The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-19
First Regiment Celebrates Fiji
tieth Anniversary of Battle
Of Bull Run.
ONLY TWENTY-THREE REMAIN
Survivors Call Roll OF Those
Who Died Within the Year.
To Build Monument.

Hill Park. twenty-three survivors of
the Old First Virginia Regiment yes
terday celebrated the iftieth anniver-
sary of the day when that Organization
first heard the whlz of bullets at the
battle of Bull Run, on July is, 1861.
The Old First has dwindled in num-
bers since those days, but the same
i spirit which enabled the regiment, with
its full quota Of men. to withstand the
onward march of Richardson's Brigade.
in advance of McDowelrs army, was
present. The campfire was there, and
the old flag which led the troop during
the battle of Williamsburg was there,
| and the drummer who sounded the long
roll just before the engagement of Ma
! nassas was there, and last, but by no
means least. the memories of those
| olden days were there. But the camp
fire was being used to heat a cauldron
| of Brunswick stew, which the kindly
Pop BEDFORD was brewing. and the old
| flag was peacefully waving in a fitful
| breeze; the drummer was chatting with
some of his comrades, and the memo
| ries were being turned into the realities
| of to-day.
Golden Anniversary.
1t was a goodly reunion, the golden
anniversary of golden days, when the
whitehaired men were the youths OF
| the land and marched bravely to the
! front. r. I. Hopkins. the youngest boy
in all the Southland, just eleven years
and five months old when he Shout
dered his double barreled shotgun and
went forth to seek the enemy. hob
nobbed with his cronics and told sto-
ries of how he first got hold OF rife
which he carried throughout the war
1t was a jollification. and many letters
were received from comrades far and
near. expressing their regrets at not
being able TO be present.
j. B. Angle was in charge of the cul-
mary advertisements. and so we'll did
he perform his duties, with the aid of
the aforementioned BEDFORD and his
corps of ebon-hued cooks, that not a
soul gathered around the long table
wherein were spread the dainty dishes
but left we'll satisfied both with the
manner in which the cook had pre-
pared the feast and the abundance of
that sclf-same feast.
Read MINES of Dend.
\. w. Bowe, vice-president OF the
organization. presided at the business
meeting, which Immediately followed
the dinner. 1t was then that the let
tiers of regret were read. and ii was
then that the roll was called of those
of the band who had travelled TO .;,a
other side OF the river during the year
which has gone. Heads were bent and
eyes which never wavered at the sing
ing bullets of the enemy perceptibly
dampened as the names of the depart
ed comrades were called by Secretary
Charles T. Loehr. DR.. H. II. Sargent
assistant surgeon; Ezekiel PElddy. Com
pany ID; Charles Stephan, Company X;
SenJamin II. Hord, Company G; Rob-
ert Il. Degntnm. corporal. Company II; :
John Allen. Company G; Charles E
Wingo, Company D> Owen German.
Company c; John r.. Davis Company II
these were the names OF the men
who will no more answer the roll
Those who.wcre present were n w.
Bowe. vice-presidcnt: Charles T.
Loehr secretary; j. b. Angle, w. n.
Anderson, Henry c. Ashby, r. c. Bar
ton. Baltimore. Md; Samuel L. Wing
field Montpelier, James O'Connor, West
Point; r. NJ Jones. j. j. Sinnott. Logan
3 Porter, George W. Eubank. drum
mer of the Old First Jacob wachter.
l. T. Christian. ]. IT. Harvie, j. W.
Camp. Dr. Thomas L. Stratton. j. J.
Lloyd. James T. Gray, J. II. James.
James D Lyle, r. Nice. Jones. and from
the New First Virginia Major Law
renee T. Price and Rev. B. Dennis. Wis
ittns delegates were George T Dean.
j. n. Brauer, A. + Fuller, ]. w. Wing
field. A. C. Jones, w f. Hopkins and
II. It. Hopkins
Great On Battlefield.
| The story OF the part the Old First
played in the first battle of Bull Run
has been told over and over again. but
is always worth repeating. 1t was told
! again yesterday. while the old fellows
! listened just as If the story was new.
| Then a member Of Kemper's Brigade. OF
Plcketts Division, together with the
Eleventh and Seventeenth Virginia
Regiments. all unframed and unused
| TO the ways of warfare. the green
troops were sent to stay Richardson's
| Brigade, the advance of McDowell's
army. and composed OF the First Mas
sachusetts. the Second Third and
| Twelfth Michigan Regiments and Az
er's Battery. How well they performed
! their part OF the task is told in the
pages of history.
The flag of the regiment. which was
! presented 10 Colonel Louis b Williams.
mas " unique history. Made from the
| SILK of dresses worn by the patriotic
| women of New Orleans and presented
| 10 the commander OF the regiment n
! was Borne To the front in the very first
| battle. Colonel Williams lost his life
at Gettysburg and his trunk was
| shipped 10 brother. who discovered
the flag Mt the very bottom of the
| trunk. During the incumbency of
4 fltzhugh Lee as Governor of Virginia
the flag was in the Capitol and there
! 1t remained UNITE reclaimed by Charles
/ T. Lcehr. the present secretary of the
/ organization. Unlike the bunting flags
! subsequently secured. 1t contains bu,
twelve stars. Maryland not having then
been counted in the Confederacy.
| movement is on foot to build a
monument TO the memory of the men
who composed the old First. forty-one
! of whom lost their lives in the battle
/ of Bull Run, but nothing definite has
| been done. The idea is to place the
monument in Richmond, and as soon as
! plans are perfected canvass for funds