The age-herald., 1900-05-31
Filled the Big Hall With Wild
 Enthusiasm.
THE SHAM BATTLE FOUGHT TODAY
Despite the Indictment Weather the Tenth Reunion Promises to be the Greatest Since the Incep-
 tion of Organization

Louisville, Ky, May 30-Surrounded by waving banners bearing the fiery cross of the Confederacy, listening to the cheers from the throats of three thousand men who wore the gray, and confronted by the waving handkerchiefs of hundreds of ladies, General John B. Gordon, commander of the United Confederate Veterans, today form ally opened the tenth annual reunion of the order, which in point of attendance IS already the largest ever held since the in- ception of the organization, and which in respect to it's welfare and prosperity prom ises to be the most important it has ever held.
 All things conspired to make the occasion a success with the exception of the weather, which was about as disagreeable as it well could be. All through the early hours of the morning the rain came down in sheets, in many cases spelling in a great measure the decorations with which the buildings are so profusely covered and causing the gutters and sidewalks to resemble in spots the floor of a slaughter house, so freely were the red streamers used in the decora- tions washed by the rain. Later in the morning the sky cleared, and there was promise of fine weather, but just before the hour set for the calling of the convention to order the clouds rolled up, hung over the city for a 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 disagreeable for Ia lie single drawback the opening meeting of the reunion was great success, the programme being carried out to the letter with great enthusiasm.
 Hall Was We'll Filled
 For an hour previous to the time set for the opening of the meeting the veterans and friends made their way in steady stream to the hall, and by Il 80 it was well filed A portion of the Georgia delegation, headed by drum corps, came marching in, making the building ring with martial mu- sic and calling forth cheers from those as- sembled in the hall. The delegation carried a large Confederate flag, which it waved with yells and cheers. Major General J. w. Poyntz, the presiding officer, followed them closely, and received warm greeting.
 The celebrities then came in a string and al lof them received warm greetings from their comrades. A veteran from Georgia
 
 when he came in carrying the old battle flag of the Third Georgia infantry. Scarce ly had he taken his seat, when the band struck up Dixie and then came the old rebel yell, and 1t came with a fire and vigor that never was surpassed during the days of the war Again and again the cheers of the crowd rang out, old men sprang to their feet, waved their hats and arms wild ly, and gave the yell again and again. Scarcely had the first band ceased its work a1r ,NIr&f struck up "The Bonnie Blue Flag and then the enthusiasm came fresh and strong though there had been none that went before. My Maryland" and other songs of the war time followed, and all of them received the same warm reeep- ton.
 Prominent Men on r atform
 On the platform beside General Poyntz were General S. B. Buckner Rev. J. Will jam Jones, Hon. J. H. Reagan, the only surviving member of the cabinet of Jeffer- son Davis: General w. T. Cabell, General J. H. West, Colonel Thomas W. Bullitt, Colonel B. H. Young. Rev. Carter H. Jones, pr. B. M. Palmer and others. General Gordon slipped into the hall quietly after the exercises had proceeded somewhat and took seat upon the platform. He was accompanied by Mrs Gordon, who sat at his side. At fifteen minutes after twelve, General PoyntZ came to the front of the platform, accompanied by a bugler He waved his arms and the assembly arose. and the first notes of the doxology floated out from the throat of the bugle. The peo- ple at once joined in and the hymn was sung with fervor. At it's conclusion Gen. eral Poyntz introduced Mayor Weaver, who welcomed the visitors in behalf of the city of Louisville.
 The mayor, whose speech was received with much applause, was followed by Col cnel Thomas F. Bullitt, who welcomed the visitors to Louisville in behalf of the board of trade of this city. Rev Carter Jones extended the welcome in behalf of the Com mercial club of this city, and his speech was frequently greeted with cheers.
 He said that he welcomed the men in gray for what they had been, that the cause for which they had fought was not lost. and the south had reare . for itself an imperishable monument. While he was in the midst of his address the A. P. Hill camp of Petersburg, Va, came into the hall, headed by a fife and drum corps. impossible for MT. Jones to continue.
 Fife and Drum Corps
 "I will yield to my friends in gray" he said, land when surrender to them am only doing what one hundred thousand men have been willing to do before me-"
 Colonel Atilla Cox then spoke a few graceful words regarding the work of the financial committee of the reunion, assur- ing the visitors that the committee had funds ample for everything and that if there were any of them who had bills