The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-01-20
LEES BIRTHDAY


and none were more devoted and con-
secrated to the work of honoring the |
name and memory of this great mill |
tary chieftain than the members of
Dickinson Chapter, Daughters of the |
Confederacy.
The meeting was held at the home |
OF Mr.. and Mrs. Sidney r. Whaley on
Oklawaha avenue and the large par |
lor was taxed to hold those who had
come to listen to a very interesting
and instructive historical program.
Mrs. r. G. Blake, acting president
In the place of Mrs. Fannie r. Gary,
conducted the meeting with dignity
and grace. The program was opened
by singing. Down on the Suwannee
River" in which all joined Then
came the presentation of crosses of
honor, which Mrs Blake prefaced with
a few remarks very appropriate and
impressive. The veterans 50 honored
were: Comrades Henry r. Shaw Of
Pedro: j. l.. Beck, Fellowship; r. J.
Evans of Gambler, and Dr. Henry NJ
Holmes Of South Carolina. The latter
was not present "a ne has joined the
silent majority, but having been a SOL
der in Col John NJ Martins command,
his son made application for the cross
of honor, to be kept by him a re-
minder of the services his father gave
to the cause, and the same was re-
ceived by his cousin, Mrs. Charles Gull
len. Miss Caroline Harriss, president
OF the Fannie r. Gary Chapter of the
Children Of the Confederacy, pinned
the crosses to the lapels of the coats
of the heroes OF 1876, and they were
deeply appreciated by them
Mrs. Blake said if there were any
Confederate soldiers in or around
Ocala who had not received the cross
Of honor and desired them, to notify
Adjutant D. A. Miller of the Ocala
camp and the same would be secured
for them at the June meeting.
Mrs John Fl. Taylor then sang
very sweet solo. when DR.. w. II.
Dodge was introduced and pronounced
a forceful and impressive address on
the life of General Robert f. Lee. He
said strange to say the worlds pro-
gress and civilization was marked with
bloody wars. He named the great mil
itary chieftains Hannabel, Caesar,
Charlemange. Frederick the Great, Ma
poleon, Wellington, Washing ton, Jack
son, but none of these in all the ele
ments of military greatness and purity
of character and motives, measured
up to the highe level of unselfish
greatness as did the noble chieftain of
the South.
He sopke of the deep regret Lee ex-
pressed when he was offered the COM
mand Of the Union army by General
Scott and which he had to decline, his
sense of duty compelling him to take
sides with his native state, Virginia,
when that commonwealth seeded. He
touched lightly on the many victories
II ~,
mistake he made, that at Gettysburg,
the blame for which he took The love
his men had for him and the respect
he won from his opponents and the
enconiums of men of military science,
such as Lord Woolsey of the English
army, who said Lee was the greatest
military genius that the world had
ever known.
He closed with referring to the word
duty" which General Lee, when at
the head Of Washington College. told
his students was the greatest and
grandest word in the dictionary. 1t
was a real pleasure to listen to DR..
Dodge's address.
Miss Florence Walters then read an
essay on the life of General J. J.
Dickinson. in whose honor the Ocala
chapter was named. The admirable
article was written as a prize essay by
Miss Clara Mcdonald of Gainesville
and she was awarded a gold medal at
the recent U. d. G. convention in this
city. The paper said that the general
was a Virginian. by birth, born in 1916
In his young manhood he moved to
South Carolina and in 1885 settled in
Marion county near Citra. Spoke OF
his heroism and success with a small
NJ IN, he inv 1av
near Palatka, where he sunk the CO.
lumbia; his battle near st. Augustine
at Gainesville and near Cedar Keys
In all Of which he was successful. How
after the war he became adjutant-
general of the state, afterwards coun-
ty treasurer of Marion, and ending his
life in Ocala and his remains were TAX
en- to Jacksonville for burial. 1t was
indeed a well prepared paper, filled
with interesting and inspiring matter
Miss Lille Bailey. the talented
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. John E
Bailey, then rendered a patriotic med
ley on the violin, closing with Dixie
which brought forth great applause
She was accompanied on the piano by
Miss Mary Connor.
Mrs A. A. Winer secretary of thu
chapter, then read a poem written OF
a word it recorded the rise and fall O
the Confederacy.
Mrs. III. NJ. Hampton then sand yer!
sweetly Ben Bolt" Mrs. Blake play
ing the accompaniment, followed b!
Mrs. s. A. Waterman who gave SOM
"reminiscences of '61-'65. She was thel
a school girl. Her brother was hom
from the army in Virginia to spend hi
furlough. On his return she accom-
panied him, but nearing Baldwin the.
were informed that the enemy wa
gathering around them. so she return
ed home and her brother by walkin;
sixty miles succeeded in joining hi
command. Later she tried it again
went to Madison, then Quitman, Ga
and reached Augusta, where word wa
received that the 9th Georgia regimen
had received forced marching order
to go to Virginia. The the ladies b
the hundred prepared baskets of pro
visions and flowers for the men as the
passed a cross road Their stops wer
so hurried they could only accept tn
edibles and the flowers were strew
over their pathway.
Later, at the close of the war, Gen
eral Wheeler's men came through tn
country, tired footsore and tagged
When they passed a good horse the
exchanged their wornout steed 70
fresh one.
The exercises closed with singin
General Lees favorite hymn, Hoy
Firm a Foundation" led hy Dr w +