Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 34.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

Shaft to historic old Portsmouth Artillery. From the Portsmouth, Va., Star, June 8th, 1906.

Beautiful Tributes to survivors as well as those who fell in battle in ranks of famous command. Unveiled by Misses Emmerson and Grimes, descendants of gallant former commanding officers.

The beautiful monument erected to the memory of the survivors as well as those who fell in the engagements in which the old Portsmouth Artillery Company, now Grimes' Battery, participated, was with appropriate and impressive ceremonies, dedicated to this and succeeding generations of liberty-loving Virginians, this afternoon.

The ceremonies took place at the site of the monument, at Washington and South Streets, at 5 o'clock, and were participated in by the survivors of the old battery, as well as the veterans of Stonewall Camp, C. V., who served in other commands during the Civil War. The Portsmouth battalion of the Seventy-first Virginia Regiment, commanded by Major Edwin W. Owens, participated in the parade, wearing the blue uniform, which the members of the battery wore in the days when they fought for the perpetuation of American independence at Craney Island, long before sectional strife caused them to change their uniforms and their flag for the same principle.

The successors to the men who marched under Emmerson and under Thompson and under Grimes were there in line, too, the reincarnated command bearing the same honored name, under which [145] the battery was reorganized after the war, in honor of its gallant commander who fell in defense of its guns.

There, too, were the noble women who have perpetuated the traditions of the South, but who love the Union for which the old battery fought as loyally as it did for the South, and for which it stands ready to fight again.

The Daughters of the Confederacy will have perpetual charge of the monument unveiled today, which they received at the conclusion of the afternoon's ceremonies, from the hands of those who have faithfully worked to erect it.

The committee appointed by the Portsmouth Chapter of the Daughters to receive the monument were as follows: Mrs. Elizabeth N. Neely, Mrs. R. Emmett Crump, Mrs. Alice Parrish, Mrs. William H. Stewart, Mrs. C. W. Walker, Mrs. Beulah Lynch Cross, Miss Harriet Williams, Miss Alexinia Shannon.

The unveiling ceremonies at the monument were highly impressive. After prayer by Rev. C. J. D. Parker, pastor of the Fourth Street Baptist Church, and the singing of the Star Spangled Banner by a trained chorus of twenty-five voices, under the direction ot Mrs. J. Griff. Edwards, Captain John H. Thompson, a former gallant commander of the battery, made an historical address. ‘The Bonny Blue Flag’ was then sung and the formal act of unveiling performed by Miss Annie Emmerson, a niece of Captain Arthur Emmerson, who commanded at Craney Island in the War of 1812, and Miss Palmetto Grimes, a daughter of Captain Carey F. Grimes, who led the command to victory on many a hard fought field in the Civil War.

The ceremonies took place upon a stand erected by the city. The stand and the monument itself were during the day beautifully decorated by a committee of ladies appointed by the Daughters of the Confederacy. The committee consisted of Mrs. Paul C. Trugien, Chairman; Mrs. John W. H. Porter, Mrs. F. S. Hope, Miss Lucrece Schroeder, Miss Jennie Shea.

When the covering fell apart, it disclosed the only peace monument in the South, the crossed banners of the Union and the Confederacy, bearing evidence to the veterans' love of both.

After the singing of ‘Tenting on the Old Camp Ground,’ Colonel Stewart delivered his oration, ‘The Patriotism of Peace.’ ‘Dixie’ was then sung, and the report of the Treasurer, Mr. W. B. Lynch, read. [146]

The choir then sang ‘Maryland, My Maryland,’ and the formal presentation of the monument to the Daughters of the Confederacy was made. Mrs. Neely, the President of the Chapter, and the ladies with her accepted the sacred trust by rising.

The exercises closed with the singing of ‘America’ and the benediction by Rev. R. H. Potts.

The members of the trained choir which rendered the music are as follows: Mrs. Walker, Mrs. Edwards, Mrs. Virnelson, Misses Claudia Old, Elizabeth Old, Reta Renn, Nellie Howell, Sadie Wilkins, Mamie Schroeder, Louise Wilson, Annie Blunt Ridley, Gertie Brooks, Janie Neely, Messrs. Arthur Hutchins, Kit Morse, Timothy Riley, Tom Hume, Johnson Neely, Raymond Pearce and Dr. Crossman.

Sketch of the Portsmouth Light Artillery.

The roll of the men who fought in that eventful battle, under the Stars and Stripes when the flag contained only eighteen stars, has been preserved by the descendants of Capt. Arthur Emmerson, and Arthur, of the fourth generation, is now a resident of the city.

The company continued its organization, and when the war between the sections began it enrolled over 100 men, who were mustered into the Confederate service on the 20th of April, 1861, under Capt. Carey F. Grimes. Its career was marked in this service. It was hotly engaged at Malvern Hill, Second Manassas and Sharpsburg, where its gallant captain was shot from his horse while directing its guns. After this engagement its ranks were so depleted that it was disorganized and its men divided between two other artillery organizations.

After the war it was reorganized for the Virginia volunteers under Capt. George W. R. McDonell, and after he retired Capt.—Carey R. Warren was elected its commander.

The organization is now commanded by Capt. Charles A. Cuthriell, [147] a son of one of its veterans. In July last Mr. Wilson B. Lynch, one of its Confederate veterans, conceived a plan for a monument to commemorate its organization, and he with several of his companions associated themselves for the purpose of carrying out the plan. Mr. Lynch was elected treasurer, and, appealing to the people, he soon raised sufficient funds not only to erect the monument, but to place a suitable marker over the grave of the gallant Grimes.

The shaft is eighteen feet high, of rough Virginia granite, with four polished sides. On one side is inscribed the names of Capt. Arthur Emmerson's men who fought with him at Craney Island, surmounted by two United States flags, crossed, and on the first base ‘Craney Island’ in raised letters. The other three faces contain the roll of the Confederate soldiers who served under Capt. Grimes. The names are surmounted by the Confederate battle flag, and on the base ‘Malvern Hill,’ ‘Manassas’ and ‘Sharpsburg.’ This design is an unique conception, and is probably the first monument in the United States containing both the Stars and Stripes and the Confederate flags. It will stand, although small in proportions, as a great peace monument between the sections, exemplifying the beautiful sentiment which has united the country in spirit as well as in song.

Men who took part in battle of Craney Island, June 22, 1813.

First Lieutenant Parke G. Howle,

Second Lieutenant Thomas Godwin,

First Sergeant William P. Young,

Second Sergeant William Drury,

Third Sergeant James B. Butt,

Fourth Sergeant Samuel Livingston,

First Corporal William Moffett,

Second Corporal Daniel Cameron,

Third Corporal John M. Kidd.

Privates—Richard Atkinson, William Barber, Edward Carter, Benjamin Cox, James Deale, George Eames, T. L. Emmerson, James Foster, John Gourdie, James Hughes, Philip Hockaday, William Hoffler, Richard Keeling, Watson Kelly, John Lawton, [148] Aaron Meadow, Abner Nash, John Newell, Samuel Owens, George Peel, John Pully, John Roper, Francis Souceedo, James H. Simmons, Nicholson Scott, George Sweeney, Nathaniel Walker, Joseph Whiterock.

Men who served in Company, 1861-65.

The officers of the Portsmouth Light Artillery Monument Association are Captain John H. Thompson, president; M. W. Allen, secretary; Wilson B. Lynch, treasurer.

Music Committee—Mrs. J. Griff. Edwards.

Unveiling Committee—Misses Annie Emmerson and Palmetto Grimes.

Chief Marshal—F. J. Nicholson.

Monument Acceptance Committee—Mrs. E. N. Neely, Mrs. Beulah Lynch Cross, Mrs. C. W. Walker, Miss Alex. Shannon, Mrs. Alice Parrish, Miss Harriet Williams, Mrs. R. E. Crump and Mrs. W. H. Stewart.

Stage Decoration Committee—Mrs. Paul C. Trugien, Mrs. J. W. H. Porter, Mrs. F. S. Hope, Misses Cressie Schroeder and Jennie Shea.

Invitation Committee—Captain John H. Thompson, M. W. Allen and Wilson B. Lynch.

Grand Stand Committee—Samuel J. Newby, John Wilson and John W. Wood.