The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-12
THE VETERANS MEET
The Old Confeds Have a Gala
Day in Henderson.
A PATHETIC INCIDENT
GEN. CHEEKS BUGLER CALLED
TO THE PLATFORM.
ELOQUENT ADDRESS BY GENERAL CHEEK
Or. Avirett's Scholarly Plea For Monuments to
Our Dead. DR. Huffman Appeared at
His Best. Enthusiasm Prevailed
Over the Whole Civ.
Over the Whole civ,

Henderson, y. T., Sept. lI.-(Specialb
To-day was indeed Il gala day for
Henderson and the people of Vance
county. The occasion was the reunion
of the Confederate veterans of Vance
county. The Henry l.. Wyatt Camp of
Confederate Veterans had determined to
hold this annual reunion today, and the
people of Henderson decided to unite
with them III basket picnic and in
wife to Henderson today the veterans OF
Vance county and the adjoining counties
of Granville, Franklin and Warren. as
well as their friends and customers in
those counties. To decide a thing with
the Henderson people is to do so. They
send out invitations and the''word'
went far and wide ''They came" The
crowd was here; and how well the peo-
pl of Henderson carried out their part
of the program could only be realized
by those present. Henderson never does
anything by halves. Very early in the
morning the people began to pour in from
every direction and every street was Il
scene of activity and hustle. The old war
SCARED veteran was here. He came, an
old man with many a wrinkle on his brow
and his locks all silvered; but he came
with the old time fire of n true North
Caroliaian and white man. TO look
into his face was to see that he was still
ready to do and die for his State and his
ireside. With the old veteran came
his children and grand -children-the
flower and manhood of this section of the
State The weather here was very hot
and the streets dusty. but the authori
ties. with their usual forethOnght, had
kept their hands busy all night sprink
ling the whole of Main street and along
the line of march. The procession was
formed at the Southern depot at 1880
O'Clock and proceeded in the following
order:
Mounted Police.
The Granville Grays of Oxford, Capt.
Hugh Skinner.
Vance Guards, Capt +. Il. Jones, under
Command of Col. Henry Perry.
Then followed carriages with Mayor
Sutherland and two of the speakers of
the day. Rev J. u. Huffman, ID. D., and
Rev j Il. Avcritt.
Then followed the Henry l.. Wyatt
Camp of Confederate Veterans under
their commander Gen. w. III. Check
and Adiutant Captain w. b. Shaw.
Then came all the Confederate veterans
of the four counties.
They passed down Main and William
streets and Andrews avenue to Booths
Grove on the eastern suburbs of the
town. where Il stand and seats and tables
had been erected.
Along with the procession was very
pretty parade of men and beautiful wom
EN- on bicycles. They were heartily
cheered by the veterans and military as
they passed along the bicycle path on the
side of the street
The exercises at the grove We're direct
ed by Gen. Cheek as master of cere-
monies and were opened with prayer
~ Rev. J. B. Averitt, of Kittell.
Then the choir sang ''The Old North
State" after which General w. ii.
Check delivered one of his best speeches.
He took up the real causes and issues
which led to the war, and right well
nd ably did he discuss them. All agreed
hat his speech should be preserved as
valuable addition to the history of the
war.
The choir then sang ''The Bonnie Blue
Flag" after which Capt. w. b. Shaw
was introduced and delivered an able ad-
dress on ''The Lessons to be Learned
from the War by Reviewing and Study
ing the Bravery of our Soldiers and the
Heroism of our Women" Right well did
he state his facts and draw his lessons,
while his appeals to the men of today i'll
view of these things to stand together
for the good of their State and the pro-
lection of their homes was strong, touch
and pathetic.
Dinner was now announced, and such
a dinner! Over 700 feet of table, built in
a bottom square, just loaded with sub
stantial eatables of every kind. Inside of
the hollow square were additional tables
loaded with barbecued pig, lamb and
beef, fried chicken, and, in fact, every
thing usually found at a first class pic
mic. Between the two tables were the ma
irons of the town, assisted by the beau
tiful young ladies of the place, who kept
the outside tables and wait
ing on all. Here was a battle royal as
the old veteran wed with the young
soldier, and the town and country men.
and women and their children all charged
the tables to capture their load OF good
things
The tables withstood the charge, for
they were loaded with over 5000 pounds
of meat and 5000 pounds of bread, be-
sides the contents of over 200 baskets.
The crowd was estimated at between
5000 and 5000 and all were fed and
enough was left to feed 500 or 900 |