The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-05-04
A Large Concourse of People Gath
err at Ellejoy and Take Part In
the Days Ceremonies.

the Days Ceremonies.
MARYvILLE, TENN, April q, 1892.
This is the anniversary of the Sui
tana disaster near the close Of the
war. The survivors held their an
Bual meeting at Ellejoy. 1t was "a
grand day. There as an immense
attendance of people. They began
to assemble from early morning,
and continued until the grounds
were literally covered with people,
. vehicles, horses and the richest of
yiands.
At $3.50 o'clock in the morning,
the Sultana survivors assembled at
the schoolhouse, near by, while the
Other veterans present assembled
near Hollis store, under the COM
mand of Major A. NJ. Gamble. AT
the signal given, the veterans under
Major Gamble marched in double
file, passing through the assembled
audience, then hating and opening
ranks, facing inward, the Sultana
veterans approached in double file,
passing between the ranks of the
other body, when the latter turned
by countermarch, falling in the
rear and following after. Just after
this counter march movement, the
t'uitana body leading the way, the
veterans passed under a beautiful
evergreen arch, decorated with
flowers.
Just after passing under this arch
there was u bevy of beautiful and
lovely little girls, with their rosy
cheeks and charming tresses which
took their place in front and strew-
e{ The ground over which the vet
Grams were to pass with springs
5rashest and richest gifts of fra
grant flowers.
The otd veterans that met the
shock at that awful explosion out
IN the midst of the Mississippi river
and then manfully struggling with
the waves through the grasping and
dying comrades; men who in the
iie,, Of battle, had stood in the face
OF doom and devastation, and mid
itall had bid defiance to death and
danger, and only increased in their
ardor, were seon to silently wipe
away the tears from their furrowed
cheeks, as they beheld these sweet
little girls strewing the flowers be-
fore them on their march.
A fitting honor it was to the men
who, twenty-seven years ago, brav-
ed death out in the turbid stream
The audience then were gathered
under some trees near by, and as
many as could were seated. There
Was some very excellent music fur
Dished for the occasion by choir of
yocaLists, which does honor to that
Grd0y 9th, r place, and eXtraOrdina-
ry music by the Ckittum string
band, Of Sewer County.
The exercises were opened with
nrayer by Rev. Caleb Rule, which
9yas followed by an eloquent and
srWtri0tSc address Of welcome by
Major \. NJ. Gamble, and the re
Spouse by Roy. Caleb Rule. The
principal address Of the dav was
delivered by Rev. Manley of the
Baptist church. Ii was also a most
STcr!!ent effort, patriotic, eloquent
rHT} entertaining. At the close OF
'Ais address dinner was served; and
w was such a dinner as no soldier
sv dJvamel Of While he was en-
joying the luxury Of Uncle Sans
h0yl tack and fat bacon. The hos
nitalitS was without bounds, Din
sNer over, the Su,tana survivors as
,ocjAtion reorganized for the incom-
ing YEAR, which was followed by
some short "reminiscences by differ
eutnnos, when themaeting adjourn
ell.
I will be remembered that the
Third Tennessee Cavalry had been
Tor afX months in the Cahaba mill
tary prison in Alabama, and just as
,he clouds of war We're breaking
and the CLEANS Of peace beginning
t0shine through the riffs, the regi-
ments were all exchanged, and
bright were their hopes of an early
return to their old homes and loved
friends. They were on the steamer
5s3ultana, with others who had also
been with them in prison and ex.
changed, to the number in all Of
about two thousand one hundred
men, going up the Mississippi river
A short distance above Memphis
in the dead of the night there was
" a terrible explosion, throwing some
oof the upper parts of the boat out
to great distance in the water and
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