The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-09-01
THE OLD VETERANS,
THE GREAT CONFEDERATE REUNION
IN GREENViLLE.


United Sons OF Veterans Un bounded
Hospitality Of the People OF Greenville.
The recollection ofthe stirring scenes
enacted iu the sixties we're vividly re
called Wednesday in Greenville, by
the presence of hundreds of battle
SCARED, gray-haired Veterans, who
followed the fortunes Of the Starry
Cross of the Confederacy, aud gave
renown to many leader. The meet
ing of these Veterans was most affect
ing. Some of them had not seen each
other since the sad surrenders at Apo
msttox and Greensboro. Groups OF
these heroes who wore the grey could
be seen at every corner, in the hotels
about the public places where they
lovingly recalled "reminiscences Of the
glorious pasta past to which they
recur with pride, and in which they
displayed courage, and exhibited forti
tude rarely equalled, certainly never
excelled. Almost every command
that South Carolina sent to the field
was represented. Most of the Veterans
belonged to districts contiguous to this
coul ty, and are splendid specimens
of the hardy and heroic men who for
four years upheld the martial renown
of South Carolina. and aided the
armies of Northern Virginia and OF
the West. as we'll rs the men who
served on the coast, 10 repel the vast
]egions raised in the North by the
Federal Government to conquer the
South. The lower part of the State
also sent its quota of brave men to
again join hands. and unite hearts
with their comrades of the war. A
notable feature of the gathering was
that the Sons OF Veterans were present
in convention. They, together with
the Daughters of the Confederacy,
have gone to work with commenda
BILE spirit, and have shown that they
are worthy of their honored sires, and
that the future of South Carolina will
be safe in their hands. 1t is comfort
ing to the veterans, whose footsteps
are slowly but steadily approaching
the border line which divides time
from eternity, to know that when
they have Joined their comrades in
the spirit land the fair fame Of the
Confederacy will be preserved and
perpetuated by the camps of the Sons
and Daughters of the Confederacy.
That the Piedmont section furnished
its full share of soldiers was amply
shown at Greenvil]e by casual glance
over the register. During Tuesday and
Wednesday there were 1, 200 Veterans
who registered, and a great many did
not take the trouble to register, and of
that number the vast majority were
from Greenville, Spartanburg. Abbe'
vile, Anderson, Oconee and Pickens,
What throng it would make if the
Piedmont sent its gallent soldiers to
the coast to join in the reunion that is
to be held in Charleston next year.
While the general crowd was not as
large SIS it was in Charleston on a
similar occasion, this has proven to
be the largest gathering of Veter.
ans. There was in the neighborhood of
1000 who wore the grey and did honor
to their State. 1t was one of the hap
piest gatherings that could be seen.
Men actually shed tears in meeting
friends and comrades whom they had
not met in years and years, and be-
tween whom there was more than the
ordinary bond of friendship. IF the
stories and "reminiscences that were
told could only be gathered in
book form what chapter of history
it would make. How it would put to
shame Goodwin Smith and others of
the historical traducers of the South
land.
Gen. Walker by his hard work has
given the Veteran Association an i'm
petus that it is not likely 10 lose soon &.
One OF the happy ideas in connection
with the reunion this year was the elec-
ton of sponsors and maids OF honor
of the various camps. They were
the heroines of the occasion, and were
feted and cared for by all with the
greatest attention. The Veterans and
their sons and daughters are marching
forward, and they will be in Charles
ton next spring in full force, for the
Veterans will decide to 60 there, and
the Sons will follow their lead. Mana
ger Gales, of the Mansion House, who
knows thing or two about hotels and
their facilities, in talking about the
gathering there. said that if the hotels
of Atlanta had tried to accommodate
the crowd there they could not have
done so. But this did not mean that
those who attend lacked for &C.
commodations not bit of it. House
after house and home after home had
opened its doors for the Veterans and
their friends, and every one who was
there had ample accommodations, and
there was no attempt or suggestion OF
gouging or try ng 10 take advantage
OF the situation.
The Convention was called to order
by Col. Hoyt, as commander of the
Greenville division. He said that be-
fore going On he would ask for pray.
er by the chaplain of the division, the
Rev. S. P. 81. Elwell. With all the
feeling and fervor of the old soldier
preacher he prayed for the soldiers
who had gone ahead, and that the
Veterans would continue TO live with
out stain or blemish upon the record
of the Confederate soldier.
Col Hoyt then introduced Ex. Lieu,
tenant Governor Mauldip, chairman
Of the committee of arrangements,
who welcomed the Veterans on behalf
of Camp Pulljam.
Mayor Williams, as a member ot
the 18th, welcomed The audience for
the city of Greenville. The greatest
privilege that could be given to any
community is TO entertain the old sol
dier. The memories that this picture