The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-20
GENERAL GORDON TALKS
CONFEDERATE COMMANDER
 PAYS VISIT TO CAPITOL.
old Warrior Charmed by the Hos pitality of Dallas-Each Reunion Grows More Enjoyable
 and Larger.

Washington, May 19.-(Special.) )-Gen. John B. Gordon, Commander-in-Chief of
 the United Confederate Veterans Asso- citation, former Senator from Georgia, the
 hero of a dozen brilliant battles. and one of the most noted lecturers on the Ameri- the other day and spent several hours talking and shaking hands with his for mer colleagues and comrades. He was on his way to New York from his home in Atlanta and his Washington visit was merely a social incident. but he said things of considerable interest to the South.
 General Gordon. though gray with age and marked with many battle scars, Is still the picture of health. He still main- tains a soldiers bearing. whether walk ing or at rest. and his striking figure at- tracted the attention of Capitol visitors he met in the marble corridors. Those who recognized him stopped and stared after him until he passed from their view; many of them lifted their hats and were rewarded with a like courtesy from him: and there were some who looked upon him with a deeper and more affec- donate interest than either curiosity or friendship-for some passed him who had fought with him when he earned the title of The Man of the Twelfth of May
 The reunions?' he cried heartily when a friend asked him how he enjoyed the recent assembly of Confederate veterans at Dallas. Why. don't you know each reunion of those old fellows grows more enjoyable and larger even than the pre- ceding one? Bless me, it seems that we get more numerous as times flies on.
 "The reunion at Dallas was by far the largest we ever had. It seems to me that looked upon the entire Confederate host again when I saw the old boys marching by. They came by the thousands and were apparently just as lively as they were in 1884.
 Dallas handled the host in a remark able manner, considering the overwhelm- ing numbers she had to entertain. I do not believe another city of the South could have treated us better. and I know every veteran came away from Texas de- lighted with his trip. As for me. I was more than delighted. I was fairly charm ed with the hospitality and enterprise of the city
 You know" General Gordon continued, after he had been interrupted by several Senators who stopped to shake hands with him. "there are a very few cities of the South that can take care of our re- unions. Every year the numbers who at- tend grow larger and 1t takes a great big, wide-awake city to meet the de- mands. At New Orleans, where we meet next year, there Will or course be ample for every man who will go. and I predict now a larger crowd and, therefore. the greatest success of all our gatherings.
 Did you ever witness one of those re- unions?" he paused to ask group of friends. Well, you have something to live for. You may see there the most in- tense enthusiasm conceivable, besides the most interesting scenes in the world. When we old fellows get together to re- new the recollections of our wartime days. something is doing. as they say now. and merely to witness the scene is inspiring. You ought to attend the next reunton.'