The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-06-12
Reunion Confederate Veterans

Mai. II. A. London. editor Of the Chat
| ham Record, who attended the Confeder-
ate Veteran Reunion, has written a
charming and interesting account for his
paper. II is the best We have seen any
where, and is as follows:
The tenth annual reunion of the Uni
ted Confederate Veterans was held last
week at Louisville, Kentucky, and. al
though that city is the farthest north of
all the former places OF meeting. yet the
attendance was larger than at any pre-
vious meeting. The railroads reported
that they carried over 50, 900 persons TO
Louisville during the three days of the
reunion, but Of course the most of them
were not veterans, being mere visitors
attracted by the occasion.
AT no previous place had the veterans
ever received a warmer welcome or been
entertained with a more profuse hos
pitality. Everything was done that was
possible for the comfort and pleasure
Of the veterans, and never before at any
previous reunion were North Carolinians
to feel more welcome or were the recip-
tents Of as many courtesies. The front
seats in the vast auditorium, in which
the reunion meetings were held, were
assigned to the North Carolinians. And
for the first time North Carolina was
given the post of honor in the grand pa
rade-at the head of the column-but
unfortunately the parade was abandoned
on account CT the rain.
"COl. Bennett H. Young, the chairman
of the reunion executive committee, was
unceasing in his efforts to provide for
and entertain the North CarOlinianS. He
wrote the order giving North Carolina
the post of honor in the parade, and at
the request of our veterans he presented
them the pen with which he signed that
order, which souvenir of the reunion this
writer has and will deposit in the State
Library. Every afternoon Colonel Young
came to the North Carolina hcadquar-
tiers accompanied by musicians and 9TH
ers and contributed greatly to the pleas
ure of our 'Tarheels.'
There were over 700 North Carolinians
registered at our headquarters, and
among them were twenty Cherokee IN
dams, who were Confederate veterans,
and who attracted much attention and
were given seats of honor on the plat
form in the auditorium. Not only was our
State largely represented by the veter-
ans, but was also represented by more
ladies than heretofore, and it is needless
to say that they compared most favora-
! bly, with those from any other State.
The only drawback whatever to the
pleasure and success OF this reunion
was the rain, which poured down almost
necessarily for three days, and on ac-
count Of which the parade was reluctant
ly abandoned. Many of the veterans
demanded that the parade should be had
Notwithstanding the rain. They said that
they had often marched and slept in the
rain and could do so again, but more
prudent heads decided that it would I'M
necessarily e%ndanger their health, if not
their lives.
while the citizens of Louisville did
all in their pawer for the pleasant en-
tertanment of the veterans, the hotels
Gas is customary everywhere on such Oc-
casions) took advantage of the opportu-
II ty to eXtort eXhorbitant raes. and HE
was especially true Of the Louisville Ho-
tel, which was the official headquarters.
"Memphis, Tennessee, was selected as
the place for the next reunion. Among
other cities which asked fer that honor
was Buffalo, New York, whose invita-
ton was most eloquently given by q one
armed Union soldier, who was accord
ed an enthusiastic ovation by his former
enemies.
There were many affecting scenes and
incidents. One was the presentation OF
President Davis daughter and grand
daughter to the immense audience which
arose and cheered most enthusiast cally.
Another was a speech made by Gen. Bull
ger, Of Alabama, who is said to be the
oldest living Confederate, being ninety
four years old. An appeal mas made for
money TO complete the monument to
President Davis and in 4 few moments
over 50, 900 were raised.
MANY old comrades met for the first
time since the war, and it was really pa
thetic to see such meetings. Among them
was a chance meeting between a soldier
who had been wounded in the leg near
Richmond, in 1862, and the surgeon who
had dressed his wound. The man had
on the same pair of pants which he wore
when wounded. and showed where the
surgeon had ripped them in order to
dress his wound.
1.-The annual Grafton was delivered by
Rev. DR.. Palmer, the famous Presbyte-
rian minister at New Orleans, who al
though eighty-two years old, spoke with
the ease and ability of a man of middle
age. 1t is a wonderful and complete vim
dication of the South. expressed in logi-
cal reasoning that is unanSWerable.
1.-THE North CarOlinian most honOred at
the reunion, and most deservedly so, was
General Ransom, whom General Gordon
saw modestly seated in that vast audi
ence and whom 0eaying his seat as pre-
siding Officer) he escorted to the plat
form and introduced in most compliment
airy terms. Loud and continued cheers
greeted General Ransom, and against his
repeated protests he was forced to make
a short speech, which of course, was q
gem of eloquent oratory.
"NeVer before were there so many
sponsors and maids of honor. and, while
they were all very beautiful and their
| presence very attractive, yet the spon-
, sor business was rather Overdone, and if
continued the reunions will soon be at