The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-25
TO HAMPTON'S MEMORY
A Touching Service and Tributes
From Sad Hearts.
REPORT or THE HISTORICAL COMMITTEE
Most Of the Funds For the Battle Abbey in Hand.
The CON- derate Parade Takes Place
Today. The Convention Ad'
iourns Till Friday.
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press.)
Dallas. Texas, April 23.-The Confed-
crate Veterans assembled in reunion here
today and transacted important business
with a rush. Gems. Gordon, Lee ana
Cabell were reelected and Gen. Z. L.
Walker elected to succeed the late Gen.
Wade Hampton as commander OF the
Army of Northern Virginia. New Or
leans was selected as the place for the
next reunion. Gen. Gordon was given no
chance to retire. voice from the pack
of the hall cried
1.-The only way you can get away from
the office, general, is by dying.
So for another year Gen. Gordon VIII
be commander in chief, Gen. Stephen u.
Lee. commander of the Army OF Tennes-
see Department, and Gen. w. L. told
Tige") Cabell, commander or the Army
of the Trans Mississippi Department.
The election was unanimous by stand
ing vote. Glowing tributes were paid to
the officers and half the audience was In
tears when the meeting adjourned.
Long before the meeting opened the
camp grounds began to fill up and by IL
O'Clock the largest crowd of the reunion
was present. The bureau OF Information
gave out a statement saying that lodg-
ing for 900 people had been prepared.
The estimated number of veterans pres
ent was $4,000.
Gen Gordon called the convention to
order at 1915 and memorial services for
the late Gen. Wade Hampton began.
Chaplain General Jones delivered the IN
vocation and Gen. Lee followed with
eulogy of the lamented Southern war
rior and statesman. From Gen. Hamp-
ton the speaker had received his COM
mission as. lieutenant, lieutenant COL
onel and colonel of artillery. His asso-
Citations with the famous soldier had
been intimate and there were tears IN
his eyes as he spoke of Hampton's re-
cent death.
Gen. Gordon spoke briefly of the dead
soldier. with his death" said the gen.
eral, "a great light went out. No. dld
| say the light went out? The light OF
such a life can never go out, but VIII
burn forever, a light to guide our foot
steps to the highest pinnacle of glory
"Nearer. My God to Thee was then
sung by the audience, following which
eulogistic resolutions for Gen. Hampton
were adopted "Old Tige" Cabell was
called for and paid his tribute while his
eyes were filled with tears.
Private John Allen, of Mississippi,
who was to have been the orator of the
day yesterday, was next introduced. He
said that he could not be an orator
without a windmill, and that his wind
mill had blown down and he had stayed
at home to fix it. Then for an hour the
witty Mississippian kept his hearers in
a high state of enjoyment with anectdote
after anecdote. He was nearly exhausted
when he concluded, but cries of ALLEN"
were so strenuous that he was compelled
to return and say few more words. In
concluding his speech Mr.. Allen said:
at was not the flash of the generals
sword that struck terror to the Yam
KEGS hearts. 1t was the rebel yell and
the crack of the privates' rifles. They
Were the men who kept the Yankees off
the generals while they slept. They
fought not for conquest, nor for ambi-
tion, but for principles and sentiment,
backed by the bravest, truest women
that ever lived. God bless our country
from sea to sea-
At this point there were cries of
wheeler, Wheeler" A man looking
singularly like Little Old Fighting Joe"
entered. He was not Gen. Wheeler, but
he bore a telegram from the latter.
dated Brooklyn, as follows:
Regret that bad cold prevents my
coming. Health. happiness, good luck
and Gods blessings to my beloved COM
rades."
Gen. Gordon then announced that the
hour had come for the memorial SER
vices for the Confederate dead. He men
toned especially the name of winnie"
Davis, 1.-The Daughter of the Confeder-
acy."
Chaplain General ]. William Jones
was announced as the speaker. He said
i'm part:
"Varina Anne Davis, more Familiarity
known as Winnie" the Daughter of the
Confederacy, the crowned queen of our
affections, was my personal friend, whom
1 so admired. honored and loved that it
is really difficult for me to speak of her
an terms that do not seem extravagant."