Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-20
SOUTH'S GREAT HERO
CEN. LEES BIRTHDAY ArPRorRI-
,TELy CELEBRATED HERE.
VETERANS EULOGlZE HIS MEMORY.
,,np-Firc Hcld--Giowing Tributes
Paid linn ortaG Chicftain-Judges
Farrar and Christian and Conn
r,dcs smith and Richardson Speak


-odcs smith and Richardson Speak
The seventeen anniversary OF the birth
of General Robert Edward Lee. the hero
~ the South and the peerless leader Of
che Confederacy. was celebrated In Rich
,rona IN behtting manner. not alone by
.so veterans who followed him through
S,,r years OF privation and hardship. but
,., thelr sons and the citizens of Rich
mond generally.
THE day was pretty generally observed
ss "a holiday in this city; tho banks and
,enllc buildings were closed. and many
r,ercantile and manufacturing establish
r,snfs worked only half the day. At the
soldiers Home appropriate exercises
u.re held, and salutes were fired. and
Che Howitzers Battery assembled around
che monument of the illustrious chieftain
81, the afternoon and fired a salute Of
nineteen guns just at sunset; but the
principal observance Of the day was that
entered into by the tried and true vete-
cans OF r. Z. Lee Camp, No. l. at the
ioyable entertainment, partaking of the
nature OF a campfire. was held.
LARGE CROWD PRESENT.
The large camp hall was filed with
veterans when Commander John NJ. War
ron called the assemblage 20 order, and
Chaplain James Power Smith invoked the
Divine blessing Commander Warren in
troduced as the first speaker Rev. DR..
1t,
resting address on the early life of Gene
ri Lee and his war record and history.
He .old first of how he, a mere boy,
first heard Of Lee. and then of how he
came later in life to be thrown into per-
sonal contact with him. In most pic
turesque language he described his first
meeting with General Lee. near Shep-
herdstown. and told how he had been
most Hospitality received by the great
Confederate leader
Captain Smith laid particular stress on
the kind treatment that was always ac-
corded by General Lee TO his soldiers,
and Of his especial kindnesses always
bestowed on young men. Captain Smith,
who served as aide-de-camp TO General
Jackson. told of the frequent visits the
Gonerai-in-Chief paid his lieutenant. and
detailed some OF the incidents Of his
visits. At Jackson's headquarters in the
early part of the war meals were served
i'm some style. and a butler would wait
upon the diners. This always afforded
General Lee much amusement and he
never failed. when dining with Jackson,
10 ridicule the idea of soldiers going to
war with a whte-aproned butler TO wait
upon them. He described the first Christ
mas dinner in Jackson's camp, and, in
rather suggestive fashion, said he would
not stop &c tell how the turkey for that
dinner was secured but a fine one adorn-
ed the table and General Lee was one
OF the distinguished guests who partook
OF It.
LEE AND JACKSON SAT TOGETHER.
Captain Smith told innumerable small
stories OF the Confederate leader, and de-
scribed the actions of Lee and jackson on
the night Immediately preceding the day
an which the battle OF Chancellorsville
was fought. The speaker wakened during
the night. and near him he saw Generals
Lee and Jackson sitting on cracker boxes
over a little fire discussing their plans for
the morrow. lie closed his talk with
some anecdotes Of General Lees post
bellum Hfe and when he took his seat
Judge George L. Christian WAS intro
5uced. He had been unable TO prepare
any address, he said, because OF pressure
OF public business. He couldn't refraln,
though from saying something to MS ola
comrades on so auspicious an occasion
In bonoring Lee he said. the veterans
bonored themselves. The whole world
honored Lee. In Europe he was consid-
cred 10 be a great man. 1t was once SAID
abroad that this country had produced but
three great generals-Washington Lee,
and Jackson.
A GREAT PRIVILEGE.
II is a privilege. he asserted, to be able
TO say: Il followed Robert Il. Lee, and
fought with him" His campaigns, Judge
Christian said. showed the most remark
able daring. and should be regarded in
history as the most transcendently
strategic ever conducted. Lee, he said,
was never defeated. 1t was only when
the platform on which he fought gave
way beneath him that he was forced TO
succumb The bottom had dropped out,
and not till that catastrophe occurred
was the Army Of Northern Virginia forced
TO surrender.
Judge Christian paid a glowing tribute
TO the camp. which is engaged in per-
petuating and keeping alive the memo
ries of the Confederacy. and in conclu-
sion read from one of the works of the
Marquis Of Lothian to show that the
Confederate troops were considered to
be the peers Of any soldiers or people on
earth, and that their commanders were
worthy of any cause.
COLONEL BUFORD SPOKE.
Colonel A. s. Buford made truly able
and eloquent address op the history Of
the South in the past; her glories of the
present. and her grand prospect for the
future-a history made glorious he
lowed Robert +. Lee and the other great
leaders Of the Confederate armies
Colonel Buford grew humorous as he
progressed.
After he took his seat Mr.. ID. c. Rich
ardson was presented. He told of how
he was made a corporal in the Confede-
rate service, and said that to this day
he would rather be called Corporal
Crockett" than TO be named king or
President" In eloquent eulogium. Cor
pora" Richardson paid tribute to Gene
raj Lee. He described minutely the sur
render at Appomattox. and sconed at
the Idea that the treaty was agreed upon
under an apple-tree. He knew different
ly, as he was with the army when it sur
rendered.
ONLY INTERVIEW WITH LEE.
Nir. Richardson told most affecting
story Of his only interview win General
Lee, and Of how his younger brother.
who was only Ia years old when killed,
an sharpsburg. ate dinner with General
Lee on the day Immediately preceding
tae battle In which he fell
Judge Il. II. Farrar, OF Amelia, Johnny
keb" was next introduced. As is usual
with him. the Judge grew pathetic as he
proceeded, and then, like streamlet
emerging from the shadows Of the forest
went ripping over the rocks of humor.
.I.a. at.r. r,te az