The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-05-30
VETERANS ADJOURN
WILL NOW HAVE DAY OF PLEAS
URE AND ENTERTAINMENT.
GEN. GORDON REELECTED.
MICH ENTHUSIASM DISPLAYED AT
Yesterdays SESSION.

DaIIas Defeats Louisville for Next
Reunion by Close VOte-The Floral
Parade Yesterday and the Sons of
Veterans Ball Last Night Splendid
Affairs-TO-day VIII Witness the
Grand Parade of the Veterans,
Laying the Cornerstone of the
Forrest Monument and the Grand
Rail- to the Veterans at Night.
Many Touching Scenes nt Yester-
days session-Wor to Begin on
Battle Abbey at Richmond.
Memphis May 29.-With all their work
for the year finished nothing remains in
the programme of the reunion of the Con-
federate Veterans save the parade, which
will be held tomorrow morning, if there
Is no interference by the elements. There
was a sharp little thunderstorm this even
ing. and the prospect for tomorrow is
not entirely favorable.
The convention adjourned this evening
to meet next year in Dallas, Tex.
gen. John B. Gordon was reelected COM
mdQQeT OF LuG OluGI WllIlOuL OppOSlllOH,
and the scene which followed the an
nouncement that for one year longer he
would preside over the work of the or
ganization was touching. The old soldiers
sprang to their feet and cheered the gen.
eral with frantic energy. Delegates
climbed upon their chairs, made the
building ring with their shouts and filled
the air with their waving hats as they
applauded him again and again. 1t was a
minute or two before the general could
master his emotion sufficiently to ex-
press his gratitude for the expression of
good will with which his reelection had
been received.
The convention has been memorable in
another respect an1 that is that finally
it has been decided that steps are to be
taken for the erection of the Battle Abb
hey in Richmond. The work of erecting a
memorial to the cause of the South has
passed beyond the preliminary stage and
now the actual building will be commenc-
ed Within ninety days the members of
the Executive Committee will meet in
the city of Richmond for the purpose of
completing details for the commencement
Of the building and the laying of the
cornerstone. The committee has in hand
the funds to warrant the work, and from
now on it is expected that there will be
no more delay in the erection of the
memorial.
A Great Floral Parade.
Outside of the work of the convention
and more attractive to the great mass of
visitors was the flower parade of the af-
ternoon, which was one of the most sue
cessful affairs of the kind ever given in
the city. and which it would be difficult
10 surpass in any place at any time.
Commander Sargent. U. S. N. commander
OF the gunboat Scorpion, who was one of
the judges of the flower parade, said,
after its completion:
Il hav seen many of these affairs in
Italy and Southern France, and although
they there use the real blossoms, instead
of paper flowers. as were utilized in the
palade to-day I was both astonished and
delighted at the showing made. The pa
rade was much finer than 1 had expected
that it would be possible TO make it,"
The streets Of the city were packed al
most to the danger point to-day and al
though the police had their hands more
than full in keeping an open thorough
fare for the parade, the throng was good
halured in the extreme, and made no
more trouble than they could help. They
crowded around the stand on which the
judges of the flower parade We're stand
ing and which was occupied also by Gen.
Joseph Wheeler, Gen. Fitzhugh Lee and
Senator Bate, cheered them until they
were weary, they climbed over the rail-
lhg to shake the hands of the generals
ana made the lives of those gentlemen a
temporary burden as the veterans pushed
eaeh other about in the effort to shake
Inc hands of the old cavalry leaders.
1t was only by the utmost efforts of the
police that the crowd in certain parts OF
tne line of march taken by the flower
parade was kept moving in order that
dangerous crushes might be avoided. The
neat for a short time during the after
noon was intense. but Notwithstanding
tnis and the dense crowding of the
streets there were no serious accidents.
Inc ball given in Confederate Hall ir
me evening by the Sons of Vterans, al
though not intended to rival the great
event Of tomorrow night. when the visit
ing soldiers will be honored by the cit
HeAs of Memphis with a grand ball. was
most successful affair Fully 1900 peo-
PIE We're upon the floor when the ball was
d. IT'S hight Tomorrow will witness the
great parade OF the old soldiers, the lay
ing Of the cornerstone of the Forrest
monument, and the great ball in the
evening.