The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-10-08
PATRIOTISM RAN RIOT.
Great Scene at Gathering of Missouri Ex-
Confederates.

! From the st. Louis Globe Democrat.
II think said General d. H. Mcintyre
ex-attorney general of Missouri. at his
home in Mexico, Mo-, two or three days
ago, that General Joseph Wheeler must
be the happiest man in the United States
today He has had an opportunity to
manifest his loyalty to his country"
That was the sentiment that re-eehoed
federates at Sedalia on September 30. There
| have been ex-confederate reunions in Mis-
souri,, but never one which breathed of the
| spirit this one did. A peculiar intensity
| prevailed nthe manifestation of patriotism
by the veterans at Sedal.a. One could see
! it and hear it at all tines. The spirit
was that of rejoicing over a united coun-
| try.
United" said Captain Frank Gaiennie,
| of St. Louis, 's the word, not reunited.
The union now IS something that never ex-
listed before. And so say united is the
| word The American people are united in
a sense they have not until now realized
|
When Colonel Charles Coffin, of Arkan,
sas was presented to deliver the address,
| he began:
| "Veterans of the confederacy of the di-
vision of Missouri, SOLDIERS of the present
war, members of the Grand Army of the
Republic, citizens all of the greatest ma
ton of the world, l greet you here today"
The scene was one to inspire an orator.
The long column had marched from the
center of the city out to Liberty park.
Mark the appropria teness of the name for
the occasion. Wearing the service uniforms
of the United States army company of
the Fifth Missouri was escort for the con-
federate veterans. The United States vol
unteers were headed by their captain, j.
j. Fulkerson, carrying his sword and wear
ing on his blue coat the badge of his camp
as a confederate veteran. Then came the
line of men who had worn the gray. No
uniforms now, grizzled, stoop-shouldered,
hating of STEP came the men who had fol-
lowed Price and Shelby. And after the
confederates marched the Sedalia post of
the Grand Army of the Republic. No con-
federate flag was carried. over the long
line of the confederates foated a single
"Reminiscences of the war, battle flag with
its crossed bars, celebrating the valor of
confederate sold ers not the organization
of confederate government The United
States soldiers carried the stars and
stripes. So also did the Grand Army men.
MANY of the confederates WORE pinned
upon the lapels of their coats, small Amer
lean flags.
No happier tribute to the fine spirit of
the gathering and to the extraordinary dis
play of PATRIOTISM was pau tudh thdI
which came from Judge CAN'T, of the state
supreme court, just before the reunion
closed.
"Have you thought he said, what
momentous sight that was as three dis
tinct organizations marched together down
tbe streets of Sedala yesterday? There
were the young heroes of the present war;
YOU, the veterans of the confederate army,
| and the remnants of the Grand Army of
| the republic all marching in the same step
| and to the same music. Proud as l am
| that 1 am from the south, proud as L am
| that I followed Jackson I feel still prouder
| today that live in country that has the
| manlness to forget the past and to live In
| the future No other people on the globe
| could have lived through what we did,
| come out ruined as we did, and in the short
| space of thirty-three years could have re-
| built homes factories, schools, churches;
| in brief have rehabilitated themselves, and
| then shaken hands with the men who
| wrought the destruction"