Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-02-03
TRIBUTE TO VETERANS.
Daughters OF Confcaeracy Present
southern Crosses OF Honor.

southern Crosses or Honor.
A Virginia lady formerly of Ian
caster Mrs. Francis Fenwick Smith
8 sister of Mr.. Jno. A. Palmer, OF
Kilmarnock, had the honor of pre-.
senting Southern Crosses of Honor
to members of Alexander Young
Camp Confederate Veterans in Fred.
erick, Md, on General Lees birthday
Mrs. Smith is member Of the Fitz
hugh Lee Chapter United Daughter
Of the Confederacy and is Historian
of the Chapter. The Daily News
says in presenting the crosses Mrs
Smith said:
Commander Thomas and Confederat,
Veterans of the Alexander Young Camp
Our honored President, Mrs. McSherry
has requested me to present to you tn,
Southern Cross Of Honor in the name
OF the Daughters of the Fitzhugh Lee
Chapter. IL lie with unbounded pleasure
and pride comply with her request as
l ana one OF your contemporaries.
From the summer of 1862 until the
close OF the war my home In Virgins
was upon the banks OF the Rsppahannock
river, and though J. was never within the
firing line / WAS so near Fredericksburg
and Charlottesville as to hear the In.
cessanf cannonading during that long
and memorable campaign.
Through my vine-latticed window ]
could see every transport that passed up
the river bearing troops, ammunition
and provisions TO the Union army We
were almost daily subjected to raids,
suffered much from the devastations OF
the enemy and for six weeks their large
receiving ship-a man OF war-was
anchored directly in front of my home.
During all this time we were busily
engaged In preparing bandages and lint
for the wounded In the hospitals or knit
ting wooden socks TO protect the frosted
feet of our brave soldiers, for that was a
cold aud bitter winter. AS you see, the
scenes Of those stirring times, the know
ledge of your courage and bravery, OF
your patience and endurance, of your
victorious campaign, of the melancholy
death OF the fearless Jackson are more
deeply and indelibly imprinted upon my
memory than upon the minds of the
daughters of this younger generation.
The Daughters of the Fitzhugh Lee
Chapter present you this Southern Cross
citation OF and admiration of your noble
and heroic deeds In defence of our homes
and tiresides and those of our ancestors.
Were we to follow our own inclina.
lions these crosses would be of the purest
gold, for nothing do we consider TOO
valuable return for your courage and
bravery, but orr funds must be reserved
TO assist the needy, destitute and aged
veterans and their families. This has
been and shall ever be our highest aim
and purpose.
Receive this Southein Cross of Honor
In the spirit in which II is given. Prize
II as the soldier of France prizes his
Cross OF the Legion of Honor guard il
Jeaiously. for Ii cannot be duplicated;
teach your children to honor and revere
It and when you gaze upon 1t let 1t ever
remind you, you have done your duty
nobiy and well Ia fighting for right and
principle and that you have merfted and
won the undyiDg admiration and graft
Jude OF every true and loyal heart in the
sunny South and particularly of The
Daughters OF the Fitzhugh Lee Chapter"
The Crosses were made from old
cannon captured from the Federals
during the war.
Mrs. Smith spent most of her time
from 1862 to '65 at Morattico, now
the prosperous village of Wheaton.