Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-01-21

The c LIBERATION of Gen. Lees birthday
ended last night with the usual reunion
and supper of the members of +. +.
Lee Camp of Confederate Veterans and
their friends. As has always been the
case this was one of the most interest
ing events of the year, bringing iogeth-
err as it does most of the survivors OF the
Aleyandrians who linked their fortunes
with the Confederacy and who followed
the great man whose birthday they so
fttingly celebrate.
The camp met at their hall in the
Columbia engine house at o'clock.
The members were clothed in their uni
forms of gray snd presented a very
creditable appearance. Commander
W. a. Smoot called them to order, and
subse ouently Inspector General Nor.
ton, OF the Grand Camp, made an othclal
inspection. At its conclusion the IN
spector General paid high compli-
ment to r. E. Lee Camp, saying he
found it in excellent shape and pro-
nounced it the banner camp of the
State.
A few minutes later all present were
ordered to fall in and the camp and sew
eral invited friends, with sprinkline
of Sons OF Confederate Veterans, march
ed to the Opera House restaurant,
| where the camp fire wss kindled this
year and where colossal feast had
been prepared By the proprietor, MIR.
Louis Brill. The cozy room had been
rsily decorated. Ferns had been dis
| tributed copiously and large United
States flags had been spread over the
walls of the rooms and over each door
the national emblems were fixed, while
in other places Confederate flags, battle
flags, Virginia flags and coats of arms:
festoons, pictures of General Lee, &c,
were displayed. The tables were load.
ed with delicacies, and different colored
| lights produced the most beautiful
effects. Sixty-two persons took seats.
On each plate the following menu had
been placed:
Ivnnhaven Bay oysters on half shell, fined
| NORRIS Cove oysters, roast turkey, chicken,
corned beef, ham, roast beef, tongue chicken
! salad. lobster salad, potato salsd, lettuce
salad, whisky punch, old Confederacy
| style; celery, chow chow, cranberry ssuce'
| sweet pickles. Spanish olives, red bsets, csb-
bace slaw, oranges, apples, malaga grapes,
bananas, coffee, tea. German assurance
| cigars. cheese and crackers.
Comrade K. Kemper asked bless
ing upon the spread, after which the
company proceeded to enjoy the
rovsl feast with an evident relish.
| Dishes were psssed in rapid succession
as course followed course until that
sine ana non Of the entertainment was
reached-'Old Confederacy punch, -
was circulated, and as it was quatied1
the company became loquacious and
the friction of conversation produced
the happiest effects. Fragrant cigars,
smother delightful adjunct, augmented
the pleasures of the occasion, and while
the smoke was curling in rings Com
mspder Smoot raped all hands to
! order and said as all present had en-.
joyed delicious estables they would
now have a flow of soul, and he began
to announce the toasts, the first being
The Day We Celebrate" to be re
Sponded to by Doctor ". s. Christian.
With becoming modesty the speaker
began by saying he felt inadequate to
the task assigned him, but be had pro-
| ceeded but minute or two when Il
| was manifest to his hearers that the
camp had fixed upon the right man.
He said the most suitable response to
the toast would be for all present to re,
ceive it with bowed heads. During
the four years war; he said, when
the boys in gray saw Jackson coming
they cleared their Threats for rebel
veil. but when General Lee hove In
sight they all with one accord dotted
their caps and stood with bowed heads
in his presence" Thirty years and
more have passed since the Confeder-
ate banner was furled at Appomat-
tox. but those who had followed the
gallant chieftain and their sons were
gathered tonight to do honor to his
memory. The sun OF the Confederscy
had set forever, but back upon the
clouds of time the halo Of Lee would be
seen as long as time should last. Doc.
TOT Christian painted very vivid
character sketch of General Lee, telling
of his magnetic nature, his influence
upon those he commanded, and recited
much war history. His compari-
son Of the subject of his re-
marks with Alexander, Cesar,
Frederick, Napoleon and Washington
sent thrills through his hearers and
produced the heartiest applause. His
tribute to Virginians who have figured
in the history of the country was an
equally happy effort.
Colonel John Critcher followed in a
response TO 1.-THE Cavalry" The COL
onel was at his best and his vivid de
scriptions of the exploits of the south
ern cavalry were listened TO with mark
ed attention. He told of Stuart, For
rest, Mosby and Others, and recalled
the fact that in the fighting around
Memphis small force of cavalry dis
committed an army of twenty-odd thou
sand of the enemy by cutting of their
base of supplies. His tribute to Mosby
was very forcible, as was also other
reference 20 soldiers in the saddle.
Hon. Smith Turner arose when The
Infantry was announced. He said he
had had no time to prepare q speech,
but in his impromptn remarks he soon
showed all present that he needed no
preparation. He said be was in the
house of immediate comrades and i'm
mediate friends, who had forgot sni-
mosites and hates, but who had live
IL remembrance of heroism and its his
tory. The infantry, he said, had plod-
ded through mud, sleet, rain and snow
and had endured privation, and had