The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-20
REUNION OF THE CRAY
The Confederate Veteran En-
campment at Richmond.
$1,000 WILL BE IN LINE.
The Feature VIII Be the Corn erstOne
Laying of the Jefferson Davis
Monument in Monroe Park.

Sixteen thousand Of the men who wore /
the gray in the great civil strife Of gen
Grafton ago viii assemble at Richmond !
Va, on June 80 to take part IN the sixth I
annual encampment Of the United Con /
federate Veteran Association The pro I
gramme arranged by the citizens Of Rich- |
mond and by the officers Of the association /
covers a period of three days, but many /
Of the old warriors VIII remain for a longer /
period in the city for whose final preser-
walton the last year Of the war was stained
the IbloOdtest in the history Of the nation
Many Of the old soldiers viii make their
first visit to the former capital Of the Con
federacy since the ending Of the war
Thousands Of them formed the valiant
army which Lee kept between Grant and
Richmond for many weary months, hgnt-
ing almost every day in the week, march-
ing at night and hungry all the time.
Curious emotions viii fiji the breasts OF
these men when they reach Richmond
again The last of it that some Of them
saw was the night OF the historic evee-
/ uetiOn fire, when the best part Of the city
4 was reduced to ruins. This fire swept away
many OF the places. which the old soldiers
viii hunt for ia vain. It was the order OF
! the day, the fatal April 3. 1866, to burn
y everything connected with the Confederate
/ government Scores of buildings when
I would now be Of vast historical interest
I to South and North alike, went up in flame
Z and smoke, and with them the homes OF
! hundreds OF families already brought to
/ the verge Of restitution by the long war
l Many Of the soldiers marched out Of Rich
/ mond on that night crying as If their hearts
| were breaking. They saw the devoted city
for which they had fought for years cruTn-
] bling into runins-
A CHANGED CITY.
When these old warriors, with the mem
ory of that dreadful night still fresh and
sharply defined. again Gee Richmond the
/ spectacle will be more than surprise The
/ giant hand Of progress has been unrelenting
] in its lncess1nl work upon the FORMER cap
ital OF the Confederacy. Everything that
makes city beautiful to the eye and at
tractive to the active brain of the present
dance Those who cast sentiment ana the
memory Of hall0wed things aside say the
IRE was a blessing But sentiment plays
/ a leading part with the soldiers of both sides
OF the Civil War, and many Of the old fell
lows who knew Richmond in the war days
would ike to see it again as It was before
the great fire did its work.
Aside from visiting Richmond again the
coming reunion Is fraught with another
matter of Importance to the old soldiers
This IS the laying Of the corner stone Of the
great monument to be erected to the mem
I Ory Of Jefferson Davis. president Of the
Confederacy. These ceremonies VIII take
place on July 2. The monument viii be
erected almost in the center Of Monroe
Park, on a site now occupied by large
fountain 1t is the intention to spend g
quarter of a million Of dollars on the
monument and to make of 1t the finest
memorial of it's kind IN the country
Twenty-seven designs have been submitted
to the committee by the leading archi tects
LOT the country. and one of these viii be
chosen during the encampment.
The idea Of Building this monument orig
mated at a mass meeting in Richmond or
December 21. 1889. and monument as
ISOLATION was formed. with J. Taylor Ely
son president. The work has been pushed
without cessation since then. and when the
a design has been settled upon the active
. work on the monument will be begun.
s SIMPLE CEREMONIES
e The ceremony Of laying the corner ston'
- viii be simple General John B. Gordon
Il OF Georgia, commander Of the Confederate
veterans, viii martial the parade to the sit
q OF the memorial. and there J. Taylor Ellysol
l. and the other officers of the Monument AS
s ISOLATION VIII take charge. The Crane
II Lodge of AIasons Colonel J. p. Fitzgerald
s commander. viii lay the corner stone, ant
Y General Stephen d. Lee. Of Mississippi vii
y deliver the Grafton Of the day. Mrs. JET
g ferson Davis and Miss Winnie Davis vii
: be present.
s In addition to the $4,000 Southern veter
g militia organizations from all over tn
II South to the number of 4 600 men will IA TX
d part also a large body Of school children
:, IL viii be the biggest military pageant the
e Richmond has seen since the war In all
b the city expects to entertain so 600 visitors
8. during the encampment A special featur
n will be made Of the children's brigade il
It the parade. Each child will wear a Ion,
d sash Of red, white and red, and viii carr
Y q flag Of the same colors. No colors othe
@ than red. white and red will be allowed il
q the line.
n There are s07 camps in the Confederat
Association. and each camp viii be repre-