The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-05-14
THE CONFEDERATE REUNION.
The Great Gathering in New Orleans
May 1922.
Dallas CTexagl New


1.-THE Confederate veterans now
have their eyes turned in the direc-
ton of New Orleans. The following
poem, written by W. l.. Sanford, OF
Dallas, Tex, upon the occasion OF
the reunion there last year Is adapt
ed to New Orleans, and will be enjoy
ed by every old soldier and all who
admire their bravery.
We are going down to New Orleans if our
lives spared till May
To see the veteran army that immortallzed
the gray.
Twill be an inspiration and Il priceless boon,
we know,
To cheer the marching columns that some 40
years ago
In dazzling deeds OF valor gave deathless
theme for song
And taught mankind the lesson hOwto suffer
and be strong.
Their brows are deeply furrOwed and their
heads are touched with snow;
Their forms ara bent with weight OF years
and some with weight OF woe:
But their shields are Just as spOtless and
their souls are just true
AZ when they charged at Gettysburg the
bristling ranks Of blue.
They are coming out TO visit us. these old
aud grizzled men,
And we'll give them such n welcome as will
make them young again.
We AT" going to take our boys along that
thew for once may
The men who III the wilderness fought under
prnrrly Lee
And then the men Of shiloh, who, md CAMS
ter and shell,
In pity paused TO drop tear when sydney
Johnson fell.
And Shenandoah's hcrns too, who with a
rebel yell.
Had Stonpwal Jackson ordered, would have
stOrmed the gates of he'll
And who shall writ. IN epic Of those days of
fire and blood,
Nor name the dauntcss warriors Of Forrest
and Of Hood
OF Morgan. the bold raider: of that dashing
cavalier
''Jeb' Stuart; OF young Pelham, the immor-
tai cannoneer,
And all those knights OF chvalry who rest in
peace profound
In graves which Jealous Fame both blessed
and marked as holy ground.
The puny wars which nations wage on ma.
tiOns OF today
Are just the mimicry of wharf.-the games which
children play
When gaugod by that Titanic strife when
southern NhloG HIlFlPu
Its thunderbots against foe whose ally was
the world.
Then avalanche met avalanche. aud loss Was
reckOned then
BY squadrons and whole regiments, and not
by single men.
The world grown old had never seen, auC
never more may SEQ,
A host like that who's aahrcs flashed about
the flag Of Lee,
And when the shrincs for which they fought
have crumbled into dust
Aye when this great Republic shall have per,
ished, which it must,
When Truth shall wake her silent harp tC
songs OF mighty wars,
Their names and deeds will blossom with the
splendOr OF tn" stars.
1t was not ours to wear with them the hal
lowed cloth of gray,
Nor share with them the stress of march tb,
horrors Of the fray;
1t was not ours to hunger and to thirst OF
war-swcpt plain
And bivouac on the battlefield mid ranks o
comrades slain;
Twas not our fate to hear the jeerH and face
the yictors frOWn
When Christ ut AppomattoX Wept and pulled
the curtain down.
But well we know the story from Fort Sum
ter to the end,
And on our hearts is laid the chargeto honor
and defend
The cause for which they struggled and fol-
which they bravcy bled:
To love and aid the living and to reverence
the dead
To wreathe the sacred mounds where sleeI
those loyal hearts and true,
And while the thread Of life holds out please
God. these things we'll do!
Upon ourwalls three pictures hang-the face.
of three
Immortal gods of warfare-Stonewal Jack
son, Johnst on, Lee.
We placed them with the purpose that oul
little ones may grow
To learn the truth and love the men who il
the long ago
Surrendered all save honor i'll grand uncqua
fight
For homes and country and for what they
still believe is right.
SO we'rc going down to New Orleans. thos.
fast-thinnlng ranks to meet,
Which, ONLY when outnumhercd thrice stack
ed arms in proud defeat.
The sun is fast declining. and the march is
nearly DER,
And now and then there comes Il sound from
yonder mystic shore;
1t is Death bugle calling in some weary form
i'll gray
Let's hasten on to cheer them for the las
time, while we may