The herald., 1896-06-28
REUNION OF SOUTHERNERS
Confederate Veteran Encamp-
ment at Richmond
10000 VETS WILL BE In LINE
And Companies OF Militia From All
Over the South
The Feature VIII Be the Corner Stone lay
ing Of the Jefferson Davis Monu.
ment in Monroe Park

ment IN monroe PARK
Sixteen thousand of the men who wore
| the gray in the great civil strife of a gen.
| GRAFTON ago Will assemble at Richmond,
Va, on June 30th to take part in the
sixth annual encampment of the United
Confederate Veteran association. The
| program arranged by the citizens of
Richmond and by the officers of the as
sociation covers period of three days.
| but many of the old warriors will remain
| for longer period in the city for whose
| final preservation the last year of the
| war was stained the bloodiest in the his
| tory of the nation.
| Many of the old soldiers will make
their first visit to the former capital of
| the Confederacy since the ending OF the
| war. Thousands of them formed the
valiant army which Lee kept between
Grant and Richmond for many weary
months, fighting almost every day in
the week, marching at night, and hum
cry all the time.
Curious emotions will fill the breasts
of these men when they reach Rich
mond again. The last of it that some of
them saw was on the night of the his
torfc evacuation fire, when the best part
OF the city was reduced to ruins. This
hre swept away many of the places,
which the old soldiers will hunt for in
vain. 1t was the order of the day, the
fatal April 3, 1865, to burn everything
connected with the Confederate govern
| ment. Scores of buildings which would
now be of vast historical interest to
south and north alike went up in flame
and smoke and with them the homes of
the hundrds of families already brought
to the verge of destitution by the long
war Many of the soldiers marched out
or Richmond on that night crying al if
their hearts were breaking. They saw
the devoted city for which they had
fought for years crumbling into ruins.
A CHANGED CITY.
When these old warriors, with the
memory of that dreadful night still
fresh and sharply defined, again see
Richmond, the spectacle will be more
than surprise. The giant hand Of
progress has been unrelenting in it's in
cessant work upon the former capital
of the Confederacy. Everything that
makes a city beautiful to the eye and
attractive to the active brain of the
present generation will be found there In
abundance. Those who cast sentiment
and the memory of hallowed things aside
say the fire was blessing. But senti-
ment plays leading part with the SOL
diers Of both sides of the civil war and
many of the old fellows who knew Rich
mond in the war days would like to see
1t again as it was before the great fire
did it's work.
Aside from visiting Richmond again
the coming Reunion is fraught with an
other matter Of Importance to the old
soldiers This is the laying of the cor
nerstone OF the great monument to be
erected to the memory of jefferson
Davis president of the Confederacy.
These ceremonies will take place on July
"a. Tne monument will be erected al
most in the center of Monroe park, on a
site now occupied by large fountain.
IL is the intention to spend a quarter
or million dollars on the monument.
and to make 1t the finest memorial of its
Kind IN the country. Twenty-seven de-
signs have been submitted to the COM
mittee by the leading architects of the
country, and one of these will be chosen
during the encampment
The idea of building this monument
originated at mass meeting in Rich
mond on December 81, 1889, and a monu-
ment association was formed with ].
Taylor Ellyson president The work has
been pushed without cessation since then
and when the design has been settled
upon the active work on the monument
will be begun.
SIMPLE CEREMONIES.
The ceremony of laying the corner
stone will be simple. General John B.
Gordon of Georgia, Commander Of the
confederate veterans, will martial the
parade to the site of the memorial, and
there j. Taylor Ellyson and other Of
fcers of the monument association will
take charge. The grand lodge of Ma
sons, Col. j. P. Fitzgerald commander,
will lay the corner stone, and General
stephen d. Lee of Mississippi will de-
liver the Grafton of theday. Mrs. JEFF
ferson Davis and Miss Winnie Davis
will be present.
In addition to the 49, 900 southern vet
Grams who will march in the parade,
various militia organizations from ali
over the south to the number of 1000 men
Will take part, also large body of school
children. 1t will be the biggest military
pageant that Richmond has seen since
the war. In all the city expects to en-
tertain $4,000 visitors during the encamp-
ment A special feature will be made
of the children's brigade in the parade.
Each child will wear a long sash of red.
white and red, and will carry a flag of the
same colors. No color other than red,
white and red will be allowed in the
line.
There are 807 camps in the confederate
association, and each camp will be rep
resented. A vast auditorium, capable,
OF seating more than 5000, has been es-
pecially constructed to meet the needs of
the reunion. The seats on the main floor
and in the galleries are so arranged that
every one will have am unobstructed
view of the speakers platform. The
official business of the veterans will con-
sumo the best part of June 30th and July
1st. There will be no session on the I'd,
owing to the parade and the laying of
the corner stone.
A unique feature of the reunion will be
that part arranged by prominent south
ern women. There will be a reception at
the White House of the confederacy the
old Davis mansion, at which Mrs. and
Miss Davis will receive, assisted by a
sponsor from each of the southern states.
There will also be great concert, at
which the sponsors will appear as living
pictures, each costumed to represent
her state.
The Jews In Russia
Whether the coronation of the youth
full Gear Nicholas H., who is reputedly
a monarch Of generous and humane in
stincts, will prove to be the precedent