The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-07-19
BLOODY FIRST
HOLDS REUNION
Colonel William H. Palmer Re
Elected President at Forest
Hill Meeting.
FEWER ATTEND EVERY YEAR
Veteran Declares He Wants to
Sleep in Confederate Gene
terry After Death.

leTy After Death.
On. the anniyersary OF the hrst bat
tie OF tho Civil War. tho old First Viz
ginia Infantry OF kemper's Brigade
plcketts Division. Army of Northern
Virginia. held reunion yesterday at
Forest Hill Park. Fiity-one years be-
fore TO day. all OF the veterans pres
ent had administered to the Federal
troops at Bull Run the arst repulse OF
the war. IN that encounter the First
Virginia Regiment bore the brunt OF
'be attack. and because OF the loss suf-
Mrcd IN Killed and wounded. tho rcg!-
ment Is known 70 fame as the Bloody
FIRST"
Mayor Richardson. who was among
ne invited Confederate veteran guests.
delivered a stirring address. ana Sci
geant CHARLES 7. Loehr made heart
ieit talk Everything was provided
occasion. a Campfire dinner vas serv-
"a at o'clock, and det!red Policeman
Everett II. Redford. without whom no
cuisine OF the. kind IS complete. had
sole charge OF preparing the Bruins
wick stew and other things that have
won him a reputation al Richmond po
lice picn!cs. Speechmak!ng followed
the election Of officers and regrets
were read from those unable 20 be
present.
Colonel Palmer President.
The following officers We're re-elect-
I'd for the coming year: President Col.
VILLAIN n Palmer First N.cePres!,
Weep President. Private y " Bowe
Third Vice President Lieutenant Logan
Sergeant Charles T. Loehr 4 vote OF
thanks was rendered to Comrades
James 2. Angle and r NJ Jones for
"a nas! ns the reunion dinner; u Mayor
Richardson for his speech. and to Ser
geani L-oehr for arranging the details
~ the reunion
nant vas present yesterday and let
tors We're read from dozen absent
comrades = telegram came during the
day from Sergeant Major j. 4, Polak,
at Dallas. Texas. II read:
Greeting TO the old First" on THE,
thc Anniversary Of July IS. When we
helped TO keep Mcdowell from crossing
BUN Run and made him try his luck a
Manassas. winding UP al Washington
and beyond. hope several OF our lit
tie bunch Will De at the celebration
this year and many years 10 come.
,,. %otning w9 gu giys me me, greater
day. but II Is impossible. Tho arsJ
thlng would do would be 10
nFop5oiss ina, We IN oocy enter
move Of turning our cemeteries
have not demanded Federal pensions
for olr survivors. nor Federal homes
for our aged. Surely. our children Will
take pride In caring for our dead with
out outsid. assistance and would blush
to beg national grant 10 Keep the
weeds from growing over orr graves
Therefore. personally. though not =
seatimental!st. want my bones laid in
Confederate and not national Gene
terry. and y our dead coulc speak they
would hold to our implied pledge
when we buried them. Enough OF this
solemn talk. however Again, greet
mss. and long he 10 you all, and many
Many Unable to Attend
Mcssases were received also from
James y. BOYD who was unavoidabiv
oit o: the city. Theodore r. Martin
o. New Hork j. Hanson Kepler Of
lant!c C!ty Rev L. &. Jones. OF pow
Hodges, The following veterans were
year: william J. Armstrong. o. New
YORK Who was president OF the New
YORK Dry Goods Shipping Association:
w. Shoemaker. Mobile, Ala. James II.
latten and Henry c. Ashoy. Richmond
the widow OF Private Ashby. who died
last week in Richmond. He had con-
.stantly expressed In his illness the
One veteran said that It tt was on Just
such morning as The day OF the re-
union that McDoweils forces mad got
ten their big surprise. The Federals
came streaming down from W ashington
In the best OF spirits. singing. and ex-
IN battle array when the Confederate
lines were reached. although they did
nor even then expect afig:ht, Nc
pulse enabled General Johnson to re-
inforce the Confederates by march
from the Valley and utterly rout the
Federals at Manassas three days later.
On that day at Bull Run the Bloody
First" was in the thick OF the aght
and lost thirteen killed and twenty
eight wounded, large percentage OF
the Confederate loss There were near
ly 500 men in the regiment at the
opening OF the war. More than $50
We're Killed and every soldier was
wounded at some time.
Scventy-SeVen sun Living.
when quiet succeeded the troubled
regiment used TO have big reunions of
several hundred men. Contests were
held. and Sergeant Loehr wore yester
day q medal won for being the best
marksman with the rifle. Now their
eyes arc dimming. and each year finds
fewer TO answer the roll cals Seventy
seven members are stiil living. forty
OF whom reside about Richmond, and
the following were present Yesterday;
" n Anderson. J. 3. Angle. y w
Bowe william Peck OF Kansas City
r. s. Ferneyhough. r. NJ Jones. l.. s
Porter, 6. w CHAPMAN Jacob Wach'
ter. George HUBBARD. James O'Connor
of West Point. j j. Sinnott, DR. Thos.
T. Strattcn. l. NJ. ogden, J. Ryland
Epps. 7. BrGnnan. John Lloyd and
II. NJ. Walthall
The following confederate veterans
were present as invited guests: Mayor
D c. Richardson. z. Francis, r ]
waller r. L. Echols. James T. Cray.
j. B. LYLE. W G. Atkinson. Y. F Hop
kins. r. Winsfeld r. y. Northern
and Major l.. 7. christian