Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-10-13
HEROES OF THE "LOST CAUSE

HEROES OF THE "LOST CAUSE
The Ex-Confedcrate Reunion ut Moberly.
The social reunion at Moberly, on the 18th
ult., of the soldiers of the "Lost Cause" was
a most pronounced success. Some 2, 600 ex-
Confederates were in attendance, and hum
dreds of those who "wore the blue" were
present as guests Of those who "wore the
gray"
At 8 O'Clock the grand parade was formed
under command Of Jas. Claiborne, as Grand
Marshal, Lieut.. John p. Bull as Chief OF
Staff, and ID. H. McIntire, T. C. Reed, John
NJ. Raymond and Sergeant Palmer, Of St.
Louis, as aids. The parade constituted
eight divisions, commanded as follows:
Cockrell's Brigade, o. j. F. Guthrie; Mar
maduke's Brigade, John Diverse; Shelby
Brigade, Warner Lewis; Clark's Brigade,
Joseph Y. Fink, Porter's Brigade, Hen
ry S. Newman; Artillery, j. w. Kneis-
ley; Parsons Brigade, j. w. Wallace;
all other Confederates, j. Mcclure. The
entire command was drawn up in line and
listened TO the address of welcome from
Major Carmody, who was a Federal soldier.
The procession moved in soldierly order to
the Fair Grounds, where they were received
by President Smith and Secretary Halleck,
of'the Fair Association, and conducted to
the amphitheater. Col. Claiborne called the
meeting to order, and, in complimentary
language, introduced Col. Elijah Gates as
the President of the reunion. The Colonel
was greeted with great applause, and made
a brief but telling address. Major Guthrie,
of st. Louis, was then chosen Secretary.
EX.Gov. Thomas c. Reynolds, the orator OF
the day, was then introduced, and made an
address Of some length, from which we
make the following extracts:
Soldiers and Citizens, Ladies and Gentle
men: It is an suspicious circumstance that
we have this reunion on a spot where twenty
years ago not a house stood. but where now
Northern and Eastern enterprise, capital and
energy have united with those of Missouri to
found this fourishing city-a railroad center.
destined to increase and be blessing to all
the surrounding country. IL Is signo peace.
appropriate place in which to hold our re-
reunion. Some, to be sure, there are who
would deprecate these meetings, but 1t is use
less to contend against human nature. In all
history, from the earliest times. men who
have been on any perilous enterprise, or even
company, delight to meet together. As say.
1t is part of human nature. This Is especi-
ally trait of human nature with reference to
military service, whero men have shared to-
gether the dangers and triumphs of the bat
tie field in n cause which they considered
Just: 1t doesn't matter whether they were
settlers or got settled a. we did but they ie-
5oice to come together and recall memories of
the past.
Heroic deeds are admired everywhere, IRE
spective of the cause, irrespective of what
may be the belief of those who admire. We
have striking illustration of that in the gem
death Of President GARFIELD In Chattanooga
as at Gettysburg; I'm Pennsylvania rs in Mis-.
n. n Rnsfnn w ed
whether he had been a Union or a Confeder-
ate General? who inquired whether he was a
OF such questions were cast aside. We adj
mired the man, the patriot, the statesman,
the heroism of his sufierings and of his death:
the noble woman who stood by his side, aud
while she has ceased to be what is sometimes
called the first lady of the land" she has
her countrymen. lApplause
There are ties between soldiers which few
who have not been soldiers can comprehend,
and as an illustration of this will venture to
repeat to you an anecdote which perhaps
some of you have heard, which Is about our
great General Lee and Is at thentic. He stood.
some years after Appomattox, at the gate of
his residence at Lexington: Va, talking with
Gen. Lee put his hand into his pocket, and
his pockets were not over full after the war,
and gave him something to help him on his
of our soldiers" But" said his friend, " he
has the Federal uniform on. He is a Federal
II.
"he is one of our soldiers now" Loud APP
plause.
1t is in a confidence in that trait of human
nature, of which l have given you instances,
many mother of Confederate sympathies or
lineage will give the name of Garfield to her
baby boy. 1t was in confidence in that trait
of human nature which causes us to admire
noble men and noble actions without refer
ence to any of the circumstances surrounding
them, that mt the meeting in st. Louis some
years ago, on the death of Gen. Robert J.. Lee,
I somewhat astonished my Confederate
friends by venturing the prediction which
sions and prejudices of the late war have
passed away, perhaps after we are all in our
graves, and the history of the war Is impair
TALLY written, as it then will be, even within
sight of Plymouth Rock many a mother will
wall jackson or like Lee. tApplause.l
shocked some people then, especially some
Y Gn tSnt friends s@d they
dict it, but human nature predicts ii, and the
great qualities of these great men, Garfield,
children will be named after them whose an
cestors fought against them so IL is with us.
We also in our circle have glorious deeds TO
remember. We must meet together to see
each other, to recall the incidents OF the con-
test, to renew old acquaintance and make
new ones.
Governor Reynolds gave an illustration of
the good results of these reunions by relating
q little incident OF war times. Once when
weary he was offered a horse by gentleman,
Governor to ride, while the owner of the
horse walked, and the offer was accepted, but
the name of the kindly gentleman, who was "A
brother soldier, was forgotten amid the tur
MOL of the war, and although the Governor
made diligent search for him after the war, in
order to show him his gratitude for his gener-
Gus act, nothing was ever heard OF him till
this meeting, when Governor Reynolds had
the unexpected pleasure of meeting him, and
learning that he was j. D. Connor, now living
at Lexington, Missouri.
The Governor continued rs follows: For
the reasons have given we ought to form
here an association. / will not venture to in
dictate what the objects should be in detail,
but we should form an association by which
we shall know each other and where we all
are to be found. We are getting old. Varied
fortunes have come to us all. Some few. per-
haps, but still some, may need help; and we
should form association by means of
which that help can be extended and the
memories of our war preserved. We have
that duty before us, and 1 trust i win
wound no sensibilities by saying that
we have another duty: Any lawyer will
tell you that in this region and throughout
most of Missouri especially I'm those counties
where the Confederate element prevails. the
criminal docket is almost blank. We are
the law and order people of the state EN-.
phatically. But it so happens that people
who are not and never were Confederates,