The National tribune., 1895-06-20
SONS OF VETERANS,
News from Various DiViSiOnS-Elee-
ton of Officers, etc.
NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT.

Preparations for the Meeting of the Sons on q
Southern Battlefeld-Dates not Changed.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn, June IL.
Certain railroad officials bpsied themselves
In an attempt to change the date OF the meet
ings of the National Eucampment, G.A.R., at
Louisville but they failed. It was their pur-
pose to arrange things so that the veterans OF
the Grand Army and visitors to Louisville
might go direct to Chattanooga from Louis
Vile, leaving out the Battlefield Encampment,
Sons of Veterans, at Knoxville.
The scheme was almost success when promi-
neut officials of both the Grand Army and Sons
of Veterans including the respective Com
manders-in- Chief went to work and killed IL.
In the killing they were ably assisted by the
Committee of Arrangements at Louisville and
the Executive Committee at Knoxville.
All the dates stand unchanged and the dele
gates and visitors to Louisville will come direct
to Knoxville, spending one or two days with
the Sons Of Veterans, and then going to Chat
tanooga to attend the dedication OF the Chleka-
msuga National Park. The Southern Railway
| will place special trains at their disposition,
and as the distance from Knoxville is only Ill
miles they can remain over here until the
| morning of Sept. 10 and then arrive In Chatta-
| nooga in time for the first days exercises.
Had the scheme to change the dates been
successful the visitors at Louisville would nave
| been hurried by one line OF road to Chatta-
| nooga. and would have missed the opportunity
| of ever seeing the most loyal section Oh the
| Union-East Tennessee.
| It should be an inspiration to the Northern
| veterans and moro especially to their sons, to
spend few days in this garden spot Of the
central South, which sent 10000 soldiers, all
free born and white, to the rescue OF the COM
mon country. East Tennessee was surrounded
| on all sides by strongh0lds of Secession and
never once faltered. The people of this soodly
| country believed in one country and one nag.
| 1t was not so much question OF slavery and
constitutional prerogatiyes as it was the ques-
| tion of Union. "The Union forever was the
battle cry of tho leaders-Johnson, Maynard,
Nelson, Brownlow, Netherland, and others Al
most as great.
| At the same time large number of East
Tennesseans Joined fortunes with the Confed-
| erscy. and it is q fact that nearly every citi-
| zen of this section who was old enough 70
bear arms enlisted on the one side or the otner'
| In hundreds of instances brothers took up arms
| against each other, and fathers and sons were
| on opposite Sides Just as soon as peace was
declared. the soldiers of both armies who sur
| viyed the shock of war returned to their homes,
and all united in building up the waste places
and making their beloved valley the most pros
| porous section of the South.
The war was over as far as they were con-
cerned. and the blue and the gray formed CO.
partnerships in business ana Durleo al m pas'
differences forever. In Knoxville We md men
from nearly every State in the Union working
shoulder to shoulder to make her great
commercial metropolis.
The various committees in charge of the
Battlefield Encampment are composed OF vet
erans of both armies and their sons, aoou
equally divided. A. 4.
town. Every visitor will be taken care OF, ane
, there will be no sxtortiOn. Hotels and board
| ing houses will not increase their prices, anC
will take care of as many as possible. Room
will be secured In private houses for thousand
at reasonable prices, and there will be enter
tainment for all. Knoxville has entertained
large crowds before, and they have gone from
us we'll pleased. Hospitality is a ruling pas
sion in these parts and every visitor will b
{ made to feel perfectly at home.
. One of the best features of the Encampmen
will be the grand parade, of course, and pcssl
bly, the best feature of the parade will be th
. schoolboys' battalion. A thousand OF them ar
drilling daily. under the care of efficient drill
masters and they will make q great showing
, in their bright, new uniforms and with wooden
guns.
Letters are being received daily from officer
| of Divisions and Camps throughout the coun
: try assuring the local committee that larg
! crowds will be on hand. There is more genu
: inc enthusiasm over this Encampment tnan tn
: average citizen can possibly imagine. They ar ar
: coming South this Fall as they did IN 'oi, o.
and '63-by tho thousands-and Tor the tlnl
bs;no tbev will have peaceable possession Of tn
country. There will be more accomplished thi
: Fall to obliterate sectional lines than has bee
= done before.
Come on; bring your wives and daught
: and let them see whether or not the South wa
o worth keeping in the Union, even at so great
Q sacrifice of lives and property.
y j. 8. STEWART.
Secretary Battlefield Encampmsns COMMITTEE