The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-31
REBEL YELL R%ESOUNDED
THOUSANDS OF CHEERING CONFED-
CRATES AT LOUISVILLE.
Great Assembly Opened Amid Great
Enthusiasm-Rain MARRIED Dec
Oratfons, but Not the JOY.

LOOlSNlILE, hy.t May ov.-ouiiouiucu
by waving banners. bearing the fiery cross
of the Confederacy. listening to the cheers
from the threats Of three thousand men
who wore the gray, and confronted by the
waving handkerchiefs of hundreds of Ia
dies, 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 organization, and which.
in respect to its welfare and prosperity,
promises to be the most important it has
ever held. All things combined to make the
occasion a success, with the exception OF
the weather. which was about as disagree
able 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 p~rofusely covered. Later
in the morning the sky cleared, and there
was a promise of fine weather, but just be-
fore the hour set for the calling of the con-
vention 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
TIC IlCttllS tDC fdlh lCi hNaNAy aho Il "
the adjournment there was another heavy
storm, which made things disagreeable for
the larger part of two hours. Despite this
single drawback the opening meeting of the
reunion was a great success. the pro-
gramme being carried out to the letter.
with great enthusiasm.
All through the night special trains laden
with delegates to the reunion kept arriv-
ing. and by morning it was estimated that
at least ten thousand veterans had arrived
since Tuesday evening, and as all the trains
this morning are packed to suffocation the
estimate of the reunion committee that the
number of strangers within the gates of
Louisville is in the neighborhood of fifty
thousand is not far wrong. For an hour
previous to the time set for the opening of
the meeting the veterans and their friends
made their way in a steady stream to the
hall. and by 1870 1t was well filled. A por-
ton of the Georgia delegation, headed by
a drum corps, came marching i'm 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. Major General Poyntz, the
presiding officer, followed them closely and
received a warm greeting. The celebrities
then came in a string, and all of them re-
ceived warm greetings from their COM
radeS.
A veteran from Georgia walked the crowd
to genuine enthusiasm when he came in
carrying the old battlefiag of the Third
Georgia Infantry. Scarcely had he taken
his seat when the band struck up Dixie"
and then came the old rebel yell, and IL
came with a fire and vigor that never was
surpassed during the days Of war. Again
and o0ofrN tho nhnavc ~ Tho nrA~-1 a~-
out, old men sprang to their feet, waved
their hats and arms wildly. and gave the
yell again and again. Scarcely had the first
band ceased its work when another at the
ME Blue Flag" and then the enthusiasm
came as fresh and as strong as though
there had been none that went before.
Major General Poyntz, commanding the
Kentucky division of the Confederate Vet
Grams, called the meeting to order shortly
after IL o'clock. After the doxology had
been sung by the assembly. which packed
the great hall to the doors, the Rev. ].
William Jones. chaplain in chief. made a
short prayer, and then General Poyntz in
troduced Mayor Weaver, of Louisville, who
came a series of short welcoming address
es, Col. Thomas w. Bullitt extending a
greeting on behalf of the members of the
Board of Trade. the Rev. Carter Helm
Jones speaking for the Commercial Club,
Attila Cox for the finance committee of the
reunion, and Judge Hazelrigg. of the Su-
preme Court of Kentucky, on behalf of the
Kentucky division of the Confederate Vet
Grams. The last welcoming address of the
day was delivered by Gen. Simon Bolivar
Buckner. who spoke for the Confederates
of Kentucky.
Col. Bennett III. Young presented the con-
vention hall to the assembly, on behalf of
Louisville. Gen. John b. Gordon accepted
the building for the veterans. The Rev. b.
NJ. Palmer, of New Orleans, made the an
nual address. after which the assembly ad-
journed for the day.