The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-20
Badge of Honor Presented by
Tirnes-Dispatch to Oldest
Confederate Soldier.
GOES TO WILLIAM coRBIn
Lives in Culpepcr County, and
Is Ninety-four Years Old
To-Day.

In July last the Times Dispatch came II
, possession of some of the iron with which
the Confederate battle ship Virginia
formerly called the Merrirnac, WAS arm
ored, and conceived the idea of havint
the same made into two souvenirs, one L
he worn by the youngest, Confederate
soldier living in Virginia and the Other
by the oldest. The souvenirs are iror
crosses, heavily jeweied
In order to find the youngest and the
oldest veteran the Confederate Column
OF this paper was opened TO all the
baby soldiers" and all of the "old boys
to answer roll call.
The contest brought letters from all
over the State and many from beyond
the borders of yirginia, and as all of
them were OF a personal reminiscent
character they made some of the most
Interesting war history that has ever
appeared in the Confederate Column.
Not only this but the letters brought
many old soldier friends in touch with
each other again. Friendships that were
formed IN the dark days in camp. on the
march ana on the battlefield were re-
newed through this column and the In
formation it furnished, and in many in
stances comrades who We're supposed by
other comrades to have passed over the
river were located as being yet in the
land OF the living.
These letters were published Sunday
after Sunday in the Confederate Column
from the latter part of July until the
first OF December, and, taken altogether,
they made as interesting chapters of war
history as ever were written.
The Oldest and the Youngest.
After going over all the letters and
napers filed In the most interesting con-
test, it has been found that William Cor
bin, of Winston. Culpeper county. is the
Oldest Confederate soldier living In Nir-
GINA, and to this grand old veteran goes
The first iron and jeweled cross.
Mr.. Corbin is to-day ninety-four years
of age and 1t is something of coinci-
rlence that his Gath birthday is the goth of
January. to-day. the day which was set
apart for the awarding OF the crosses.
Thus It happens that the cross VIII go to
him a kind of birthday present as we'll
MS a badge of honor as the Oldest living
Confederate soldier
The cross for the youngest soldier is
awarded &c MIR. William E. Hopkins. who
Us a native of York county. Being an
pvergrown boy he had the weight, the
muscle and the endurance necessary to
enable him to go right into the thickest
of the fight when the fight first com
menced in 1861. and at the tender age OF
II years five months and II days. Mr..
Hopkins now lives in the city of Rich
mond. and is as healthy and as jovial
hnd almost as fat as he was when he
entered the Confederate army as q baby
boy, and much fatter than when no came
out of the service at Appomattox at the
age OF Is.
For both the oldest" and the young
est prize there were many other very
worthy contestants. and some of them
missed the crosses by only hairs
breadth.
No apology is made for taking up all
OF the space of the Confederate Column
this morning with sketches and pictures
of number of these contestants.