The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-28
SINGERS IN CRAY
FOR VETERAN CAMP
Grand Commander Stewart Starts
an Attractive Feature for the
Veteran Camps.

Grand Commander William III. Stew
art, Portsmouth, has conceived the idea
of musical entertainments by uniformed
choirs singing war songs at the opening
and closing of regular meetings of the
camps, and appeals to the ladies' for
help. He reports that two camps have
already adopted the plan and that it
has acted like magic in giving life and
interest to camp work
His comment is ut is a beautiful
IDEA, this singing of the old war songs
that cheered the Confederate soldier along
many Il weary march, and made bright
for him his sonlbre bivouac In the pines
before he wrapped his blanket about him
and lay down to dream of home. Now
that the battles are past. and the march
OH which he trudges Is that along the
path Of life-one which for most of the
gallant soldiers of the South is broaden-
ing out toward the glory of a more per-
feet daS--the music of those sweet-voiced
daughters of Dixie, heard in the familiar
airs dear TO the hearts of the veterans,
cheers them again, even as the same
songs, sung with all the martial ardor
of young hearts and voices, did in the
long ago"
Colonel Stewart urges all camps to
select some accomplished vocalist to or
gilnize Confederate choir On tho basis
of constitution that he has had pub
lished. For Virginia he will number the
choirs in the order of organization.
He says: 1T is the hope Of your grand
commander to see these vocal orders mil..
tiply, so they can be organized into reg
iments, brigades and divisions. forming
Virginia's grand vocal army in Confed-
crate gray. to sing at meetings of the
Grand Camp. and 10 give concert in
the auditorium Of the jamestown Expo
siton on Grand Camp Day in October,
that will be one of the greatest sweet
est and most impressive patriotic festi-
walls OF song that have ever before been
| heard at one time and place. breathing
| the very essence of that spirit of sacri-
| flee, devotion to duty and love Of home
and country that inspired the Confeder-
| ate soldier from April 1861, to April
| 1865"
| Colonel Stewart put his pretty idea
| into practice in his local organization
Stonewail Camp, Confederate Veterans
of Portsmouth, and the first choir in
uniform appeared ut Trinity Church
| Portsmouth. on the 10Th of January
singing for tho impressive ceremonies
in the celebration of the -hundredtl
| birthday of General Robert IL. Lee
| That is an appropriate birthday 70,
the uniformed Confederate choirs OF
Dixie.
These choirs are to revive old wa,
songs. and the patriotic lady, Mrs. J
Griff Edwards, who organized the Con
| federate Choir. No. /, as auxiliary t.
Stoncwall Camp. C. ", OF Portsmouth
will be blessed by the old soldiers
| throughout the land, The best bloot
Nof Virginia flows in the veins of this
sweet-voiced daughter of Dixie. ant
her unselfsh patriotism is brigh
heritage from distinguished ancestors
who are famous for great valor ani
noble self-sacrlice for their country
She Is a direct descendant of Secretary
| William Nelson, of the Colony of Vlr.
ginia, the father of Governor Thoma,
Nelson and Major John Nelson, O.
| Yorktown fame.
Her father, William Nelson Boswell
entered the Confederate service a
eleven year of age as drummer in hi
fathers company and his soldierly
bearing on drill so attracted the at
tentlon of president Davis that h,
with his own hands presented the littl,
drummer with n sword.
The grandfather Of Mrs. Edwards
Colonel Thomas n. Boswell, out of hi
on pocket in 1861 uniformed Compan,
a, Fifty-siNth Virginia Regiment, o
Picketts Division, and served as It
captain until the last of the war, whel
he was promoted to major and then Il
1ieutenant-colonel of the First Vir;
ginin Reserves, stationed at staunto
River Bridge in Charlotte county. ri
married Martha Nelson. tho dnughtc
Of William Nelson, the son OF MaJo
John Nelson, of Yorktown, for WHOM
Mrs. Edwards was named Martha Mel
son Boswell