Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-19
HONOR LEES MEMORY
The Anniversary Of His Birth 10 Be
Celebrated Here To- Day.
THE mowITzEns' ANNUAL SALUTE.
Gallant Artilicrymen Parade and
Fire IL Guns-A Delightful Ceiebr"-
lion af the Woman's CIub-Scrmon
before Lee Camp Tonight.

To-day Is the anniversary Of the pirth
OF General Robert Il. Lee. but tho part
OF the observance of the occasion, other
than that which is religious. TOOK pace
yesterday. At noon the Home nuaio
of Lee Camp Soldiers Home fired
salute: this was followed in the alter
noon by pan ade by the Richmond
Howitzers and an artillery salute at the
monument, and last night the Womans
Club had delightful celebration.
a special sermon appropriate to the
day will be preached to Lee Camp at
Union-Station Methodist church tonight
by Rev. DR.. George c. Vanderslice. Inc
members Of the camp will meet In fuli
uniform in the lecture-room OF the
church, and march into the auditorium
of the edince. Pickett Camp Will also at
tend.
General Lees favorite hymn, How
Firm Foundation. Ye Saints OF the
Lord" will be sung at the Soldiers Home
chapel at the 4 o'clock-seryice there To-
day, when the Grace church choir VIII
sing and Rev. l.. X. Mason Will preach
General Lee s. Birthday has been Mt
tingly observed here for a number Oh
years. The Lee Guard, one OF the old COM
panies OF the First Virginia regiment
was the first organization to recognize
the day. and during the existence OF thaI
company. under Captains John Sloan,
Lewis ID. Crenshaw, and Charles +. Tay-
lor, II each year turned out IN honor
of General Lee s-Birthday. After that
time the regiment took up the matter
and the celebration became more general
IL became the custom Tor the regiment
the Blues and the Howitzers, headed Dy
a band of music, 10 90 out to the Lee
monument, fire appropriate salutes' anu
place a wreath Of flowers upon the me
mortal. The Legislature then passed a
law making January 18th "a legal hoh-
day.
The Howitzers Honor Lee.
A platoon Of the Richmond Howitzers'
as has been their custom for NUMBER
OF years. assembled at their armory yes
terday evening at 4 o'clock, and after d
parade down Eighth street 10 Broad
and down Governor to Main. up MAN
10 Fifth: TO Franklin. thence TO the
monument grounds, salute or Sc
venteen guns was fired. Quite NUMBER
Of citizens had gathered at the scene
Of the salute, and when the platoon
moved OF the scene was an inspiring
one. The return was made by way OF
Franklin street. and thence 10 the
Howitzer monument. which the soldier
boys saluted by uncovering. The follow
ing Is a list of those who TOOK part
in the ceremony: Lieutenant William
A. Barrett, in command; First-Sergeant
William 5. Woodson, Corporal j. b. Poin-
dexter, i'm charge OF first section; Ser
geant ". VI. Myers, In charge OF second
section: with the following cannoneers:
Guide b. II. COttrell. Busler W. H.
Cowardin, Corporals H. G.. Whittet and
T.. w. Madison: Privates r. NJ. Brennan,
w. H. Schultz. Joseph Heiiiy, J. W.
Booker, W. II. Crooks, r. c. SALISBURY,
John Hoffman, Charles Hawks, Richard
Spraggins, Charles ii. Page. h. W. Cog
hill f. =. Taylor, w. W. Lear, W. II.
w. Manson, Archie Richardson. V. G.
scriven, E. p. Fuller. J. e. Rowe, George
L. Sharp, and i. \. Parkinson.
Celebration at the Woman's Club.
In commemoration Of the birthday Of
General Lee the Woman's Club last night
gave a delightful literary entertainment
at their home. on west Franklin street,
and after the entertainment refreshments
were served
The rooms were very tastefully and ap-
propriately decorated the front drawing
room being particularly beautiful in CO.
lonial colors. The background on = the
platform was gracefully festooned with
Virginia flags around portraits of Wash
ington and Lee, and a bust OF Maury.
Mrs Emma r. Ball, vice-regent for
virginia in the Mt. Vernon Ladies Asso-
citation OF the United States, who has oc-
cupied that position for eighteen years,
presided with grace and dignity. and
opened the entertainment by introducing
Mr.. Charles Washington Coleman, Of Will
liamsburg, who read the poem which he
delivered originally at the jamestown
celebration in May last.
Mrs. John Finders Robinson read an able
paper on Virginia Statesmen" and was
followed by Mrs. Lyon @. Tyler, who read
a delightful essay on Virginia Heroes"
Miss Maria Blair closed the literary
mart OF the entertainment. taking as her