The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-10-26
1.-THE sTAR'spANGLED
BANNER" AND "OIxlE"
[he III,lorY Of Ines, Two FayOrIts Tun.,.

At the reunion of the "Society Of the
Army of the Potomac held NJ Manas-
sas, Virginia, May 10 and | OF this year,
and where they were most royalty le-
ceiyed and entertained, and, a. they de
clarcd, the enthusiastic reception Ne
corded W. at deIicksburg il repeated
here: nothing has been left hndOne with
i'm the powered the residents to make our
meeting in every way enjoyable the
public exercises were held in the hand
some courthouse, corner oil Lee aud
Giant avenues. Among the speakers
were Gen. King. OF New York; Gen. Cur
it's Gen. Black. late commander of the
.G. 4. r., Corporal Tanner and others
from the North. aud senator John W.
Daniel and Congressman Rixey. Judge
Chas. f. Nicol. Col Edmund Berkeley,
Geo. G.. Round. J. b. T. Thornton and
Others from Virginia.
Gen. Black said in his speech
Talking about songs that were sung
i'm the war, there il curious crossing
like these avenues that cross the town
hcn-(irant and lee-as was referred to
by Judge Nicol today. They cross each
other at right angles like paths OF the
lives of the men after whom they were
named Most OF You thought that
Dixie belonged TO YOU, but the fact Is
that Dixie was written by Daniel En-
nett. a strolling minstrel OF New York,
and it was first sung in the metropolis l
this nation. doubt if il was ever heard
South OF the Ohio river until 1860, but
i'm 1860 it was heard and sung in Illinois
as one of the campaign songs of Mr. Lin
coin. adopted regularly and sung 10y the
glee clubs ofthe Republican party in that
great campaign which lifted him To the
presidency.
IAN through our camps. all over the
great nation, then being shaken To It's
prOiOundest depths by the struggle Tor
It's existence, were heard the strains Oi
The Star-Spangled Banner, written, a.
YOU know. in the midst OF the seige OF "a
Southern city and by "A Southern man.
Our armies never moved, our cam
paigns never concluded. our navies never
gave battle but that strains of The
Stur-Spangled Banner. mingled with the
many voices of the fighting men OF the
mon. filled and loaded the gale. Then
Won of the South marched 10 music writ
ten by a Northern man. and we Of the
Union marched 10 music written 10y a
Southern man. The paths Of music cross,
and at their junction there rises today
into the heavens. great. sen'ne, reproacl-
less. the mighty fabric OF the Republic.
Applause).
Gen. Curtis in his speech said.
As an introduction To these exercises
we had The Star-Spnngled Banner, and
before the close we will have Dixie,
which may be- regarded as the second
National song Two days after Apo
mattox. the evening before the President
went tu the theater from whsh he never
returned. the people OF Washington
gathered at the White House and Mir.
Lincoln made one Of his characteristic
speeches. and IN closing said: My fellow
citizens. on the opinion OF the Attorney
General. ! hel authorized 10 tell you that
Dixie has been captupd by our armies.
and should take it, place among our Ma
tional songs. | wish the band 10 play
'Dixie. and we may with propriety
stand with uncovered heads a. we do
when The Star-Spangled Banner II
sung. Great applausel.
The information contained IN the above
in reference 10 the two familiar airs ~
ierrcd 10. will b. "A surprise To many per
sons and will be- read with general inter
est