The Opelousas courier., 1902-02-15
"a Uniform of Gray"
tB. r. Truth.)

b i tt CIlloi Va ILS SpoAb >os">t
sian does not like the way that the Con.
federate reunions are managed, and at
every call for a reunion he shows symp-
toms which ought to alarm his friends.
He sees Uniforms OF gray" Generals,
Colonies and Majors in bis soup by day
and by night. Then the explo-
sion and he gives n ''roast' to the
whole shooting match" 10 as
mucl, ground as possible this year, he
has made something like a free distrib-
ution Of his annual message, n the
undersigned has been favored with a
copy of the same, for which he returns
his sincere thanks.
1t ia not easy to guess what he is drlv-
ing at, but il | understand him Alright,
he would transform the p~leasurable and
noteworthy Confederate reunions which
are growing in size and popularity with
young and old, and the veterans too,
into solemn bIages for the tranSSA
action of some kind of Cuisines" tlaS
he has not described. Does he want the
isthmiau canal or free trade to be dis
cussed Mt the reunions?
One thing is clear, he would substi-
tute for the uniform of gray "the but
tou" on the lapel of the coat. What
kind of - coat? Now, the chronic OBJ
jectOr is known to have been Il good
soldier aud Il good citizen since. But,
in all candor, it must be said that he
was never considered an authority on
dress and the fashions. Hence his vio-
lent opposition to the uniform OF gray
shoald be considered from the stand
point of good taste as a strong argn-
ment in its favor.
The rules of the United Confederate
Veterans merely prescribe uniforms
which they may wear, il they choose to
get them, at their w expense. Those
veterans who prefer other clothes are
welcomed at tile reunions as heartily rs
if they had uniforms. lt is strictly Ii
matter of taste and preference. The
cost ola uniform ranges from $6 to $50,
and as as uniform will answer for every
purpose, for travelling Or to attend tunc-
lions and parades, the veteran With one
Is fitted out fOr years, anu at less eN-
pense than he has TO incur when he
provides himself with other clothes.
The Old antagonists of the U.C. VS.,
the Grand Army of the Republic, arc u
uniformed body. Many of the trater-
nal orders and other organized bodies
are uniformed, and last, though not
least, our brave old comrades at the
Soldiers Home also wearing the same
uniform of gray'' that the chronic OBJ
jector has so roundIy denounced.
At the formation of the United Con-
federate Veterans, and with the view
of famiiiarizing the younger generation
with the organization. of the Confeder-
ate army, it was decided to adopt corps,
division and brigade formations, as well
as it's nomenclature for their officers.
This is why there are Generals Col
onels, ""MajOrs," etc, chosen by election
in these various subdivisions. These
officers of the organizations are called
to these places by their comrades, with
out regard to the grade that they might
have had in the Confederate Army. No
stronger proof than this could be given
of the fraternal spirit that animates the
United Confederate Veterans. Hence
these titles are titles of esteem and OF
honor, awarded by the survivors OF ar
mics whose achievements are -unsur-
passed.
The United Confederate Veterans
were formed strictly for social, literary,
historical and benevolent purposes.
The reunions are the social feature. and
the general reunion at Memphis, and
the State reunion at Baton Rouge, last
year, show how successfully it has been
carried on. A mass of valuable records,
trophies and ~mament0es, which have
been stored Mt Memorial Hall, in New
Orleans and at other places, shows the
result tins far attained for the literary
feature. These exposes OF the false
hoods which had received widespread
circulation throughout the country, by
which the youth of the South were being
taught to regard their fathers as trait
Ors and bushwllackeTs, demonstrate to
what extent the historical feature ia be-
ing observed. Now, let us turn toward
tho benevolent feature:
In Louisiana, tbe monuments to Al
bert Sydney Johnston, StonewalEJ Jack
SOD, the Washington Artillery and the
C~ontinentais, with their recepticles for
the remains of their followers, and the
vast mutual assistance that the veter-
ans of New Orleans have rendered to
one another, speak better than words
the fidelity Of the observance of the
benevolent feature there. In other
places iu the State, the camps have done
similar work in proportion to their
means and membership. To what ex-
tent the combined influence Of the vet
Grams in the State have aided in the es-
tablishment of the Soldiers Home, and
10 obtaining other provisions for the less
LOIGuDaG0 anu LH6IF Cdunub
we'll be estimated.
In 1899, there were but four %assOcia-
tions of Confederate veterans in Louis
LANA. There are more than sixty now,
belonging to the United Confederate
Veterans, whose camps numbering more
than thirteen hundred, are planted from
the Pacific slope to the shores OF the
Atlantic, and from the Northern lakes
to the Gulf of Mexico. Everywhere
these Camps are striving to carry out
the purposes of the organization, and
the extent Of their work is measured
only by the zeal aud loyalty which ami
mate their membership. The u. C. VS..
have nobly carried out the objects for
which they were brought together, and
their superb behavior has gained for
them tile respect of the world, including
all the generousamOng their foes. But,
better than all, they have won the love
and admiration of their o q and daugh-
tiers; and now the veterans feel that the
records, the monuments, and the history
Of the Southern cause will be preserved
by, faithful and loving guardians, and
tilatthe heiTlooms that they will soon
leave behind them, shall not pass away,
"unwept, unhonored, and unsnng."
LEON JAsTREMsKI.