Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-07-08
A1iseellaneolts &eaaing.
CONFEDERATE
VETERANS MEET
Sixth Annual Reunion of the
Men Who Wore the Gray.
GENERAL ]. B. GORDON PRESIDED

Governor OFerrall and Mayor Taylor De-
Iivered tho Addresses OF Welcome In
Behalf OF the State OF Virginia and the
City OF Richmond, OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
stone OF the Davis Monument Laid.
RICHMOND, June S0.-The sixth an.
nual reunion of the United Confederate
Veterans was opened here at 10 o'clock
Tuesday morning by General John B.
Gordon of Georgia. Thousands Of vet
Grams are in attendance. They come
from the distant prairies Of Texas,
where blooms the cactus; from the wide
stretching valleys Of Louisiana; from
the cotton fields Of Mississippi; from the
bottom lands" of Alabama; from the
old red hills of Georgia; from the shadow
Of South Carolina s palmetto-fery little
state where the first gun thundered
from the summit of Sunderland from
the rising hills and sunny slopes Of fair
Virginia.
From far and near the old warriors,
once driven from their proud capital by
an overpowering foe, come back to plant
their tattered banners here once more
and send thrill of ecstacy throughout
the old town with the roll Of their
drums.
The streets are gorgeously decorated
with gay bunting and banners, the folds
of "Old Glory" mingling with the
waves Of the little blood red battlefag
that bore the stars and bars, and the
houses are adorned with the precious
bmblems that southern soldiers strived
hard to uphold.
The Hall Gayly Decorated.
The convention is being held at the
exposition grounds, about a mile from
the city, in the music hall, which has
been enlarged for the occasion. 80 as to
seat 10000 persons. This hall is maze
of bunting, the decorations being elabo-
rate to the last degree, and consisting
of streamers. festoons. Shields names OF
battles, with confederate generals who
were conspicuous in them, etc. A large
United States flag surmounts the por-
traits of Lee and Jackson over the chair
of the presiding officer.
As soon as the convention had been
called to order prayer was offered by
Rev. J. William Jones, chaplain general
United Confederate Veterans formerly
the confederate army.)
Governor Charles T. O'Ferran then
made speech welcoming the veterans
to the state Of Virginia. He said:
Governor OFerrall's Speech.
Veterans and Comrades:
You were enlisted in these bands who
wrote their names in glorious skies and
carved them deep in the temple OF fame;
who made the cause of the south 30 i'm
perishable and the renown of her armies
so fadeless. You endured hardships which
no human imagination could picture and
no mortal tongue could describe. Your
exploits equaled those of the heroic age In
Grecian legends and your devotion was
not surpassed by Leonidas and his 3Oo at
Thermopylae. In the path OF duty no
danger daunted you, no suffering SUD
defeats disheartened you. True as the
dial to the sun, firm rs the rock on the
mountain crest. resolute as the lion
aroused in his lair, with unblanched cheek
and steady nerve, you obeyed every com.
mand, however rained the missiles OF
death.
The greater the peril. the SITTER were
your sinews: the fercer the battle, the
hotter was your blood. No Grecian PIN,
lanx, no Roman legion were ever adorn'
with badges more honorable than these
you wear upon your manly breasts; u
was neither conquest nor power for which
you fought; it was in defense of home and
country. The rights for which the found
ers of the republic struck were no more
sacred to them than the rights for which
you struck were dear to you. fyou were