The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-16
VIRGINIA ROUGH RIDER
GOES TO GREET TEDDY
Mr. Ben l.. Christian, En- Route TO
Gotham to Receive Glad Hand
from Former Chicftian.

Wearing a gold badge which he won.
for bravery as a member of Rooseyelts
rougn-riding troop i'll Cuba Mr.. Ben
L. Christian, of Sandy Point, Charles
City county, left Tor New York Wed
nesday afternoon 10 greet his formsS
chief who viii be given "one grand
ovation In that city Saturday following
his return from Europe ana the Afri-
can juugles.
MIR. Christian, who enjoys the dis
tinction of being one OF the very few
rough riders lett ia this part OF the
country, came up to Richmond last
Thursday to visit relatives before pro-
ceeding TO New York. While here. he
was the guest Of his brother in law,
Mr.. b. cary Nelson. Fourth and Frank
lin streets, and of his sister law.
Mrs. ", b. Moores. 1929 Park avenue
He was accompanied by his wife, for
merry Miss Grace Nelson. who proud
ly wore an r.. r. r." pin during her
stay in Richmond. Some OF her friends
thought the letters stood for "Rah, rah
rah." but she explained that they spelt
Roosevelt Rough Riders The pin
also bore the letter B.-WhIGh- 1ndi=
Gated the company 10 which her hus-
band belonged.
Others in Party.
Included in MIR. Christians party
which AIT for New York by way Of
Norfolk and the Old Dominion route
were Mrs. b. Cary Nelson. and Miss
Bessiee Harrison, daughter OF MIR. X.
l.. Harrison. druggist at 1901 Williams
burg avenue, Fulton.
Mr.. Christian carried with him the
rough rider coat which did him ser
vice in Cuba and he regretted that he
no longer had the rest of his original
outfit. and particularly his campaign
hat which was riddled with several bull
lets ut San Juan Mr.. Christian re-
tanned, however, one indeiible mark OF
that bloody conflict This was scar
on the right side Of his face just below
the cheek bone. scared by a bullet from
Gus 0E..thn, ) pag99iSh 4r3Jtesz4s +: yty ~, q.
In New York, Nr Christian VIII
garb himself in d brand new rought
rider OUTFIT as will other survivors of
the famous troop, FOR they are to be
given first place in the line of march,
not to mention the glad hand WHICH
Teddy will extend each of them just
as soon as he hits American soil again.
Fearless and Daring,
Mr.. Christian, who was 81 resident
OF Norfolk. when the Spanish war
broke out, went to the front at thu
first call 10 arms, enlisting with the
Rough Riders. Daring and fearless.
with a reputation as a rifle and pistol
shot extending beyond the bounds ~
, the Old Dominion. he had little trou-
Bile connecting himself with this COM
rnand He had known Teddy before
the war and that was an additional
feather in his cap. In Cuba, he was
ever ready Ia face the enemy and go
where duty called him, even though it
was in the very mouth of the enemy-s
bristling guns.
For number Of years prior 10 the
outbreak of the war, Mr.. Christian
was connected with the Norfolk Light
Artillery Blues, serving for some time
as one of its commissioned Officers
Since the war. having fallen heir 10 a
/ comfortable competence. he has made
his home op a pretty little farm near
Sandy Point where he follows the
avocation of an agrculturist rather
as a pastime than because of neces-
1 sity.
| MIR. Christian is now In his ffty-third
year but he looks as vigorous as a
young man of thirty.