The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-06-02
PAY TRIBUTE TO
FIRST To FALL
FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF
FIRST LAND ENGAGEMENT
OF THE WAR

FAIRFAX. VA, June ITO reser-
emily observe the fftieth anniversary
of the first land engag ement OF the
Confederate war: to do honor 80 the
memory of Captain John Quincy MARI,
c. s. A. the first man to fail In the
four years struggle. and to nttingly
CONNIE morate tho deeds of the Con
federate forces. which operated In
that vicinity, the citizens of Fairfax
courthouse and Of Fairfax county in
general yesterday held simple but i'm
pressive exercises al the ancient CT To-
NAL town.
With Governor William H. Mann,
! Lieutenant-GoVerno j. Taylor Ely
son, Major RNbert w. Hunter T. Wal
ton Moore. Robert f. Lee Jr Colonel
Thomas Smith and many other r.rom-
| inent Virgipians in the speakers stand,
a section of the United States Iii
tecnth Cavalry Band in attendance,
besides other features OF minor I'M
portance, 5000 staunch Vtrginians.
with Confederate lcanings. celebrated
the anniversary Of day In their his
tory which is rife with a full meaning
to all.
Il. Walton Moore acted "A chair
man of the gathering. Major robert
W. Hunter. orator of the day. spoke
for nearly an hour and half. review
ing the history OF Fairfax courthouse
from the time when General George
Washington fled his viii 10 the pres
ent.
A recess was then taken for din
her. which was served by the women
Of the town.
j. Taylor Ellyson, lieutenant gov
j at nj hA ErGe
speaker of the afternoon He WAS
followed by Colonel Thomas smith.
of Warrenton. son OF William Smith,
! better known to Virginia ns as Extra
Billy smith, one of the war COVER
nors OF the state. Colonel Smith
spoke in reminiscent Vein having
served as colonel In the Confederate
army himself. The speech Of Colonel
William "A. Gordon, OF Warrenton.
| vas of the same character
Extract From N0nan'- Diary.
"A this tuncture In the program
Mr. Moore read an extract from the
diary kept, he said. by woman who
!, lived In house which was in the
very centre OF the light at Fairfax
fifty years ago. The simple words of
the diary described the engagement.
and told how the writer stood through
the night, in her darkenad house.
holding her baby son In her arms,
while the bullets Of the Federal forces
rafned upon the building.
AS Mr., Moore concluded his read
ing Of the extract, Colonel Gortinu adj
dressed the audience, and stated that
the writer of the diary just read
was Mr. Moore's mother. and that
the child referred to In the taxi wax
Mr., Moore himself. hts age at thar
time being only TIVE or three years.
X, L. Lee. Jr, grandson Of the
leader of the Confederate forces, was
the last speaker. Mr. Lee told many
anecdotes OF the war as related to
him by his father. and other Com
Tederata generals.
Led By Dr. W. p. Moneure. chief
marshal Of the day, procession was
formed and marched n the cemetery.
where Confederate soldiers ara buried
The monument to the dead soldiers
Was decorated with flowers. donated
oY the women OF the village.
Taps was then sounded by tho
bugler and the entire company filed
out OF the cemetery with the excen-
ton OF few old men who fingered
by the side of the graves Of their
departed comrades