Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-21
AGENTS In UNIFORM.
VIRGINIA STATE INSURANCE COM
PANY BANQUET THEM.
A COURTESY TO THE SOLDIERS.
All of Those fn This Line OF Busi-
ness Included I'm the Invitation
An Elegant Dinner, Followed ps
Many Patriotic Speeches.

The virginia State Insurance Com
pany rendered last night at the Jefferson
a banquet TO the fire-insuronce agents
and their sons who are encamped a
Camp Lee.
The banquet was an elegant affair, an'
| to the soldiers who for the past weeh
or ten days have been been living on the
| coarse food provided by Uncle sam u
seemed doubly elegant, and fun justice
was done to the elaborate menu.
| The tables were handsomely decorated
| with flowers and the room appeared a
| perfect bower of beauty, lustre being lent
TO the scene by the many uniforms worn
| by the guests. After the edibles had
been discussed the tables were cleared
while cigars were being pulled and wine
quaffed short speeches were made by the
officers Of the company and their guests.
THE TOASTS.
Major n. V. Randolph president of the
company. acted as toast-master, and he
made a short speech setting forth briefly
the attachment OF the Virginia State
Insurance Company for Its guests. Speak
ing directly to the soldier boys, he
predicted that each and all OF them
would do their duty nobly and with 10y
atty TO their country. He concluded with
the expression OF the hope that the war
would soon be over and the soldiers
would be able TO return TO their homes.
Colonel w. NJ. Coulling was next pre-
sented. He discussed the war in its
several phases and referred to the union
and harmony, which, in his opinion, 1t
was bound to produce among all Eng
disappearing people. He thought the
strife in which we are now engaged a
holy one. and expressed the belief that
God would further our cause and so
work out his plans as TO bring the fight
ing TO an early end.
Captain Ker, of Staunton was next
called upon by Major Randolph. and he
spoke Of the valor OF the soldier boys
Of Virginia, predicting that they will
prove worthy sons Of the noble sires who
fought so nobly in the cause of the South.
WANT TO FIGHT.
Major Frank Strlngfellow was intro
duced. He said his Church prohibited his
enlisting as a fighter, but he expected TO
get in the Cuban struggle somehow or
other lie would certainly go as a chap
lain, and in pinch, would, in all pro-
liability, take a hand I'm the combat
Fighting, he said is a pretty serious bus
mess. There is no safe place in the
army, and now that the guns have a
habit of shooting three or four miles,
even the iaggers are in danger. His adj
vice to the soldier. therefore, was, to 20
right after the enemy, first committing
MS soul. TO God. and then forget self.
remembering only the honor of the coun-
try. We are fighting this war, he
SAID because we are called upon to do
SO, but, he continued, I'VE are fighting
because we want 10 fight; we love to
light, and there is no use trying to con-
ceal that fact. The love for battle was
born in US"
Sergeant Bait, of Fredericksburg. was
next presented, and briefly expressed the
nope that the same company assembled
around the festal board should meet
once again, when the war is over. and
that not one Of their number should fail
to answer the roll-call on that day.
Mr.. Robert Lecky, Jr., responding to
loud calls, next spoke and made a most
feeling talk setting forth the regret the
virginia State Insurance Company felt
that so many of its agents were to go to
the front. He expressed the belief that
the Virginians would do their duty for |
their country, as they had for their COM |
pany
Other speeches were made by Corporal |
Sproul, of stanton; Sergeant John |
Sproul. of Petersburg; Lieutenant Nat.
Withers, of Suffolk; Lieutenant William |
Venable, OF Farmville; Lieutenant Hud- |
gins, of Culpeper; Captain G. G. Vaughan, |
Of Franklin; Captain George c. 'Shacke- |
ford, OF Richmond; John H. Worsham. |
Of Richmond; Archie Richardson, of |
Richmond; Mr.. Hugh c. Michaels, of !
Richmond.
Ere the festal board was deserted.
Major Randolph offered a solemn toast,
invoking the protection of the Almighty |
on the Virginia soldiers. The orchestra
then played Aud Lang syne." after
which the soldier filed past Colonel Coul-
ing, from whom they received the count
ersign, and then they were driven to
Camp Lee.
THE GUESTS PRESENT.
Those present were: Captain John S.
Elicit Mr.. George l.. Currie, Mr.. j. ID.
carneal, Mr.. j. Nj. Fourqurean, Mr. T..
3itterding, DR.. John Mahony, and Colonel
". M. Coulling, directors OF the company;
V. Randolph, president; Robert Lecky, |
IT., assistant secretary; Rev. Frank
'tringfellow; Captain c. c. Vaughan. |
company 1, Fourth Regiment, Frank
in; Captain r. S. Ker. Company
<. Second Regiment, stanton; CAPTAIN
regiment, Portsmouth; Captain George p.
Company /, Second Regi-
nent, Richmond; Lieutenant w. j. Perry,
company X, Second Regiment, Staunton;
Lieutenant Charles II. Raine, Company
Third Regiment, Danville; Lieutenant
!. X. Withers. Company f, Fourth Regi-
nent, Suffolk: Lieutenant Frederick
iudgins, Company b. Third Regiment,
'ulpeper; Lieutenant w. r. Venable,
company c, Third Regiment, Farmville;
ergeant Thornton Withers. Company Il, |
Fourth Regiment, Suffolk; Sergeant John
1oylor, Company X, Fourth Regiment
'etersburg; Sergeant Brown Company X,
'ourth Regiment, Petersburg; Sergeant
/. b. Bolts Company X, Third Regiment,
fredericksburg; Sergeant W. b. Stevens,
company G.. Third Regiment, Petersburg;
corporal II. b. Sproul, Company X,
econd Regiment. Staunton; John /. Rose
Company /. Second Regiment Kilmar-
ock; Martin Stringfellow. Company |,
econd Regiment. Kilmarnock. and James
}. Cuthbert, Company X, Fourth Regi-
lent, Petersburg.