Reminiscences of 1875. Roster of
the Centennial Legion. Where
the "Blues" Have Been
Guests and Where They
Have Been Hosts.

Have Been Hosts.
The contemplated trip Of the Nor.
folk Light Artillery Blues to New
Orleans during the Mardi Gras fes.
tival of next month, brings to mind
the memorable trip Of this we'll
known command to the Bunker Hill
Centennial celebration of 1875, at
which time they had ms their guests
the gallant Gen. Fitz Lee. Col.
Walter II. Taylor, Gen. r. Il. Lees
adjutant general, and other eminent
Coufederates, homo r8ry members of
the command, who were the first
"grev coats" to cross the "bloody
chasm," aud they received from the
people of Boston and vicinity an
ovation such as is rendered but once
in generation. AS members of
"rhe Centennial Legion" an organ
ization composed of one company
from each of the original thirteen
States, and as it was especially de
sired to give Virginia prominence
in the movement, the "Blues" were
selected as the light battery of the
Legion.
THE CENTENNIAL LIE GIoN
consisted of the following organiza-
tons: Rhode Island Light Infantry:
Clinch Rifles, Of Georgia; Phil
Kearney Guard, of New Jersey;
Centennial Company. from Fifth
Maryland Regiment; Boston Light
Infantry. of Massachusetts; Wash
ington Light Infantry. of South
Carolina; Old Guard, of New York:
Fayetteville Light Infantry, of
North Carolina; New Haven Greys,
of Connecticut; State Fencibles, OF
Pennsylvania; Norfolk Light Artil-
lery Blues, of Virginia; with Gen.
Harry Heth, of Virginia, in COM
mand.
They were at Philadelphia in 1876
to take part in the Centennial fes
tivlties that took place at this time.
AT the centennial celebration Mt
Yorktown, in 1881, the wide open
hospitality" of the "Norfolk Blues"
was enjoyed by great number OF
the visiting commands,
THE PRovERBIAL LATCH STRING"
being on the "outslde" during the
entire celebration. They visited
Savannah, Ga, as guests of the
Chatham Artillery" on the occa.
sion of their centennial celebration
III 1856, and were maeniticently en-
tertained by this famous battery,
VINO have III their possession two
cannons presented by Con. Wash
ington, which were captured from
the British during the revolutionary
war. The Norfolk Light Artillery
Blues were organized III 1928 under
Capt. Miles King, and reorganized
I'D 1871 under Capt. w. Il. Taylor.
They served throughout the war
with credit to themselves and their
Stale.
THE COMMAND At PRESENT.
The command at present num-
bers sixty five active mem bers. com.
posed Of the best material of the
city, under the command of Cnpt.
NJ. q. Keeling, First Lients. John
L. hevill and j. O. Carroll and Sec
ond Lieut.. $. j. Cham berlin. The
battery expects to take fifty men in
uniform on this trip, which, 40
doubt. will be very enjoyable one.
good number of their honorary
and veteran members are expected
to accompany them.
The Norfolk Light Artillery
Blues special excursion train viii
leave Saturday night. February 23d.
1873, about 10 o'clock, over that
we'll known route, the Senboard AIR
Line. whose famous "Atlauta Spe-
claI" will, for this occasion only, be.
come
TIE BLUES SPECIAL TRAIN
and Will arrive in New Orleans Mt
80 Monday morning. They viii
be received by the famous Washing.
ton Light Artillery Battalion, Of
New Orleans, La. under commnnd
OF Col. John Is. Richardson's. AMI
Will take pntt IN the grand military
parade on that day (Monday being
military day. 1t is the wish OF he
Communicating Officer of the "Blues"
that the battery will go with full
ranks and to this end, he earnestly
requests that employers Will grant
leave of absence to such members
OF the command as may be in their
employ. The command leaving Sat
nvday nlgut after business aud re.
turning Friday morning necessItates
iouf days absence from business.
LETTER FROM HIS MAJESTY,
Tim