Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1902-09-05
The Mcdowell Reunion.

IT. was q time TO DC felnem Dertd
and will be too, especially by the
citizens OF Mcdowell, for that little
village was crowded from its center
TO the surrounding hills and noun
ta;ns. including Alexander Park,
and strange, it lives yet to tell the
tale.
The estimates on the crowd runs
from two to four thousand, and to
90 between and place it at three, is
as near the truth as we will ever
get,
They were there from Augusta.
Bath, Pendleton and Pocahontas
On foot, on horseback and on
wheels they came. They came
GLADLY, and after the glad day, they
left gladly, that is those who had
not made arrangements about stay
ing awhile.
Major John r. Byrd to whom is
due tie credit for The grand meet
ing and it's splendid success, was
first man to speak. His introduct-
ory and well timed remarks placed
the vast assembly in happy state
to i, ceive the very credita5le adj
dress Of the Majors son. Mr.. H. IL.
Byrd, an attorney of Warm Springs
which Immediately followed.
The orator of the day, Calt.
James Bumgardner Jr. of Staun-
ton. who needed no introduction to
Highland pei pie, aud who, when
he speaks, can always count on the
respectful attention Of a Highland
audience, was next presented. 1t
was said by many that the Capt.
was at his best. In his forceful
and earnest manner, and carefully
chosen and convincing language
he presented thoughts Of those
times in the sixties that were calcu-
lated to cause the "old fellows" to
think back ward and to cherish even
more fondly than ever their lost
cause. 1t need not be feared that
Capt. Bumgardner's speech on this
occasion, in the slightest detracted
form the enviable reputation he
has for a great W lille enjoyed as an
orator.
The speech making was brought
to fitting close by Mr.. George
Mclaughlin of Pocahontas county,
and then for the well filled bask-
cts. To say that they were not
there, and that the county had been
made barren by drought, would be
charge as false, as would Il rehec-
ton on the ,spitality and gener-
osity of those who possessed them.
That there was enough and to spare
was evidenced by the baskets full
of fragments remaining.
Tue infantry parade, which
was exclusively for the Confeder-
ates, mum bered about sixty, yet
there were 20 or more On the ground,
who did not fall in" It had been
a year since they marched but they
had not forgotten. Another time
Of meeting will not find so many
of them together. Their heads are
gray and their steps are not as firm
us they once were, and all down
the line could he seen that time.
though it had dealt more gently
with some than Others, yet OH all
its unmistakaJle marks rested. Nc,
not 50 many Of them will meet
again Oh earth to talk over the old
times.
The cavalry parade composed Of
confedcrates and the sons and
daughters Of confederates, and so
admirably commanded by Maj.
BYRD, was a drawing card and
sure enough winner. Something
over 80 were in line (The Maj.
wanted hundred, and next time
he will get them too) and the very
gallant manner in which the Maj.
handled them was evidence sutfi-
cient that he was capable of his
undertaking, and was tie right
man in the right place. Whenso-
ever the command came, whats2-
ever it was to perform Immediately
it was executed and in strict conf
plan ce with the given command.
Thus it was that Maj. Byrd, at
ter fashion so grand, displayed be-
fore tile hundreds of watchful and