The Indianapolis journal., 1898-12-21

Incidents of the Presidents Trip
Through the Southland.

Incidents of the Presidents Trip
Through the Southland.
w. E. Curtis's Augusta Special to Chicago
Record
Macon was captured Monday morning by
the combined 'Yank" and Johnny Reb"
forces, and Augusta capitulated in the aft
ernoon. Apostle of Peace and Fraternal
Affection" Mckinley, as they call him down
here, was in chief command, with Gen.
'Joe" Wheeler at the head of the light cav
airy and "Pecos Bill Shafter heading the
heavy dragons. The only casualty reported
was the loss of Major General Lawton. who
disappeared at Macon, taking his luggage
and camp equipment with him. When last
seen he was going in the direction of Hunts
Vile, where is said to have captured the
entire Fourth Army Corps He is very much
missed from the presidential party, because
he was the only member who could not
make a speech. A new presidential ticket
has been announced for 1900-McKinley and
Wheeler. Platform-a union of hearts,
union of hands the flag of our Union for
ever.
The Presidents passage from his car to
the carriage at Macon was lined on either
side with grizzled veterans each wearing
badge to denote that he had served in the
Confederate army, and they were to have
been his guard of honor and walked beside
his carriage had not the rain poured down
in torrents. Before he left the city they pre-
sented him with a parchment scroll in
scribed with the following words by the
President in Atlanta: "The time has now
come in the evolution of sentiment and feel
ing under the providence of God when, In
the spirit of fraternity, we should share
with you in the care of the graves of the
Confederate soldiers" The same words, in
closed in wreath of flowers, will be placed
on the pedestal of the Confederate monu-
ment.
AS further token of friendship the vet
Grams handed the President rusted old
nike of md
by Gov. Joe Brown. of Georgia, to arm the
troops of this State when the vigilance of
s {ne blockade prevented them from obtain
weapon with long, double-edged spear
and broadaX arrangement, such as were
used In medieval times, but totally useless
except in hand-to-hand conflict They
were better than nothing, however, and sew
eral thousand men carried them in the Con-
federate trenches and intended to use them
to keep off Wilson's cavalry if occasion re-
quired
And Wilson was there to-day, too. "Cav-
airy Wilson," who captured the city of Ma
con in 1854 and seized the Confederate Pres
adent when he was trying to escape from
the country. But the people appear to have
they don't care very much for Jefferson Da-
Wis. The names of Lee and Stonewall jack
son excite tremendous enthusiasm whenever
they are mentioned, but Daviss name
scarcely provokes a cheer. At the Savannah
banquet the other night there was no re-
Sponse whatever when Mayor Meldrim
mentioned it among those of other distin-
guished men who had been guests of the
city
General Wilson-that is James H., of Del
aware, who now commands the First Army
Corps, with headquarters at Macon-nade a
Tousing speech to-day, in which he apollo
gized for burning the city thirty-four years
ago, and told of his reception by Howell
Cobb and Joseph E. Brown when he took
possession. He was youngSter then, only
twenty-seven years old, although the COM
mander of a corps of 5000 cavalry. To-day
he has about 1000 in his camp at Macon
fINF arIA r.I Ir Co.
enth Cavalry which General Custer COM
manded They are going to Cuba very soon,
where General Wilson will be Governor of
MatanzaS. he ought to be made Governor
OF the whole island. for he is much better
qualified than General Brooke or any other
officer of his rank.
The President IS greatly pleased at the
manner in which his speeches have been
ceived in the South and by the comments
in the newspapers of this section. He has
been in the best of humor ever since we
started and never enjoyed a trip more than
this, although the local committees have
worked him pretty hard.
The President saw the last remnant of the
Confederacy at Augusta. II was a striking
and PATHETIC scene: A squad of forty-two
'tgraybackS the faded and rusty
uniforms they laid aside quarter of a CEN
tury ago, bearing the old-fashioned muskets
and wind-tattered, bullet-riddled, faded and
frayed battle flags which they carried dur
Ing the war-waS drawn up before the re-
viewing stand, and with the rattle of an
antiQue drum saluted their ensigns and then
saluted the President. He was very much
impressed. No man in the multitude was
more affected than he, and his kindly refer
ences to them will be appreciated by the
entire South. They were all old men. gaunt
and grizzled. but they stood erect and proud
Of their distinction.
During the carriage drive through the city
and the military camp another Confederate
flag was seen. It was Haunted by some
Barbara Frietchie of the South, some un-
reconstructed, unregenerate sister of the
Confederaey, who evidently does not ap-
prove of the reconciliation of the sections
nor accept the gospel of peace and love. 1t
was her protest and she waved 1t wildly at
the President, who smiled and lifted his hat
TO her with ais much respect as he could
have shown to any woman or any flag, and
be viii remember that sight, too. as long as
he