Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-12
SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.
interesting Meeting Of the Young
Daughters of the Confederacy.
A Touching Letter About tho nrartyrdom
ofsam Davis-The Proposed Monument
Rehearsal of tho May Festival Per
sonal Mention Future Events.

tiers of the Confederacy held a very
pleasant meeting yesterday after
noon.
The observance of Memorial Day was
discussed, and the Young Daughters
will take charge of the decorations for
the monument
Some arrangements for the annual
doll sale. which takes place in Decem-
Der, were made.
~ beautiful painting OF two Confed-
crate flags was shown, the artist in
this case being Miss Lila Tucker,
daughter Of Rev. Beverly d. Tucker,
OF St. Paul's Church. II is q pretty
custom OF the chairman of the Young
Daughters to present as a wedding gift
to each one of the Daughters that mar
ries Il painting of the two Confederate
flags. This one in particular will be a
gift to one OF the Easter brides.
The feature of the meeting was the
reading by Mrs. Wake of IL sketch Of
the life of Sam Davis, at the conclu-
sion of which the Daughters voted to
donate $40 toward the monument 10 be
erected in his honor.
a letter received some two months
ago from Mr.. c. Is. Van Pelt, OF South
Bend. Ind, whose painful duty ii was
to assist at the execution OF Sam Da-
Wis, may not be inappropriate here. Mr.
van Pelt was then Il young Federal
soldier about the same age as Sam
Davis. and his admiration for his noble
foe is almost beyond words. lie says:
South Bend. Ind
The twenty-third day of November
ushered in the thirty-sixth anniversary
of the martyrdom OF Sam Davis, a day
not TO be forgotten during life. Being
the sole survivor of that agoniZing
event chaplain Young and Captain
Armstrong having responded to the last
roll calD, l am more than ever sacredly
impressed with the memory of his I'M
flinching courage and unyielding devo-
ton to country.
see him now, after all the earnest
cntreaties of the Federal authorities
had failed mount those fatal steps,
with patriotic inspiration on his no
BILE countenance. and ringing in my
ears are the memorable words. II would
die thousand deaths. If had them,
rather than betray friend" then those
brief moments OF deathliic, ominous
stiffness cnsue. and all is over; the
sloriiied spirit of the noble boy has
taken its flight To the God who gave
it. and written in letters of living light
on the tablet of time is the hero's
name, Sam Davis
1t seems to me that the work being
done by the U. ID. c.. the II. c. VS. and
Mr.. Cunningham, Of the Veteran, Is a
worthy and fitting effort TO mold into
visible form n tribute that shall tell 10
passing generations the story of noble
deed, which, shining forth from the
dark clouds of war. will be through
a y, Il, .,
Then Your various organization and
the whole country can say: well and
most worihily done"
Last February l was in Nashville.
and on Il Sunday, in company with Mr..
Cunningham, made q pilgrimage to his
grave at the old homestead near Smyr-
ma. Standing at the base of the monu-
ment. erected by his father, and in the
presence of his brother. MIR. Oscar
Davis. his wife and son. 1 placed car
nations with tender reverence on his
grave Overcome with emotions Il cam
not attempt to utter, I returned TO the
house. leaving the family behind.
1t was. nerhaps. an incident I'M
Darallelcd that | should he there. the
guest of his people, thirty-fivc years
after his death, to pay the loving and
heartfelt tribute of his surviving Fede-
raj friend and custodian
My visit. also, TO Mrs. Mathews. his
loving sister. and subsequent meeting
with a younger brother ut tho dcnot /
remember with feelings of touching
sadness. and, again, my kind reception
at the hands of Mr.. John c. Kennedy
of Nashville, who came to. Pulaski after
his remains. arc forever stamped upon
my memory.
Would that my lot had been other
than it wasl
My thoughts never wander away
from him. and when i am called to the
final bivouac I hope to meet him.
Believe me, sincerely yours.