The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-13
CAMPFIRES OF BOYS IN BLUE.
AROUND WHICH THEY FOUGHT
THEIR BATTLES DER AGAIN.

Affecting Incident at Louisville In
the Meeting of Mrs. Gen. JOhn A.
Logan aud Hon. Henry WattersOn.
A Lady Delegate Secures "A Seat by
the Aid of the sheriff and "a Pocket
fuI of Iniunctions-COmm
Chief LawIer's Address to the Dele
gates-The q. A. n. and Pension
Legislation.
Louisville. KY. Sept. 12.-Business and
pleasure were combined by the Grand
Army folk to-day While the delegates
to the national encampment settled down
to legislate for the good Of the order aud
elect officers for another year. the rank
and file indulged in one Of the reunions
that of late years have become the most
interesting features Of encampment week.
Out at Camp Caldwell and in the tents
over at Jeffersonville. as well as in the
school houses and other post headquaT-
ters. the survivors OF state regiments and
companies now scattered throughout :he
country met together to say God bless
YOU" once more and to rehearse never-to-
be-forgotten incidents upon the battle
neld.
There were many affecting scenes as
comrades who had not met since the war
recognized each other. Their JOY could
not find expression in words md they fell
on each others necks, while the tears
streamed down their wrnkled faces.
Many ex-confederates hunted up the re-
union quarters Of regiments with which
they had engaged In battle. and made
themselves at home with their former
foes. Thus, in scores Of places through
out the city the blue and gray spent the
day and evening in a fraternizing that
came from the heart and soul
The delegates TO the encampment found
It difficult to get down to business after
the emotion created by the welcoming
exercises. The scene that followed the
closing words Of the fervid Grafton OF
Henry Watterson was thrilling. The
speaker was overcome with emotion and
left the front of the stage. Men rose
in the seats and not only chsered, but
yelled. They cried and cheered by turns,
hugged each other and themselves and
threw hats. fans and handkerchiefs into
the air But they were not prepared for
the touching incident which followed thir-
ty seconds later
Mle. John A. Logan was seated
short distance back of the commander-in-
chiefs stand, and as Mr.. Watterson walk
ed away from the footlights with the tears
coursing down his cneeks, Gen. Lawler
took his hand and presented him 10 Mrs.
Logan. Neither could speak for mo-
ment. and then the white-haired, moth
erly-looklng woman took his hand IN
both of hers, and when she FOUND her
voice, said tremblingly: IS am glad 1
have been permitted to live to hear your
speech" That was all she could say.
Then she sat down and wept
Meanwhile a scene Of very dinerent
nature was being enacted at the opening
session of the national convention of the
Women's Relief Corps For several years
the branch Of the organization. at Can
ton, O.. has sent as a delegate, Mrs. Ada
T. Clark, and just as often has she been
excluded on technical grounds the oppo-
sition being led by Mrs. Sherwood of the
same city, and ex-president OF the corps.
The feud has become a celebrated one In
Ohio.
This year Mrs. Clark came to Louisville
determined to enforce her claims. Early
this morning accompanied by counsel,
she appeared before Judge Edwards and
secured the issue Of fifteen temporary in
functions, restraining as many national
officers Of the corps from refusing her
recognition as delegate.
The papers were given to Sheriff Pfians
for service, and having secured admission
to the secret session in Liberty Hall by
warning the sentinel OF the majesty OF
law he proceeded to the platform and
served the first Injunction upon the ma
tional president, Mrs. M. r. NJ. Wallace,
of Chicago. Then he was in quandary.
The other fourteen women he ala not
know from Adam. Mrs. Wallace upon be-
fr,sr rod tg refused blunt
ly. Delegates mounted chairs and begged
their sisters not to betray their associates.
But Mrs Clark had friends on the floor
and one by one amid scenes Of wild ex-
citement the officials were designated un-
til all the injunctions had been served.
Then Mrs Clark took her seat and the
sheriff withdrew.
The official delegates to the twenty
ninth encampment of the q. A. r. as
sembled this morning in Music Han,
which had been handsomely decorated
with the national colors and the official
flags of the organization. Promptly at
ten o'clock Commander-in-Chief Lawler
called the encampment to order and May
or Tyler and State Commander Kelly
were presented to extend greetings to
the delegates in behalf of the city and
the Kentucky Grand Army department.
Then, amid a scene OF Wild enthusiasm,
the delegates rising en- masse and cheer
son. whose Grafton at Pittsberg lat year
brought Ghe encampment 10 Louisville.
was escorted TO the foot-lights and ad-
dressed the grand encampment in
speech full Of patriotism and good taste
Mr.. Watterson spoke in part as fol-
lows:
That promissory note, drawn by the
city Of Louisville. indorsed by me and dis
counted by you in the city of Pittsburgh
a year ago--it has matured-and / am
come to pay it! You, who were so prompt
and so generous about II, will not be dis
pleased to learn that it puts US TO no in
convenience to pay it. On the contrary 1t
having been one of those obligations on
which the interest compounding day by
day was designed to eat up the principal,
its discharge leaves US poor only In the
regret that we may not repeat the trans
action every twelve months and convert
this central point of the universe into
permanent encampment for the Grand
Army Of the Republic.
Except that historic distinctions have
long been obliterated here II might be
mentioned that / appear before you as
the representative alike of those who
wore the blue and of those who wore the
gray in that great sectional combat, which
whatever else it did or did not, left no
ehadovy uuOu American sOldferehip no