Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-22
FEAST OF VETERANS.
AN ELEGANT BANQUET RENDERED
THE GRAND CAMP.
AN INTERESTING TOAST LIST
J.dre Christian, Presldes.-Gen. Bat
tie. ORR. Jones, and Tucker, Coll
Porter, Judge Farrnr' ana
other Speakers Respond.

The veterans of the Grand Camp were
| entertained at q banquet given In tnelr
honor by the citizens and the Confede-
| rate organizations of Richmond at Sanger
| Hall last night. 1t was nearly III O'CLOCK
when the last business session OF the
body closed, and the veterans, tired with
arduous labors, adjourned to a royal
feast that had been spread for them amid
brilliant surroundings. The decorations
of the nan were elaborate and BEAUTIFUL
and the supper was elegantly serVeu'
All the delegates to the Grand Camp
were present, with many distinguished
guests. and members OF the two Hicn-
mond camps. A delegation from the Sons
of Veterans. composed of Messrs. Il. +.
Cox. l. w. Brander, ]. S. Bosher, w. j.
Morrissette. ]. II. Shepherd, Jr.' w. I.
Tucker. ]. w. Lockwood, Jr., A. Ii.
Bowie. Edwin Courtney, L. B. Spence
and p. st. George Barraud, was also IN
vited to be present.
SPEAKS FOR VIRGINIA.
Judge Christian was the POSTMASTER
and he performed the duties OF MS ONCE
admirably. The first toast of the eve
Ming was virginia" and in the absence
Of Governor O'Ferrall. Colonel Porter re-
sponded. He said every county of Vir-
einia was a part of great whole and'
in speaking of one part, he spoke OF the
whole. He then spoke of the beauty ana
the hospitality of the city OF Richmohu'
and the love felt for her by every OoIi-
federate soldier, and the feeling, the Ola
feeling" which came to each one OF then
as they trod again her historic streets,
He eulogized the soldiers of virginia anu
eoid ne hoped the time would never come
when the example OF Pickett's and Ma
homes men would not be emulated.
General Battle was next introduced
and spoke eloquently In response 10
toast TO "the infantry" 1t had not oeen
his fortune, ne said, to be born on the toil
of virginia, but he had had the honor
of bringing the first troops OF the south
into the State. Early In 1851 ne hau ieu
the First Alabama regiment to bynch-
hurg. He alluded with much feeling TO
the time when he had been nursed back
20 life by the women of Richmond IN
the hospitals of the city. The infantry
had been upon a hundred fields, and mad
marched through the valley OF the
shadow of death into the sunllt noun
toins Of victory He maintained thal
there was no greater evidence OF Valor
than existed where the infantry ngureu
in Pickett's Brigade at Gettysburg. ne
gave as a concluding sentiment Jener-
eon Davis. second only to Washington
and Robert L. Lee, the foremost man
Of all"
SPEAKS FOR THE ARTILLERY.
Colonel William Kean, of Louisa, was
called upon to respond for the artillery'
Major Stiles, whose name had been cou-
pied with this toast, not being present.
The artillery, he said, had no opportu-
nitv for individual distinction. There
were four men round a gun, and no one
man could go farther than another' ne
challenged his hearers to tell When any
gun in the army Of Northern Virginia
funked or failed. The artillerymen' ne
said. were peculiarly situated, because
they couldn't carry their guns win
them. Comparatively speaking ne saiu
there were more men connected Win
the artillery whose names were house
hold words than any other branch or
the service.
General Fitzhugh Lee, who was 10
have responded for the cavalry, was un-
able 10 be present and Captain John
Lamb took his place. He said that no
one more than he regretted the absence
of his commander. uhted IL an
honor to represent DutternliK
rangers. The history of the cavalry had
never yet been written, he said, and he
told of many engagements in which the
gallant Fitzhugh Lee and his command
had borne noble part, of Stuart, OF
L.ongstreet, of Rosser, and OF other
noted cavalry leaders.
LEE AND JACKSON.
The next toast was "The Memory Of
General r. e. Lee" and coupled with 1t
was the sentiment, Some men write
history; some make 1t; he was one and
for all time. His stainless record shall
stand out sublime. A theme for min
strelsy." Judge Christian called upon
DIR. ]. William Jones to respond. He said
if all that might be said OF the peerless
soldier of the ages, X. +. Lee, was spoken,
he would have to detain his hearers for a
very. very long time. No truer. nobler,
or grander men had been produced than
the leaders of the South He believed,
and was prepared TO maintain on any
platform, that Robert Il. Lee was the
greatest soldier that time had ever shown.
He was a man, and as a man. perhaps,
he had his faults, but he never saw them.
He had the privilege after Lees death
of free access to his papers. and he saw
letters to his wife, daughters, sons, and
had read probably 1900 of his private let
ters. and he could say that the closer
he got to him the grander he doomed up
as the most peerless, modest man of the
century.
1.-THE Memory of Stonewall Jackson."
the next toast on the list. was responded
to. in the absence of Dr. Hunter Mcclure.
by Colonel Barclay, of Lexington, who
spoke of his personal and his military
career, of his brilliant attainnfents, and
the far-sightedness Of his plans. He
ventured the belief that had Jackson
been at Gettysburg the result of that
battle would have been very different.
THE soUTHS NOBLE WOMEN.
1.-THE Women of the South-our inspira-
ton and guardian angels in war, our sup
port and comfort in peace, they have
taught. and are still teaching us what
true loyalty to principle Is, and how to
suffer and be strong in adversely" was
a sentiment that was very happily re-
sponded to by Judge Farrar. In the
course Of his speech. which was eminently
Characteristic of Johnny Reb," he ran
the whole gamut Of emotions, and In an
illuminative way he paid tribute,
tender, indeed. and eloquent. to the
southern women.
The last regular toast was "The Dead
of the SOUTH" and Rev DR.. Tucker,
Chaplain-General of the Grand Camp. re-
snonded TO the sentiment. No tribute
%, zoo bigh no praise too exaggerated