Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-10-15

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Forty-third Virginia Battalion, c. 5. a.,
veterans of Col. John S. Mosby's com.
mand, was held last night at the EutaW
House in Baltimore.
The Eutaw House was transformed
into military camp while Mosby's gal
liant troopers were Qusrtered there.
Nearly one hundred survivors of the
old Forty-third were present. Every
BODY seemed to know everybody else,
and it did not take them long to gather
in groups, renew old acquaintanceshlp
and swap old stories and "reminiscences.
The morning was spent in sight,see-
ing and inspecting the city which they
had been 30 anxious to reach for a
much more grim and stern purpose
many wears ago. Stories of the old
days were recited in minutest detail.
One of the veterans would start to tell
of raid and would find himself inter
rupted by his comrades, who were anx-
ious to correct some slight mistake
made by the story-teller in his rehears-
al of the facts.
The first real business of the day was
the annual meeting of the command at
three O'Clock 10 the afternoon in the
hotel. Mr.. w. B. Palmer, of Rich
mond, presided, and ]. II. Alexander,
of Leesburg, acted as secretary. OH
GERS we're elected for the year as fol.
lows: Commander, W. B. Palmer, Of
Richmond; frat vice commander.
John b. Alexander, of Leeaurg; second
vice commander, Joseph L. Wilson Of
Washington; third vice commander,
Graf Carlyle, of Baltimore, and John
b. Foster, of Marshall, secretary.
The following officers who were ap-
pointed at Richmond last year were re.
endorsed : Surgeon, a. Monteiro, Rich
mond; assistant surgeon, W. L. Dunn,
of Virginia; chaplain, Capt. S. T. Chap.
man, Clifton Forge; color bearer, Chas.
Vest, Trevillian; sergeant major, r.
NJ. 81 arrover, of Washington; officer of
the day, @. A. Fox, of Belltsville, Md;
color sergeant, John A. Ballard, Ma
nassas, and second color sergeant,
Frank Angelo, of Alexandria.
Manassas was chosen for the reunion
of 1898. The commander will appoint
a committee TO confer with the people
of Manassas to fix the date of the meet
ing. Front Royal made a bid as the
next meeting place, but it was decided
ID consider holding meeting there
when the monument was dedicated.
The Rev. S. G. Ferguson, of Martins
burg, brought up the matter of the
monument the command proposes to
erect at Front Royal. This monument
is to be erected to the memory of the
five members of Mosby's command
who, while prisoners of war, were hung
or shot to death at Front Royal by
order of Gen. Custer in the year 1864.
They were Messrs. Anderson, Carter,
Jones, Overly and Rhodes. The cost
is to be $500, $3.50 of which was raised
by subscription at the banquet.
The committee, composed of W, Ben
Palmer, Richmond; ]. W. Hammond,
Alexandra, and Robert NJ. Narrower,
Washington, were instructed to con-
tinue at work on the matter. A letter
was read from Charles Broadway Rouse,
the New York millionaire, in which he
denounced, in the strongest terms, the
action of Custer in the shooting of
prisoners of war, and promised liberal
aid in the erection of q fitting monu-
ment.
Colonel Mosby, who is now on the
Pacific coast, was unable to attend the
reunion mainly because of his recent
serious accident while driving in Vir-
GINA, at which time he lost the sight of
one eye. A resolution was passed ex-
pressing sympathy.
The following telegram was sent to
Col. Mosby by the command yester-
day;
ITO Col. John S. Mosby, San Francis
co, CAL:
"Your command, in fourth annual
reunion assembled, sends you their as
surance of ever increasing love, ad-
miration and good wishes"
On motion of Frank Kennedy, Of
Clarke county, the secretary was in-
structed to address letter of sympa
thy to Col. Robert W. Eastman, of
Davis, W. Va, and assuring him of
their belief in his innocence of any
crime. Colonel Eastman is at present
under arrest in Parsons, W. Va, for
the killing of Frank E. Thompson, of
West Virginia, last March. Colonel
Eastman wrote the command letter
of regret at his enforced absence.
At six o'clock reception was given
to the veterans by the wives and
daughters of the Confederate soldiers,
and the society of the Daughters of the
Confederacy at the parlors of the Eu.
taw House.
The banquet at the Eutaw House
was fitting climax to most pleasant
day. The hall was beautifully decorat.
oil with Confederate flags and American
bunting, and the tables were adorned
with flowers. At one end of the hall
an oil painting Of Col. Mosby,
upon horseback and dressed
in the uniform of Confederate soldier.
A United States flag encircled the pic
ture, with Confederate, United States
and Maryland flags festooned over
head. Around the edge of the ceiling
were draped the stars and stripes and
each window was decorated with
United States, Confederate and Mary.
land bunting. Over the main door
were flags, surmounting an excellent
portrait of Mosby, Which was sur
mounted with smilax and bunting. The
chandeliers were also hung with smila1
and the tables themselves were COR.
geously adorned with potted plants
and cut flowers.
Mr.. a. V. Milholland made the adj
dress of welcome.
Mr.. D. s. Briscoe, of Baltimore, was
tha toastmaster of the occasion. and