The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-05-31
MN WHO WORE TIE GRAY
GATHERING OF CONFEDERATE
VETERANS AT LOUISVILLE
FOR REUNION
RAIN DID NOT STOP THEM
Wild Scenes of Enthusiasm in the
Convention Hall When "A Tat
tered Battle Flag Was
Borne In.

LOUISVILLE, KY, May 3O.-Surround-
ed by waving banners bearing the fiery
cross of the Confederacy, listening to
the cheers from the threats of 1900 men
who wore the gray. and confronted by
the waving handkerchiefs of hundreds Of
ladies, Gen. John b. Gordon, commander
of the United Confederate veterans, to-
day formally opened the tenth annual
reunion of the order, which in point Of
attendance, Is already the largest ever
held since the inception of the organiza-
ton, and which. In respect to its well
fare and prosperity, promises to be the
most important it has ever held.
All things cOnspired to make the oc-
casion a success, with the exception Of
the weather, which was about as dis
agreeable as we'll could be. All through
the early hours of the morning rain came
down in sheets, in many cases spelling in
great measure the decorations with which
the buildings are so profusely covered
and causing the cutters and sidewalks to
resemble, in spots, the floor of a slaugh-
ter house, so freely were the red stream
ers used in the decorations washed by
the rain. Later in the morning the sky
cleared, and there was a promise of
fine weather, but just before the hour set
for calling the convention to order the
clouds rolled up and hung up over the city
Tor few minutes, and then simply let
loose their hold and fell into the streets
a square yard at a time.
All during the meeting the rain fell
heavily, and, after the adjournment,
there was another heavy storm, which
made things disagreeabe for the larger
part of two hours. Despite this single
drawback, the opening meeting of the
reunion was great success, the pro-
gramme being carried out to the letter
with great enthusiasm.
OLD REBEL YELL.
For an hour previous to the time set
for the opening of the meeting the vet
Grams and their friends made their way
III a steady stream to the hall and by
Il:0O 1t was well filed. A portion Of the
Georgia delegation, headed by a drum
corps, came marching In, making the
building ring with martial music, and
calling forth cheers from those assembled
In the hall. The delegation carried a
large Confederate flag, which it waved
with yells and cheers. Maj. Gen. ]. w.
Poyntz, the presiding officer, followed
them closely and received a warm greet
ing. The celebrities then came In
string, and all of them received warm
greeting from their comrades
veteran from Georgia walked the
crowd to genuine enthusiasm when he
came in carrying the old battle flag Of
the Third Georgia infantry. Scarcely
had he taken his seat when the band
struck up Dixie and then came tho
old rebel yell, and it came with a fire
ard vigor that never was surpassed dur
ing the day of the war. 1.-The Bonnie
Blue Flag" My Maryland" and other
songs of the war time followed and all
of them received the same warm re-
ceptiOn.
On the platform beside Gen. Poyntz
were: Gen. Simon Z. Buckner, Rev. :.
w. NJ Jones, Hon. ]. il. Reagan. the
only surviving member of the cabinet OF
Jefferson Davis; Gen. W. T. Cabell, Gen.
]. H. West Col Thomas w. Bullet. Col.
Bennett II. Young, Rev. Garter Helm
Jones, DR.. B. NJ. Palmer, and others