South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1890-10-10
Reunion of Laurel Brigade.

The following dispat ch from Win.
chester, Va, gives an account Of the
FIST and last reunion of the celebrated
laurel Brigade, which was attended
by many members from Hampshire ::
Despite tue shower OF rain, which
fell at frequent intervals from 8 o.
clcck until noon, the reunion OF the
L.urel Cavalry Brigade, which too k
place here today, Was even more Of
8 success than It's most sanguine
projectors could have expected. The
attendance OF oh Confederate veter.
ans was estimated at from 900 TO 500 i,
and there WAS great uutpouring Of
people, who came IN by every train,
by private conveyance and on horse.
back,
AT ten o'clock the veer .ns were
formed Ia column on Market street,
With Gen. Thomas l.. Rosser a. chief
marshal. and Major Holmes Con: ad,
Col. II. Kyd Douglas. Major Robert
w. Hunter, Col. Joseph A. Mutton,
Major Daingerfeld Lewis and Major
+. II. McDonald as aids. The Win.
chester Light Infantry. Capt. r. F..
TreDary, was also IN line, together
with brass bands from Winchester,
Martinsburg and Charlie town. The
line moved from Market street into
Piccadilly, to Kent street, where it
countermarched 10 Market,,to Water,
and thence to the Stoncwall Gene
terry, where tue old veterans marched
by the gravel OF their dead comrades
with uncovered heads. The grave
of Gen. AsbbY was draped with q
Confederate AaT. The processi on
then moved TO Market street, to
Cork, TO dain strest, and thence TO
the fair grounds, north of the city
where the regular exercises took
place. Here a crowd Variously esti-
mated at from 1000 10 5000 had as.
sembled. Fur the first hour there
was vigorous handwriting on the
part Of old comrades long separsted,
and many ordinations of God bless
you 7 were exchanged. A substantial
diuner was then served. aud there was
enough aud TO spare. 1t consisted OF
good bread, old ham, roast beef aud
pork, butter. pickles, cakes, &C., and
as the old veterans partook OF Il with
sharpened sppetites they could but
contrast il with some feeds on hard
tack and 'Jerked beef which had so
often been their portion during the
late unpleasant ness. The devoted
women OF tue city and country had
taken 8 hand in the preparation of
the feast, and as q consequence the
work was we'll done. In the great
crowd present there we're many who
had filed conspicuous positions in the
Confederate service, but officers and
privates we're on a level At this plea
SAINT reunion. Among others pres
ent besides the marshAls were Col
II. Preston Chew, who commanded
the artillery OF the cavalry corps Of
the Army Of Northern Virginia, Capt
w. N. Mcdonald, eI Gov. Holiday,
Lt-Col. Mssge, and many others
After the inner man haG been fully
attended to the vast audience was
called TO order by Major Holmes Con-
rad, who vas gollant soldier in To g
Laurel Brigade, who made a happy
address Of congratulation on the
coming together of 30 many OF the old
command. Tie said there was no
politics 10 the gathering, nn1 that %
eX. Confederates, while loyal citizens,
they had nothing TO recaDt for the
part they had taken w the late con.
fllct. He concluded by Introducing
10 the crowd General Thomas l.,
Rosser, who was received With the old
rebel yell. He req from manuscript
3 lengthy address, 10 which be re-
hearyed The services Of the COnisder-
ate soldiers and paid a glowing trib-
u;e TO their bravery and patriotism
lie expressed the belief that If Stone
wall Jackson bad been at Gettysburg
there would have been no surrender
at Appomattox. He also paid his re-
spectslo mooopOlies and trusts, which
lie denounced In vigorous terms. Hi
illusions TO Lee, Jackson, Davis
Ashby and others touched 8 chotC
which evoked uprosrious applause