Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1896-01-22
Of Ca5- Forrest ". BrotcS', at
Dedication o. Rars~ Memorial Hall

Mr Chairman and GerIlgnlens-i have been
allotted 4 difficult but not unpleasant task
have Eern -elrrr-n 20 appear tonight in fhe
ruir of Historian To wriie and not 20 talk
bring sh,- hi-torian's privilege. invite ynur
ten,Inu % brirf chapter IN tue volume of
local e,ruts. r has be'-u said, ''Ihif be who
records. as fhiugs transpirr, j. Away partial.
and bar 10 b-sr ln Imperfect rrlusmitfcr IF
facts. The cnJemr roranenus writer. inprl.rd
by the iias OF ss-ociaticu is prone % flruzr
feeling and fancy uito his irciia!, so Is 20
color facts and Ll l,-teraI- ruth. Il j. only in
the distance of after rears. rs lsn the unurriu-
ccd mind uuswayrd By feeling, aud anwarp-
ed hy participation. retrieving calmly what
cnmes to &c from = preceding generation, can
Indicate tlar witch deserves rhe dignity IT
tue history.
Il wau.d &c a dttiug time, lad an arrrnpri-
aie ocra-ion- had opportunity prrrrnrrd. COR
some able mind tohace gathered aud cleaned
iuro permanent historic form. the many iu-
stances in the brilliant career &c the hnnured
cuuuanr whose rau las hecn called today.
Is publication here after rlrra. drcades have
elap-,di. yvould have insured I'm character OF
.mpar-ialirv, and havu heeu o graceful com-
plimrnt 90 be gallant men, once soldiers. now
ciiizeus. who have a--cmhrd o. lbs latest roll
call It vii he our uf place perhaps for me
O. say, an heuulf Of those OF younger gem
erutnu Hho-e rrcoIirriious dar- hack 9uiv 20
rhe period .'iusr after the Wgr." that grirher
time nor circumstance hnvr dirnmrd our pride
.n their achievement, ar our estimate of rlrir
Lerui-m We cherish rhe memury of their
deeds win peculiar rerarity For thry -2-
cmpilfy the h.gh attainment af American
manhnod. when enlissd ia defence of vrinci-
pics esr,rned to he essential.
But ms =eircfed duiy is not To- tlem ar ruc
pa-t, hut 90 rhu present and ~ the risk nt iu-
curing irom fle critic rhc acca-ariun of par
tiaiirr. have attempted 70 -kcfch in hririr-f
muuncr what is Important 20 be- knuwu nf rhe
orEuuizIIinu 80 hirh h:is rrarld fhr hat that
we dcdirlfr today. GO has inug bern an lzinm
THAI IRE IS a Dangerous curmy % hfe and
properly. aud cr.anizali0n 20 prevent and
eauruIit &. imperative ia every well euuducr-
% municipality. So universally acrrpu'd
vas Dis -rurh, -.at Ia advance Of any ar.iou
on 5Ie par- Of local guvcrnmrni, ihe penpig
themselves or 1nizrt as so nbcr-, % pro-
recf zach individual from This devastating chez
mru-; aua tar trsidifb us OF Charles Town
bring 10 Us tAe formation OF many such ar-un-
,zaiinus. ty Tue rtizsn- since he charter of
rle tnwu m I7s6 Bur t.e visitation % ire
being crtatir the lifc of these volunteers was
usually rphrmrral starting perhaps iu~r airrr
one cuudugrufinn. and dshaudiug hriurs rue
next; until il urcamr an abiding conviction
that uo Organization wls advisable, leeaIse
zone would have rhr element uf prrmancure-
such was Jh- -uuditiun oi a!fIirs here lnfii
the scar lsss Numerous Gre e'.uipanies l..d
been urrluizrd. buI ali -oeIue't a. p0ssess nc
c.rmrut of drcav ard destined tn he -nnly
born ra dia." sin the ucce @. Of conn irfe,
permanent and thurnugl organization, was
leirs year hy year mnr. geurrl v cnnred O,
and moro apparent and imperative; aud dnaiiy
eliminated Goo . call for mrefius 90 thr ri-
z,us uf rhe rawn. ou July 10 "a 1854. for she
purpose of ar.c.uiziur un rficicur and -~rric---
aal. lire drflr'mcnr 40 chat mretiu- 90 WIS
determined ra effect this iccr aud rom-
mitrer was appointed % submit plan af or
rlufzat.nu. Tits committee r-porfed fo an
ld'aurnrd meeting ia nn thc Irh day II
+uiy isss and rhr plan prupusrd Hr then rnr
adourrd and Q company or,riuiz-d Tdgr the
uame of T7asorntnt --5-s C0mD0aT. No. . "
C5are. T1'ri. ". "a and 80 members wrre
enrolled ami the lowing officers ..er'ed.
r C. Halm,s. Captain, l-t. Lrur 30. ... vi-;
gad Lrut A,am STUMP; 3rd. Lieut.. Thos.
3. Young; thri Engineer "m. Eodrrick,
Secretary, 3. d Barr; Treas., Cieuu Moure-
Chi-f Fo-eman g. g. Robertson.
Afrr thr organization was crmui -cd. tha
t1vu cornrI vrr. nofiiird OF rie fncr. and
apparatus assrd for nc their lauds. --0l
was 1upi 0rr;at,d by tle rounril 'or ihe rur-
1n-, af luviu- losc. The next step was fo
uniform -hc ompanv. aud in order 70 secnrr
sufficient rands si,h winch 20 purrhnse uui-
f1rus a Festival We held on fhr 5,ruui day
Of Au.usr resulting m ur- -1m f,r rhe
Tr-asurv VI =.6l -. vhrh with - SD rec'ire
s-am zach member enabled The purchas- NJ
So uniforms.
The spirit Nnirl animated f.i" members. -1
make rlis romrun- permanent ari -llrcrs-iaI
WIS hrsr eviucucrd drriue fh'- t.mr, hv their
r--uent meetings far drill which =oou
bro .hr 70 -0 . stare OF proficiency Boo tar l-t
af nlurrhiug. and 10 discipline or c1urse
-hcz,. uir-rin.s w-fe not xifhaUr 'le presence
Of the u-ua. 7rup5p's. for there lura
been pr phrs .n 1.i times. al ages lrin 10 al
lnralifirs r. was nor au nuu-u.i thng 90
see rhi- Trile asnd of Volunteer dr-mrn now
1n-z-4-rd Of considerable amount af hose.
and arv and vrI rao- n uniforms. With irs
bose carrier. aud fte old hand engine. thar
=omr -ay vas mau1 1cturrd hg Noa1 aut
u-rd ,lru1.h tlc frrent e-nerrtnus siacr
Die time 4 q hand i down 20 -hen from fhe
farmers and ..raadflfhers Of fir town. na-rh-
ir- rlrnu-h rhr streets on holiday nrc1-iuu-.
And r. was noe uuu-ua. r1 hear -ls street r0r1B1'
Fr7phet. Judging of the future lv ''ie Pn~r,
urpclnimiu- tle rrunhrsv THAR .n SIX mouths
time fhr winnie ching vouid an r1 pieces anf
.ae orzlni-ar'lu tc numbered among rle
cnuufl,-s- fainrs that we're. But these were
TOT me only villn.-c sncfhsayrrs whose rr.,iir-
tons have remained Iutn-l.ird Iirrr Wis
temper and spirit aud uauhuod 10 ibis Hlsie
band of so men, and nour g. purSst- hur rirh
in determination, thry reeoguizrd uo such
words a. failure 90 di-souiinu-
some severn. mouths after th~ir isrr meet
-ur numerous proportions wrra made ra rhrru
r8 pm ctase steam engines. and several wuFu
triri bur uor lcrrpfeL ON rhe 3Ist- day af
Nav. 1855. ,hr7 lc-rpred al iliritaiian 20 rar-
ticiaan. ii a .rar .a.i,hr rarIde in Wincaes1er.
"a. lna L. --srIfane rilE ile nrgri-Inn