Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1901-06-06

the United Confederate Veterans As
ISOLATION then, at 1854 o'clock p. m.
adjourned without gay.
Owing TO the haste with which the
| convention worked wnen Il became
| evident that a final adjournment was
possible, the report Of Surgeon-General
| G.. II. Tebault was simply filed and
read. 1t covered very much the same
ground as did the report of the his
torical committee.
The Parade.
MEMPHIS. May 3l.-The reunion
reached its climax yesterday morning.
when $4,000 Confederate Veterans
marched through 'he streets of the
/ city. with Gen. John II. Gordon. Gen.
! Fitzhugh Lee and Gen. Joe Wheeler
/ at their head
The procession was the grandest
and greatest one that ever took place
l in Memphis. or in the entire South.
[ for that matter. II was composed OF
an army OF heroes. The blood that
, flowed through the veins of its march
ers was the blood that was so freely
spilled at Kings Mountain, at Cow
pens. at New Orleans and at Chepulte-
pee. The sires OF the men who kept
SNfR W AAt VI hAllUtdAc NtnAtIudl were
the men who have marched in the van
OF all the armies that have been mar
shalled in freedoms cause.
The $1,000 men who took part in
the great parade yesterday represented
practically all that is left in the flesh
OF the armies OF defense that were
thrown against the legions that the
North had recruited from the nations
OF the earth. Ii was all that survives
Of the hosts that made Manassas.
ChiCkamauga, Shiloh, Missionary
Ridge and the Wilderness more bloody
that Thermopolae. II was the frag-
ments % the armies that gave the
world and posterity its sublimest in
spiration and devotion TO principle.
IL was a knowledge OF this that
made the great throbbing heart OF the
multitude that CaZed on the parade
yesterday beat in sympathy with the
marchers. IL was this that caused the
tear 10 come 10 the eye and the cheer
from the throat.
Never before in the history OF
Memphis were the people 50 enthused.
The whole population OF the city
turned out and this was augmented
by the thousands upon thousands OF
visitors who are here from all parts
Of the country. The parade, which
took two and one half hours TO pass a
given point. marched through solid
walls OF human beings. who cheered
themselves hoarse in efforts 10 shout
acclaim 10 the veterans. IL was really
awesome TO those isolated from the
marchers and the crowds 10 hear the
constant roar of the Ice, 900 blended
human voices as they rose and fell
like the waves OF the ocean.
The crowd was lavish with its ap-
plause. IL gave Gems. Gordon. Fitz-
hugh Lee and Joe Wheeler regular
ovations and then cheered each army
division, each camp, each biyOuac. the
States, the sponsors and even indiyi.
duals whose characteristics would
make them noticeable. as they passed.
The crowds were there 10 do honor
10 all that is palpable OF the Confed-
eracy When the battle-scar-ed flags
were borne past hats were lifted and
the crowds gazed on them reverently
and with barred heads
The parade was the most pathetic
spectacle that was ever presented in
Memphis. The weight OF forty years
rests upon the shoulders Of the boys
who wore the gray from the first
Manassas to AppomattoX Courthouse.
IL has bowed and enfeebled the bodies
that were once as straight and as Wig.
orous as the hickory saplings. Its win
ters have frosted the heads OF the
old soldiers and IL was apparent 10 all
who saw the parade yesterday that on
ly short time will elapse before such |
an event will be a physical impossi. |
bility.
However. the men who were in |
line were splendid specimens OF Amer. |
lean manhood in its old age. They |
walked with a vigor and with a car. |
riage that shows that the FIRE still |
burns strong within them.
As the veterans marched and coun. |
termarched through the Court OF /
Honor sight was presented that will |
live forever in the memories OF all |
who saw IL. The long line OF march. |
ing soldiers. afoot and mounted. the |
music OF bands and trumpet corps. the |
containing the beautiful spon-
sors, their maids OF honor and chap
erons. the standards Of the States. the |
divisions, corps, brigades and compan-
les, the tattered battle flags and the
vociferous multitude made up a
tableau the like OF which had never
before been seen in the South.
Then there were amusing scenes al.
also, scenes 10 bring the smile in the
path OF the tear. One OF the Nashville
companies had a number OF
ex-slayes and negro veterans march.
ing In its rear. The two that came
last were as black as the ace OF spadee,
but their old faces were shining with
pride. One carried a saber and his
stride was that OF stage hero. The
other had fat pullet thrown over his
shoulder and looked as though he had
just returned from a foraging trip
that had caused some ones chicken
roost 10 suffer
The bands that headed the various
Divisions were OF more than usual