Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-01-20

There was merry gathering in the
banquet room of Odd Fellows Hall
last night when the members Of R. e.
Lee Camp of Confederate Veterans,their
invited guests and representation OF
the Sons of Confederate Veterans gath
cred around the festive board. They
were in room where over forty years
ago some of them attended school, and
as they scanned the walls there doubt
less passed through their minds remi-
niscenses of by-gone days-the Presby-
terian minister, who was their peda-
gogue, the companions of their early
days (numbers Of whom fell in the clash
of arms) and their juvenile diversions on
what were then the adjacent commons:
how history much has been made during
the four score years which have followed
their happy school-boy days when
gathered in this room they had read OF
former wars. Now grey haired men,
they have passed through four-years'
coufict themselves. and had gathered
to recite their own personal experience.
The room bad been tasteiully decorated
with emblems of the Confederacy-lhe
banner of the camp with fine portrait
of General Robert E. Lee had been
placed in prominent position, and a
State and several battlehags had been
appropriately placed. The table was
bountefully supplied, as the following
menu will show:
Rockaway oysters, raw, fried and picked f;
celery, olives. mixed pickles, sailed almonds
roast turkey cranberry sauce cold tender
loin roast, cold ham. tongue chicken, lobster
and potato salads; Saratoga chips, thin butter
crackers. American beauty cheese; currant,
apple and peach jellies, charlotte russe, ba-
nanas, oranges, apples, malaga grapes, cigars,
cafe noir and punch.
Mr.. VIM. Steuerragel, who was the
caterer and to whom vote CT thanks
was rendered by the camp, had made a
complete success of everything which
had been entrusted to him, and when
the camp arrived they found royal
feast, indeed. Everything in season
and out of season was in profusion and
the tables were beautifully bedecked
with capdelabra, ferns. &c.
The camp gathered at their hall
about half.past seven O'Clock and about
eight began their march to Odd Eel
lows Hall. After having reached thoir
objective point and gathered around
the tables the company was raped
to order when Mr.. K. Kemper
invoked blessing on the feast. The
company was soon seated and the dis
cussion of the feast began, lasting near
ly an hour.
Mr. j. M. Johnson acted as toast
master, and after all had Toasted, he
again raped the assemblage to order
and introduced Gen. H. Kid Douglas,
of Hagerstown, Nd, who was to re-
pond to the toast, "Our Great Com.
mander, Robert f. Lee" The General
was welcomed with much applause,
and quiet having been secured he began
his speech. eve are," he said, sin a
transition period, you and |, passing
from generation of personal partici-
patton in and personal recollection Of
the war to that when, we have passed
away, history will seriously begin to
make up it's verdict. But we are more
interested in our recollections and ira
ditions at present than in future histc-
ry. And so in speaking of General
Lee, we are not so much inclined 10
discuss the particular niche he will oo-
cupy in the historical gallery of great
commanders as in recalling him as we
know and isterchangiDg memories OF
him. We have little doubt, We
have no doubt, that the name
of Lee will appear among the few
leading commanders of all time, with
full justice done to him as a man, 8
soldier and patriot. But we are not
here tonight 80 much to speculate
about future verdicts as past trials
When you and I and all of US
were following Mars Robert every
campfire had it's stories showing the
love, admiration and confidence oil
the boys, but they did not bother
about the measure of fame he
might attain throughout the world.
Not one whit was this faith and affec
ton abated by Gettysburg and Apo
mattox. The army of the Potomac,
with it's hundred thousand tongues,
made wild clamor of salute when Lii
tie Mac rode down the lines. When
he was beheaded, they were silent,
submitted and soon forgot him except
to criticise him. Who can tell what
would have happened in the army of
Northern Virginia if General Lees
sword had been taken away, except
that the next day Appomattox would
have doomed up in the near distance?
I speak of him now as mantle
well.beloved'-and it was because he
had, in rare combination, that perfect
mixture of the sexes, the complete
manliness of thorough masculine ma
ture and all the loveableness of we'll
poised woman. 1t was this that made
him, as few great military men ever
were, the 'well-beloved' of his army
and his people. General Lee inherited.
not only from his father, but from
remarkable line of male ancestors, the
three necessary characteristics of a great
commander. l. He was student of
the art of war and was fond of it as 8
science. g He had in the highest de-
gree the ability to understand that art,
and to put it to the touch in the field.
8. He had the moral courage to make
war, and to make it aggressively when
his keen judgment dictated it. And
vet General Lee could not have been q
dictator: no more than Washington.
Singularly alike in many elements Of
character and bearing, neither of them
aanld haua haan induced To attamnt