Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-05
CHATTANOOGA.
CONFEDERATE VETERANS FOURTH
or JULY THERE.
4 Thoroughly Reconstructed Gathering
Not a Single Confederate Fiag-Tho
South Declared Wrong.
tgy telegraph to the Disps,ch.l

CHATTASoooA. TESN.. Julyi.-The Fourth
of july exercises of the rsunion of Con-
federate veterans took the form Of mon
ster parade this morning. Two thousand
Veterans were in lire, together with three
regiments Of the Tennessee state Guard.
encamped near the city. and several mill
tary companies frc other southern cities.
GORDON. ooMa,NpER-ry-curT.
General John r. Gordon was commander
in-chief of tho procession and as he rode
down the line in review he was greeted
with a continuous round OF cheers. Cen
eral T. Kirby Smith. attired IN SUIT Of
Confederate gray. communicative military
division. and he. too. was vociterously
cheered along the streets. Fifty thousand
people witnessed the parade.
NOT SINGLE CONFEDERATE FLAG.
In all the line not q single Confederate
flag was displayed. but every commani
carried the national col0rs. Brass bands
passed up the streets playing national airs
and Dixie bonnie Blue Flag" and
other war tunes Of bOtn sides, aud cheers
greeted every air. The best OF good humor
prevailed and not n single incident oc-
CURED to mar the pleasure of the occasion.
SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS.
The feature Of the parade was several
hundred young men, sons OF Confederate
veterans. who passed along singing
national airs. Along the line OF parade IN
the business portion Of the city there was
not single house that was not pr0tusely
decorated. Governor Taylor. oil lennes-
see, and staff headed the tennessee militia.
GENERAL GORDON SPEAKS.
After the parade and review General Cor
don addressed several thousand people IN
front of the Union depot. His sentiments
were so patriotic and eloquent that the
widest enthusiasm prevailed.
This afternoon 5000 persons crowded
into a great tent and listened 10 Fourth OF
July orations. war "reminiscences. and
patriotic music Speeches were made 10y
General George Il. Gordon, Of Louisiana;
General +. X. Smith. ot tennessee. ana
General "Tige" Anderson, of Georgia.
Tonight the whole city ~ Illuminated
and Roman-liqhts and fireworks Of various
kinds are making the night brilliant.
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN ABLA2E.
Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge
are ablaZe with bright lights, and on the
Tennessee river and Cameron Hil there
are monster pyrotechnic displays. 10 -
estimated that there were $1,000 visitors III
the city to-day.
THE VETERANS GRAy-Hunrp AND ISFIRv.
The parade Of Confederate veterans indi-
Gated that il has been long time since the
close of the war The men are al gray
haired and nearly all inGrm. Their ap-
pearance showed that they had seen active
service and much OF il. many Of them ap-
pearing in their cd tattcred gray jackets.
WHAT GOVERNOR GORDON SAID.
The following is Governor Gordon's
speech
Ny comrades. / appear simply 10 thank
Won for this call and for the privilege you
have afforded me 10 look into your faces
once more. Had the power 20 call bless,
ings from Heaven its choicest gifts would
be upon vour heads. ask as a last part
ING request that YOU prove - true 10 your
plighted faith 10 the Union IN the future
as YOU did 10 the Stars and Bars IN the DAYS
! ofthewAr. (Great cheering. know what
your response would be, and | un-
dertake 10 say for vOu-and the future
will forever prove ;he correctness of the
prophecy hat whenever the honor, integ-
| ritv, progress, and power of this republic
are ut stake those men and their children
will be found on the side of that republic.
! [Great applause And if to-day desired
| % transmit % my pOsterity an assurance
| that this land would remain great and
PROSPEROUS aud free. would ssy, IN Gods
name. commit its destiny 10 such men a5
| these. Applause God bless you ana
! enable you IN following the old nag, which
is the fag of our father, to discharge every
duty under Hts guidance for the future oi
this country. lApplausc.
! General c. W Heiskeil Of Memphis,
was one of the speakers at tho tent. We
all recognize tho fact, he sad, that the late
war was a gallant fight. Both sides were
right. We OF the South fought for the
/ Constitution of our fathers. The South
was "a loyal country. but wowere wrong on
| the slavery question. The North was
right when it fought Us on that score.
| There il not a son or daughter OF the
South to-day who would have slavery re-
stored. lAppause While for four years
we were deadly enemies, we are forever
more brothers and fellOw-citzens, and
! proud IN tho South Of the glory Of these
! American States. and we would fight "a
loyally for the flag Of our country ~ any
man who fought with Grant or sherman.
Tomorrow the veterans viii 60 20 Chick
amauga battle-fcld-the proposed national
park-and attend a great picnic.