The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-05-29
The Confederate Reunion.
Thirty Thousand in Houston.

HousroN, Tex. May 22,-rde filth
annual reunion of the United Ccnted-
crates was formerly iuaugurated at the
Winnie Davis Auditorium BY General
Gordon this morning amidst scenes
which will be remembered long after
the last veteran Of the cause commeu-
grated to-day has returned to dust ard
the last of great leaders lii that lon n,'r-
tai conflict have passed away 10 au
ever increasing ssream the crowds Gave
been pouring into Houston from every
quarter of the Union, On regular aud
special trains, bringing with them tat
tered battle flags aud enthusiastic hearts,
sacred memories and yet more sacred
scars of hard fought battles and the de-
termination to meet aud mingle once
more With their comrades In arms be-
fore they bow to the 6uaI conqueror.
This climax 10 the matter Of plumbers
was reached this morning and tonight
there are not less than thirty thousand
visitors in Houston. They are elbow
ing each other in the streets and the
hotels in cosmopolitan cooglomeration.
Veterans, crippled aud decrepit. mingle
with daughters of the Confederacy,
wearing their jauuty costumes Of C9n-
federase gray, while here aud there a
dark complexion aud long bair besoken
the American Indian. At every possl-
BILE opportunity the old veterans gather
around their respective leaders aud
shake their hands with cordial warmth,
not infrequeusly with tears in their
eyes.
The morning began with drizziog
rain. which with few intervals, has pre-
vailed all day, dampeDing the clothes,
but not the ardor of the thousands of
veterans who never failed to respond to
the stirring strains Of the numerous
bands which are playing war melodies
all over the city. Nine o'clock was the
hour at which the convention vas to
have been opened, but SO cordial were
the veterans in their greetings to Gen.
Gordon aud others, that it was nearly
II o'clock when the commander
mounsed the platform. The audito-
rum, which is beautiful piece of
architecture, is decorated inside with
hundreds of flags and yard after yard
of bunting while rows Of palmetto
leaves ornament the edge of the huge
platform. There was deafeniug roar
of cheers when Gen. Gordon mounted
the platform. He bowed his ackncwl-
edgement and as the band struck up
Dixie, the enthusiasm rose still higher.
Seated on the platform we're the mem
bers of Gen. Gordon's staff and the
major generals of the divisions each
With staff. The we're also large nun.
Der of ladies' present. Near Gen. Cor
don sat Governor Culberson, Mayor
Brown. Chaplain General J. w. Jones,
Prof. w B. Cleveland, Gen S D. Lee
and others. The convention was Open
With prayer by the chaplain general. in
which he invoked the blessing Of God
on the deliberations of the assembly
and asked that the God Of lsreal aud
of ofJefferson Davis would raise US friends
to care for the veterans 10 their declin-
ing years.
President Cleveland then introduced
Governor Culbertson. who welcomed
the delegates and friends to Texas
He paid high tribute to the Southern
valoriand the justice Of the Southern
cause, saying that it was the proudes'
event of his official career to welcome
the veterans to this reunion.
Mayor Brown followed in brief ad-
dress, bidding the visitors welcome te
the city.
General Gordon then rose to respond
to the addresses of welcome. 1t was
the signal for another outburst of cheers
from the throats of the ten thousand
people, who were assembled in the vas,
dUQILOClUm, cdCu CtotS uuuCl ito AC-
spective banner. 1t was come time be-
fore the speaker could be heard.
The convention then proceeded tc
BUSINESS. A committee on credentials
was appointed as follows: R. G
Shove. Arkansas r. NJ Plowman
Georgia; John Boyd, Kentucky; W
R. Lyman, Louisiana Frank Phillips
Florida B. II league, South Caro-.
lima Samuel Thomas, North Carolina
r. II. Dudley, Tennessee J. Taylor
Eilysoo, Virginia ; Geo. Fl Stewart
Maryland Col. Goldsmith, Missls.
sippi Il. H. Newman. Missouri j
D Shaw, Texas s; J. H Gait, Indian
Territory.
A committee on resolutions was then
appointed as follows: q. L. Bridewell
Alabama D. H. Crawley, Arkansas
N. S. Calhoun. Georgia; John Glynn
Jr., Louisiana Samuel Thomas, North
Carolina J. G. Holmes, South Caro-