Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-13

Of Company J. Charlie Pickett was sooi
promoted to captain, and then major, on
his brothers staff
We were at first known as the Philhar-
monte Company. We recruited our ranks,
electing among others W. II. Palmer as
our orderly, bat his well-known abilities
soon deprived Us Of his services, and he
was promoted TO be colonel on General
A. p. Hilrs STAFF. Major George Norton,
4 the First Virginia, was one OF our
.outeuants. We were assigned 60 the
T.rst Virginia Regiment, and known as
Company u, the old Dominion Guard.
cannot trace their gallant careers Iur-
Their as / was. by mistake IN names,
transferred TO the HowitZers, and served
with the First Company. l can never re-
gret this. but still Company ID was my
Alma Mater in this new line.
In the First Company Of Howitzers the
l9nuence of our association was still felt.
Ienry Kepler was transferred 10 US, and
theirs with him, "Old Black and my
ELF. we had the nucleus Of a eiee club
Ce each sang different parts. 10 TINS
"a added Mr.. Charles PoindoXter. Mr..
ohm L. Yancey. and Professor Il. Nicho-
las Crouch We carried copies Of our
music with us, and soon had glee club
that was seldom eXceled. Indeed one
who knows, having heard TINS style OF
music in all of our large cities ana IN
Europe said few months ago IN my
presence that ii was the sweetest music
he had ever heard. In mixed songs we
had q larger club Ed. Barnes was our
sololst. and "A beautiful voice he had.
our music entered into all church services
and oraver-meetlngs. Upon the visit Of
Bishop Johns TO our camp, at the Dunn
House. when he administered the rite or
confirmation. the services being held IN q
barn fitted up for the purpose, our music
would have done credit TO some Of our
modern choirs.
MUSICAL. BENEVOLENT ASSOCIAT'N.
Not long after the war an unsuccessful
attempt was made TO reorganiZe, but
such was the unsettled state Of affairs
that II had 90 be given up. In the mean
time another musical Organization sprang
up. known as the Richmond Musical Be
nevolent Association. The proceeds Of all
ontertai- nents were 10 be devoted 10
charity. 10 was mixed chorus. male
and female Colonel w. +. Tanner was
our president. and John Tyler secretary
and treasurer who was succeeded by
D. V l.. McCreery. Professor q. a. Eric
son was our musical director. We had
some artistic fingers, among whom / note
MIS-. 1NF. u " =. IDlUAk anu MI To- d. nan
Moore. and Miss Sallie Palmer. We prac-
tlced choruses from operas, oratorios.
and solos. our first concert was given
at the Theatre, on vnich occasion we
rendered Handefs Creation" 10 large
and appreciatiye audience. We then un-
dertook Martha" Wei, L can't explain
these things. but we burst up. BY this
time the old "Phils' had become more
and more scattered. and all who remain
ed Of our ante-bellum boys were II. II.
Rhodes, r. II. Chamberlain, Jr., II. EN-
met TYLER, Charles Lunden, William
Dade. and myself. Then there were a
few who rad Joined us IN our first attempt
at revival, among them Charles III.
Reed. Jr. whose lifelong devotion TO
music has been such a marked feature in
all events OF this nature.
PHILHARMONIC REORGANlZED.
We have never given up the idea OF
a reorganization, and many wistful looks
had been cast towards a consnmmation
OF this-our hearts desire-for We longed
once more TO reyel in the delights Of
our glorious Old music. The crude ma
terial WAS ample; unknown, il is true.
but excellent. as the result proved.
where there Is a VIII there is q way"
we put our heads together. and surrepti-
tlously enticed them to meet at the
writer's house, got them in a good hunor