Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-17
So YEARS OF AGE.
Crays Veteran Association 10 Celebrate
Their Anniversary Next Month.
MEMORIES OF FORMER OCCASION
The First Reunion After the War
Held on Mnyo's Island-Toasts Re-
spondcd 10 by distinguished Men
and letters Read from Others.


on that evening.
The Grays' Association. renowned FOR
the valorous deeds Of ITS members is one
of the Oldest. II not the Oldest. veteran
organizations In our Southland.
IT was organized In May. 1886. the first
meetings being in the basement OF MI
j.. u. spence's clothing store. at the cor
ner OF Main and Thirteenth streets on
May 2s. 1886. they, with hundreds Of other
Confederate soldiers, went out to Holly
wood armed with hoes and shoYels' ana
worked all day in building up the graves
Ga the soldiers section and they paraded
on the Sist Of May. 1866. and took part in
the first memorial services Of the Holly
wood Memorial Association.
THEIR FIRST CELEBRATION.
On June Y, 1856. they celebrated the
twenty second anniversary OF the Rich
rnond Grays by dinner on Mayo's Is
land. The following account OF that oc-
casion is taken from the Richmond Wing
OF June II. 1866. AS will be seen. Colonel
Wyatt NJ Elliott was the first president
OF the organization.
"On Tuesday evening at o'clock the
Richmond Grays celebrated their twenty
second anniversary on Mayo's Island,
across the river, under the shade of the
trees Some seventy persons were pres
ent, but they were not all OF the "Grays,'
for death his thinned their ranks. and
many q gallant fellow was absent who
in Aud Lang Syne.' used to celebrate
anniverssry-day.
'As was most becoming. the scene was
characterized by little OF that redundant
and vehement hilarity apt to attend out
door festivities-a solemn tone perVading
all. the memory Of the dead being ever
uppermost in their thoughts. We do not
mean TO say that the occasion passed off
In a dun manner-not at all-for 1t was
enllvened by a high spirit Of devotion to
the dead and to the land that bore them,
md speeches, IN which true patriotism
and patbos were beautifully intertwined.
During the proceedings, the roll OF honor
= which IA as follows. was read:
captain r.. w. Branch, killed August
]. 1863. at Brandy Station, at the head OF
his command.
rs. G.. Baughm killed at Hatcher's Run.
"E Burke. killed at Crater explosion.
"John s. Hardgrove, killed at Seven
Pines.
James II. Mills died of disease.
'John Il. Collier killed at Champion
sR. II. EIlyson. killed at French Farm.
1852
''W. c. Everett, killed at Champion Gap.
George G. Grattan. killed at seven
Pines
Courthouse.
"Jud. Gibson, killed at Crater explosion.
s'Marx Meyers, killed at second battle
of Manassas.
Gap.
George Nicholas, color-bearer, killed at
Second Manassas.
Edward Nimmo. killed at Malvern HILL
''R J.. Phillips, killed at Spotsylvania
Courthouse.
John J. Smonton. killed at Malvern
HI. while displaying the most daring
bravery
81. u. sacry. killed at the Crater explo-
sion.
Josiah Teel. died OF disease at hospital.
~. Teel died Of disease at hospital
Thomas G. Walsh, killed at Spotsylva-
nla Courthouse.
"Joseph Weller. killed at Cold Harbor.
John T. West, died Of disease
APPROPRIATE TOAsTS.
AT OGiock the COMPANY lOok iltlT
seats. and when dinner was over Colonel
Elliott read the following list OF regular
toasts:
l. "To Our Guests" This toast was
responded to by Colonel T. Il. August
2 ''Virglnia, the Home OF the Brave;
Though No Longer the Land of the Free.
Her son is Sacred Still TO the Memory of
Her Gallant Dead" Responded to by
Colonel Narmaduke johnson.
& "Our Glorious Dead; They Have
Crossed over the River. and They Rest
in the Shade OF the Trees" Responded to
by Colonel Mcintosh and Captain Daniel.
"Stonewall Jackson: the Worshipped
Hero OF a Great. Though Conquered Peo-
pie; His Name VIII BE the Honored Theme
OF Song and Story when Those OF His
Revilers WIN BE Buried" Responded to
by DR.. McGill.
s. jefferson Davis; the Gagged Eagle:
the Bars Confne His Person, But His
Great Spirit Still Scars; He Suffers for a
Nation Which Loves Him, But is Con-
soled by the Admiration and sympathy of
the Christian World" Responded TO by a
burst OF cheering all around the table.
c. Robert Il. Lee; Sooner Turn the Sun
from His Course Than Turn Fabrcus
From the Path OF Honor" Responded 10
by Colonel Marmaduke johnson amid loud
cheering.
VOLUNTEER TOASTS.
BY Colonel August THE Old Grays,
May Their Trimmed Ranks Soon BE Fillad
Again, so That We May Behold Them as
in Times Past, an Honor ana an Orna-
meut to Our City and State"
By Colonel Marmaduke Johnson: 1.-THE
Soldiers OF Virginia; n Cypress for the
| Dead, a Laurel for the Living. and a
Forget Me-Not for All"
BY Colonel Mcintosh: 1.-THE Conquered
Banner, May Its Resurrection at Last BE
as Bright and as Glorious as Theirs-the
Dead"
BY Colonel Connally. OF the Fifty-fftf
North Carolina: "Old Virginia, the Won't
and Tomb OF Liberty"
BY Sergeant Mayo: ''The Memory OF III,
Dead OF the Twelfth Virginia"
BY A. X. Crump: THE Memory Of Lieu
tenant-colonel Taylor"
BY Captain Daniel: "The Ola NORTH
State" Responded TO with thrilling elo
quence by Colonel Connally.
'sThe Memory Of Our Beloved Captain
y. w. Branch" Responded to by Colone
w. NJ. Elliott.
By Charles McGn: virginia and Mary
land. Sister States Cemented as On,
by the Blood of Their Children in IN,
Revolutions OF l776 and 1851"
by -----: General Billy Malone, tn,
Little Man with Steel Springs and Iron
Nerve" Responded TO by Colonel Page
by Colonel Il. l.. August: Andrew
johnson. President OF the United States
He Has Been Properly Styled the Re
etorer Of the Constitution Let Him Per
feet His Title by Restoring the Ilbert,
the Constitution Guarantees"
Iiy X. Il. Winter: General Lee. Hts
tory win Name Him Among Her Creates
Warriors; Tradition VIII Place Hin
Amongst the Best and Truest OF Men"
BY Commissary Albert X. Crump