Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 33.djvu/240

 236 Southern Historical Society Papers.

mittee of three from each regiment to draft a memorial to be pre- sented to Congress. Captain Bowie of the 6th and I were chosen to visit the officers of the 3rd and 5th Alabama and notify them to- meet us at six o'clock, and participate in our proceedings. At six o'clock the meeting was called to order, Capt. Bowie being chairman and Lieutenant Dnnlap, of the 3rd Alabama, acting as secretary. The memorial drafted was read and discussed, pro and con, by Captains Bowie and Bilbro and Lieutenants Larey, Dun- lap and Wimberly, and the meeting adjourned to meet Monday at 3 o'clock.

The meeting was held, a memorial adopted and a committee appointed to get signatures to the petition and forward it to Hon. Robert Jemison, Jr., C. S. Senator, and Hon. W. P. Chilton, representative from Alabama, for presentation to the Confederate Congress.

February 3. Orders came at night to be ready to move to Hanover Junction at 6 o'clock. Battle's Alabama brigade left winter quarters at 6 and a half o'clock for Gordonsville and ar- rived there at 2 P. M. We took the cars at midnight for Hanover Junction. General R. D. Johnston's North Carolina brigade pre- ceded ours.

February 7. Our brigade took the train for Richmond early in the morning and reached the capital at 2 o'clock, formed in the city, and marched to music to the outer fortifications on York river railroad, about four miles from the city.

February 8. Went to Richmond and visited the Hall of the House of Representatives and heard eulogies pronounced over the dead body of Col. J. J. Wilcox, of Texas. At night I saw "Virginia Cavalier" played at Richmond Theatre. R. D'Orsay Ogden, manager, J. W. Thorpe, former drum-major of the Twelfth Ala- bama, J. Wilkes Booth, Harry McCarthy, W. H. Crisp, Theodore Hamilton, John Templeton, and Alice Vane are the favorite actors. Soldiers are not critics, but are ever ready to be amused.

I remained in the city all day, meeting with many officers and men at the hospitals, the Exchange Hotel and Ballard House, and Spotswood Hotel. At night saw "Lady of the Lake" acted. At its conclusion, en route 'to camp, stopped with Captain Hewlett and Lieutenant J. M. Tate of the Third Alabama at a "shindig" and had an enjoyable time. Kissing games were popular, and some of the dancers were "high kickers," but not over graceful. Late in