Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1901-04-26
Nj onterey, Va, Friday, April 96, 1891
Confederate Veterans Reunion.

A reunion OF COME derate Neter-
ans of Highland county and Others
who wish to reunite, is advertised
for May 31st. 1901, near Mcdowell
1t is ardently hoped that, at THAI
time and place, all the Old Veterans
il, reach, who are able, will be pres
ent and that all may have a good
time. 1t is a pleasure to the old
soldiers to meet together and talk
over the struggles OF tie sixties
and of the battle Of life since.
Some may not understand Why the
confederate soldier delights IN keep
ing alive the memories of the war
in which they braved the danger OF
shot and shell and endured the ills
and hardships incident to army Ike,
only to suffer defeat at the last.
True, it is, that at the cal i'ulatlon
at Appomattox, the sun went down
on the hopes of the confederacy
and that great loss of rights and Of
property, was entaied, for time,
upon the vanquished. But what
ever of loss has been sustained, val
orous manhood is the indisputable
possession of the Southern soldier
If the true history Of the war
proves anything, it proves that if
the southern army had been equal
to the Federal army numerically
and equal in resources, the stars
and bars could easily have foated
over every foot of territory claimed
by the Confederacy.
And ass uming this to be true, it
it does not follow that such an end
ing of the struggle would have
been the very Test thing for the
South. TIE reverse might have
been the result. However, the fin
al arbitrament was accepted III good
faith and the south has given UNI
mjstakable evidence Of her loyalty
TO the Union by furnishing troops
for her conquests as we'll as by her
general department. Then why
should not the old vets enjoy day
together, relating reminicenceS and
living over again the DAYS, the ex-
perience Of which, tried mems souls.
Since the last reunion Of T.. VS.
held near Mcdowell, several have
Joined the majority on the other
side. while it is the privilege Of the
small minority to meet here AGAIN,
1t is with feelings of sadness that
the few remaining, witness the
sure and steady depletion of their
ranks, and ills should be received
as a solemn admonition to all.
Apropos, in this regard, read the
following extracts from a sermon
preached before Stonewall Jackson
Camp, e. V. at Staunton, Va, APP
ril 18th. by Rev. James ?. Smith,
d. D. of Richmond, lis given in the
spectator" FROM The text And
thou shalt remember all the way,
which the Lord, thy God led thee,
The minister addressed them Com
rades and friends, | am deeply I'M
pressed to night, that after so many
years, / come back into the histor-
ic Valley of Virginia, where great
war once waged 4 y y 4 y Il x 4 II \
We remem Der, comrades, that in
some strange providence, we were
spared and others taken. Battle
after battle and still "our heads
were covered" WHY was it, my
comrades, that some fell and you
and [ were left? Why has it been
that 50 many have fallen since
those days and we are here? |
can we'll believe they were more
worthy than |; that they had ac-
complished their manhood and |
had not; that they had so lived and
died as to leave an Inspiration and
a bidding for those that come after
as I had not. OF this ! am sure,
that it is of the unmerited mercy
of God that you and | are spared,
4 and days and years have been null
tiplied to US, and opportunities con
tinued, and warnings and invita-
tions spoken, that by the patience
and forbearance of God, We may
all at length be won and drawn up
ward into the same noble manhood,
the same trustful piety, and in the
long last day shall not be separated