Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-05-14
Highest of all in Leavening Power-aest S. Govt Report
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ABSOLUTELY PURE
CHARLESTON RECAPTUReD.
A Resident OF Vermont Secs tho Famous
City Again In the Confederate Hands
Touching Scenes
Charleston, S. c., April 30, 1896

| CITY Again In the Confederate Hands
Touching scenes.
Charleston, S. c., April 30 1896
To the Editor of the Free Press
In former communication referred to
my first view OF Charleston by night, and
the suggestive scene OF Fort Sumter
under Siege and 1t is my good fortune &c
! again visit Charleston at a time when She
! is actually under martial law. The first
thing that l observed after leaving tho
Clyde steamer was q regiment of con-
d, fedcrate veterans parading the streets
| and on picking up q city paper of yester.
| day | was startled to read the following
| announcement in a double column header
| Tomorrow the Veterans will March Up
| on Charleston.-At tho Gates of the City
| An Unconditional Surrender will be
Made"
This was followed by words OF welcome
so affectionate that | really believe Char
lesion enjoys surrendorlng once in while
AS the steamer was tied up for the day
followed the procession, keeping at n re-
spectful distance from the Woman's Re-
| het Corps | have attended many Grand
Army reunions but this was my first APP
pearance at a Confederate Veterans Re-
union. This was the annual oncampment
| OF the South Carolina Post T.. C. ", and
| on arriving at headquarters found be-
| tween 1900 and 5000 veterans assembled
They wore their everyday. citizens clothes
and their holiday veterans smiles. No
guns, no cantcens, no army blankets. l
talked with several old battle SCARED vet
Grams who spoke with muci fervor and
loyalty about our reunited States. one
aged patriot, learning that was from the
North, asked IL ! was in the service,
promptly replied that 1 was in the Light
Infantry, 33d Iowa. very light 5 years
old at the tlme) Shake, says he, AMI VIC
shook General IIagood, man who
fought and bled in tho interests of the
lost cause, was the hero and orator OF the
day. "A picturesque character seated upon
the trucks of mounted cannon at the
entrance to Armory Hall. attracted my
attention. His long silver gray hair, and
mustache like the horns of Texas steer,
dropped his shoulders like Spanish moss
on the hammock live oaks OF the South,
l approached and found him weeping.
AT times he would reach out his hand
and pat tho barrel of the cannon with that
soft caress that the Arab is wont to be-
stow upon his favorite stecd The scene
was too solemn for Jest or for direct in
quiring. but from othorC ] learned that
early that morning he had identified the
cannon as the one he had followed all
through the war. Many times had he
gargled her throat so that she could speak
on the battlefield and now that she had
quiet communion for the sake of old times.
Miss Mamie Lee, daughter of Gen. Rob-
ert F.. Lee, was present at the camp fire
in the evening, and loud were the cheers
that assembled, and copious were the tears
that descended at sight of the daughter
of their departed chief The most eloquent
eulogy that l have heard in years was
delivered that evening by Rev. w. r.
Thompson on THE Women of the Con-
federacy." Not being a stenographer.
did not take the address verbatim but will
give some sentences from memory. Ills
tory and poesy in glowing paragraph have
made us acquainted with Catherine
Douglas and Flora Mcdonald. unfattering
in their loyalty; with Lady Jane Grey
and Madame Roland, unfinchng In their
fortitude; with Joan of Arc and the Maid
of Sorogossa, intrepid in the hour of
battle; with Ladies Huntington and More
eminent for their piety, but 1t was re-
served for our era and this sunny land of
the mocklng bird and jasmine to present
to this world a womaphood combining all
these attractive qualities in ilustrious
degree. Not the highest efforts of genius
in poetry or song, by chsel or by pencil,
can exaRgerate either the character or
the graces OF the confederate woman.
Nurtured largely apart form the drudg-
cries of life. surrounded by lavish COM
forts and refnements. cultivated in mind
and manners. -eisnins nm uncrowned
queen in the home and in The social
sphere. When the issue of secession came
she sent forth husband, brother, sons. to
do their duty In the fateful arena of arms
Like the gorgeous flower that hides IT.
self from the meridian blaze, exhibits in
the chill hour of night the vision of its
unique loneliness, 80 she disclosed tho