Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-12-15
III. Memory Stirred.

/ TO tho Editor OF The Times Dispatch:
| Sir-Your recent publication OF tho
! famous Southern war song, Th"
IIiomcspun Dress" stirred the memory
! OF those glorious days as fcw things
could have done. / WAS n boy. too
! young to Join the ranks OF that on
thustastic volunteer army who rushed
to arms In fun belief that three. or
! six or at most twelve months would
end the strife in q blaze az glory for
Southern rights and Southern vnlor.
/ Whenever ! expressed my fear that II
would he over before ] could have q
share in its prestige and famc. ms
. athcr. q veteran Of the War Of 1872
who took a more sober Wow Of tn"
! gravity OF the situation, would al
ways toll me: lie patient. my boy;
thcrcll be plenty oc time for you 10
. do all the h-;htinE you want TO do be-
/ fore IL Is over" which all now Know
proved 20 be only too true. finally
] entered the strife at the age OF 10
and fell wounded nj Five Forks.
Ny sister. who WAS older than |, had
JIst returned from the female acad-
.cny, where she was educated and at
once took her place as Il Junior OF
/ the heroic band whose fame has nllcd
! the world and viii live forever, THE
! Women OF the contcderacy." She was
nm accomplished musician and vocal
list. and sang with the greatest ardur
and enthusiasts all tho soul-stirrinE
war songs OF tho South. One Of the
most popular gems Of her repertoire
ranking with tho bonnie Blue Flag"
to "Marscillaise OF the South. THE
Volunteer. and others Of equal merit,
was tho song YOU have jus; rcpub-
J shed, The ifomcspun Dress" II WAS
published Ia sheet music form. ar
ranged for the piano. and rang
through many homestead OF tho
South and around the camp fires OF
the patriot army.
! In your publication OF last sunday
some OF the verses were omitted ana
others slightly changed from the
original one OF the INSTRUCTED verses
ives In my memory in this form:
This homcspun dress is plain l know.
My hats palmetto. too,
Hut then it shows what Southern girls
For Southern rights will do.
! Tho homemade hat was con-
structed from either strips Of palm
leaf or whea, straw plated by hand
and shaped to lit the head Of either
man or woman.
one OF tho omitted verses ran:
We scorn to wear a yard OF SILK.
bit of Northern lace.
Eut make our homcspUn dresses up
And wear them with much grace
The last Verse was an urgent APP
peal To the pride Of every man TO do
his duty.
And now. young man. a.word to you:
/ II YOU deserve the fair
Go To the field where honor calls
And win your lady there.
The very name of conscript was a
! byword and Kissing throughout the
South; and tho young man VINO re-
fused, or failed TO volunteer, or held
back until he was conscriptcd and
| orccd into tho service OF his coun-
t"y was an object OF contempt and
unworthy OF respect. recall the
ease OF ono young man who thus
failed to volunteer. and the girls OF
his n"iGhhorhood with whom he had
! formerly associated held sewing cir
Gle and made him "a calico dress out
OF some old dresses Of their own.
which they. had torn UP for the pur-
pose. and sent IL TO him with their
advice TO wear IL.
j. O. M'GEIIEE
| 1IChmOnd, Va, December IA 1900