Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-18
IN IT'S NEW BUILDING
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CONTINUED FROM FIRST PACED
fellowship TO their late adversaries on all
fitting occasions.
To this notice thirty-sight men re-
sponded, and April is. 1883. r. n. Lee
Camp, No. |. Confederate Veterans, was
organized, and Captain Charles u. VII
liams was elected It's first commsQber. A
charter was obtained from the Lsgsla-
ture, and the work Of the camp begun.
II was then determined that a home
should be built 20 provide for the manned
and destitute solder. who, by honorable
wounds received In the defence OF his
country, or by disease contracted In the
service. should find shelter and protection
outside OF the county almsh0use.
THEIR EFFORTS CROWNED.
In this. as i'm everything else that Lee
Camp has undertaken their efforts have
been crowned with success. With the az
sistance of the noble women Of the State,
grand bazaar was held In the cry or
Richmond, and from this source SD.oo
was realized. The friends aud admirers
of the Confederate soldier i'm the North.
many OF them being Grand Army posts.
contributed 5000 towards the erection or
the Soldiers Home In 1874 the present
site OF the Soldiers Home was purchased.
the buildings put I'm habitable order. ana
the work of Lee Camp begun In earnest
For two years this institution was sup
camp. but the number of men increased
so rapidly that II was found impossible
to continue 1t from 50 uncertain reve-
nue..
petitioned for help. and for six years
they appropriated $4,000 year for its
maintenance. The number Of veterans in
creased far beyond this appropriation. and
"A second appeal was made to the State
OF Virginia to take care of the men who
had responded 10 the call OF the Governor
Of this State TO rally In her defence.
These men did not ask OF Virginia any
guarantees that II MANNED In her service
they should be provided for in their old
age. but trusted implicitly In the honor
of their mother State. that she would
provide for them when in need.
PROMISE TO THE STATE.
The Board Of Visitors of the Soldiers
Home. which is merely "A committee from
this camp, finding some opposition o 10
their appeal for an appropriation of 10000
q var, TO provide for go men. made
proposition to the State that II they
would enter into a contract TO appro-
pirate $4,000 year for period OF
twenty-five years. that at the expiration
of that time the home should become
the property OF the State; and l desire
20 say that, in my judgment. at the ex-
piration of that time the state can sal
the twenty-seven acres OF lana ana re-
imburse herself for every dollar she has
appropriated TO provide for this institu-
ton Lee Camp has displayed an unselfsh
interest i'm thus deciding away her property
for the sake OF caring for her unfortu-
nate comrades.
has appropriated for the maintenance OF
the Soldiers Home Sl13,s0S.55. while Lee
Camp and it's friends have appropriated
$1l9, 1894. Veterans have been received
into this home from seyenty-seven coun-
ties and fourteen cities of this State, and
ninety-nine men from other States More
than 1.O00 men from the opening or the
institution TO December 81, 1893. have
cold charities of the world. Our income
was Intended for but 200 men. and to-day
We have 253. fifty-six of whom are I'm
the hospital for treatment.
WIDOWS AND ORPHANS.
Besides the appropriation made by, this
camp for the support OF the Soldiers
Home. we have spent more than $4,000
in relieving the widows and orphans. and
such Cont ederate soldiers who are so
situated that they cannot be admitted
to the home The Ladies' Auxiliary OF
Lee Camp, noble body OF women. who
have done so much to relieve the suffer-
ings OF mankind, have. spent more than
$4,000 Adding the three amounts to-
gether. you will see that we have appro-
priated more than the entire amount given
by the State.
I have dwelt upon what has been done
at the Soldiers Home. because II is part
and parcel OF this camp. and the work
for which we were organized. Success
has crowned our efforts In this instance,
as in all others undertaken by the camp,
and why? Simply for the reason that
we have worked together as a unit for
everything that this camp has proposed.
FIFTY-sIX CAMPS NOW.
The example set by Lee Camp has been
followed. until now we have hfty-six
camps in the State of Virginia, owing al
IN
and more than so camps, claiming
OF over 5000 veterans. in the
Southern States. Soldiers homes have
also been established in North Carolina,
FLORIDA. Louisiana, Texas. Arkansas, Ten
nessee Missouri, and Maryland.
But, Commander, while all of us are
on the downward march of life, much
work remains to be done. and We pro-
done i'm the past, TO provide as far as
il be In our power for the welfare of our
and that the unfortunate mem
bers of this organization shall never die
in want. or be buried in papuer's grave.
As Is well known TO the mhmbers OF this
camp. when any comrade dies whose
family are too poor TO give him a re-
spectacle burial this camp not only de-
trays his funeral expenses, but detail
is made TO attend his funeral. SO much
for the welfare and care of the living.
We also propose to see that future gene
rations shall be properly informed OF the
deeds of their forefathers. and that our
children shall not be brought up with the
idea that their fathers were outlaws
against an established government. The
part taken by the Sons of Veterans i'm
protesting against the vile histories used
In our public schools is worthy of our
support. and this camp extends TO them
its hearty congratulations for its efforts
in that direction. In honoring the memo
ries of our dead chieftain. this camp has
hem ever foremost. When IL was time
10 Law the cornerstone for the Lee Monu-
ment. this camp raised the necessary
amount 10 entertain the visiting veterans
as well as all the military, this sum being
about $500.
DAVIS AND LEE.
Again, when the statue of our grand