The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-06-25
CRANDEST OF ALL PARADES.
Ten Thousand Confederate Veterans in
the Line Of March.
AN HUNDRED THOUSAND SPECTATORS
Crowded the Route and Cheered Them To
the Distinguished Generals and
Beautiful Women Graced the Oc-
acknowledging Exercises.

L "
| NASHVILLE, TENN. June A.-The
| parade of the United Confederate Nete-
rams to-day, the closing event Of the re-
union. in which more than ton thou
sand took part, was the largest in the
history Of the organization. and one
of the greatest ever seen in this city
The streets were densely crowded
The Stars and Stripes and the Con-
federate flag were conspicuous in the
| long line that reached from the puplc
square to the Tennessee Centennial En-
| position gates.
one hundred thousand people had col
lected to see the parade. Nothing IN
the history Of Nashville has equalled the
! outpouring; never was there such a pro-
| cessOn. On the faces of lOOkcrs-on ana
! on some of the bent figures stepping
| briskly and proudly could be seen the
! suggestion tha; never again would there
be such another parade. The line started
| promptly, police on horseback clearing
| the way, and from start TO finish the be-
| OF order prevailed. All vehicles kept OIL
| the streets included in the line Of march
and the street cars stopped running.
MASS OF CHEERING PEOPLE.
| The parade was cheerfully accorded tnc
| full right OF way. From the starting
\ point the custom house. the center Of
| the city. around the public square, out
| Broad street to Vanderbilt University
| where the parade broke ranks, dense
mass OF enthusiastic. cheering people
| greeted the old soldiers. their generals
| and the beautiful women who took part.
| The citizens OF Nashville were both
| welcoming and speeding their parting
| guests. and they did it with wnole-souled
| cordiaity. inspiring the witness. Gene
| raj Jackson, of Nashville, chief marshal,
| headed the procession. his stan consisting
| Of distinguished men. Commandcr-in-
| chief John e. Gordon and staff came
next with the Savannah Hussars rs an
escort. General Vaughn, the new Major
| General OF the Tennessee Division fol-
| lowed Then came the State divisions,
| each division proceeded by sponsors.
maids-of-honors and invited guests. beau
tifully attired IN. summer costumes. South
| Carolina, Mississippi. Florida, Alabama,
| Georgia. Louisiana. Virginia Arkansas,
| Missouri Kentucky Maryland. Indian
| Territory. New York. Illinois, North car
| olina, Texas. oklahoma. West Virginia,
District OF Columbia, all had veterans in
| line.
The Sons OF Confederate Veterans also
| marched and were commanded by Robert
| j. Smythe of Charleston, the newly
elected commander.
| DAUGHTERS OF THE CONFED-
ERACY
| The Daughters OF the Confoderacy were
| present in large numbers and rode I'm car
! rages. General Bate. General Joseph
| Wheeler and General Buckner were in
| carriages at the head Of the Tennessee
| division. General \. y. Stewart. Gene
| w. B. Bate proceeded them in a car
| rage Judge Reagan and General John
:. Ford rode with the Texas division
| Mrs A. T. Stewart. Robert f.. Lee, and
| John II. Polk aroused continued cheers.
| General Stephen ID. Lee was easily rec
| OgniZed.
With their respective divisions. the
| commanding officers from each State
| rode by and as they were recognized
shouts went up and as little bands who
marched along bearing the tattered flags
| Inscribed with the names Of bloody bat
| tlefields.
From the time the South Carolina
troops, bearing palmetto branches. start
cd 10 the music OF Dixie. all down the
line until Tennessee's troops passed the
| stand wnere General Gordon. for one hour
| and a half saluted the passing posts, the
| air was rent with cheers, with drum
! beats, Duglc blasts and music by bands
! And though at noon rain fell In torrents,
veterans, sponsors, maids of honor, gem
! erals and priyates stood 10 their posts
and wnen the storm had passed. resumed
| the line of march.
As was 10 be expected, the Tennessee
division was the largest, but the ad-
| Joining States furnished thousands. and
! from the distant ones the attendance
was heavy. After passing the reviewing
| stand the parade was dismissed and the
| bright sunshine soon removed the traces
| o. the rain storm
THE CLOSING EXERCISES.
Though the rain storm had bedragsled
the flags and banners enthusiasm was
not dampened. and IN a short time the
! streets we're again thronged, and Of the
thousands the major portion OF whom
! were travelling 10 the auditorium 10 lis
ten To the speeches and witness the closL
! ing exercises OF the afternoon and eve
| ming The afternoon was also "a general
| holiday and the line OF march was hdnd-
| soneiy decorated. The veterans were not
| all In uniform, though a large number
| IN each division wore the uniforms oi the
| days OF battle.
| Each State was represented IA the .N'r-
| cses al the auditorium by dci'Sh'r7' IN"
| friends. and a speaker selected IOi th'
| occasion The speeches were short nut
| excellent. suited to the occasion. ana M'Ie
! received with rounds Of applause zap
| tain j. b. O Brien presided. s.o,,
| lnoua the speakers were men ii"li
| every state and so great was tne 'itn"
| siasm OF the vast audience ~hl'ii pa,,nr,r
| the auditorium that II was after SiosH
| before the last speech was made ana IN"
| last note of A southern melody foated out,
| telling those who could not get IN the
| building that the joyous and successful
| Jubilee was ended. "A.
| Tonight the same vast throng wit
| messed the irework prepared for the o'ca-
| sfon and listened 10 the rendering Of an
| other southern programme by lnnes
Band.
| While old Confederate flags. regimeniAl
| facs tattered and torn. appeared In the
| decorations and in tho parade. equally
| prominent at every tnrn was the StarS
| and Stripes and I'm the paradc the ma
| finnal standard was seen in every direc-
ti0u g., -,
| II ~ tho unanimous verdict ~ rN thHf
| tho reunion was the most successful YET
| held.