The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-05-20
Thirteenth Annual Reunion of Confederate Veterans Begins
 al New Orleans
ONLY SHADOW IS THE
 ILLNESS OF GEN. GORDON
Exertlon of Ills Address Was Too Much for Him and He Is Taken to His Room-Unbounded
 Enthusiasm Prevailed.

New Orleans, May 1s.-Today at noon the thirteenth annual reunion of the United Confederate Veterans was opened In the great auditorium at the fair grounds.
 The weather was perfect and all the arrangements by the local entertainment committee most successful There were thousands of veteran soldiers, hundreds ef beautiful women, and above and around on every hand a profusion of futtering flags and waving steamers. There was martial music without limit and enthusiasm unbounded Over the beauty and success of the day there was but a single shadow and that promises to disappear before the morning. This was the illness of General Gordon, the commander -in-chief of the organization. He was not well when he left his hotel for the auditorium and had not been in his usual health for several days. His strength was not in reality sufficient for the ordeal to which he subjected himself and before the close of the opening ses- sion he was a greatly wearied man. Noth- ing but his grim fighting spirit carried him through the day without something akin to a collapse He was not able to attend the afternoon session at the audi torium and remained quietly in his room at the hotel, receiving no visitors. His condition Is In no manner serious, but it is possible that he may not be able to preside at all the sessions at the audi torium between now and Friday noon. He hon fr he for
 Fair Women on the Platform.
 When the hour for opening the conven- tion arrived, the platform was crowded with fair women and men whose names are household words throughout the south. General Gordon was delayed some what in reaching the grounds and his entrance into the hall was an ovation Cheer after cheer rang through the build ing as he came rapidly down the aisle leaning on the arm of Adjutant General Mckle. He was surrounded instantly by a group of friends as he reached the ros trum, and for time was unable to reach his chair. No sooner was he seated than a fair young woman-Miss Tarleton of Waco. Texas-approached and, bending down, kissed the general He sprang quickly to his feet to acknowledge the honor with repeated bows.
 Gen. J. B. Levert. commander of the Louisiana division of the veterans, called the assembly to order and introduced the chaplain general. Rev. J. William Jones' who delivered an eloquent invocation. Then in succession came speeches of well come to the veterans from Hon. Paul Capdeville, mayor of New Orleans; Louis Charbounet who spoke for the local or- ganization of the Sons of Veterans; Mrs. William J. Behan, representing the Con- federated Southern Memorial associa- nd bo spoke for the people of the state of Lou isiana. After a few opening words of welcome the governor said:
 Governor Heads Address.
 ''Veterans. the outcome of the struggle which you carried on for four long years against the most powerful forces and armaments that the world has yet seen in no manner or sense can obscure the glory and fame that you won for Dixie's land With a total enlistment of GOO, 600 you confronted 2,S00000. Of these, in round figures, 500,000 were of foreign birth, and had Europe been in formal alliance with the north it could scarcely have been ex- pected to send more than this number of its organized soldiery for it's quota in such a coalition. Considering the 100000 negro soldiers. the 500.000 foreign soldiers and the 2,10O,OO0 natives, 1t Is not extrava- gant to say that the 60O,00O Confederates
 
 rope and Africa.
 When we consider these indisputable facts we cannot but have commiseration for the person who would seek to detract from the unparalleled resistance given by the army in gray, impugning the motives by which they were impelled to make this truly legendary defense of their homes and constitutional rights as they construed these rights to be-
 The governor concluded his address by repeating the welcome of the people of Louisiana.
 E. N. Kruttschnitt of New Orleans, chairman of the local executive commit tee, Tn charge of all the arrangements for the reunion, made most happy address and concluded by rendering through Gen eral Gordon as the commander-in-chief the auditorium, which had been con- structed for their use.
 As General Gordon rose to reply he was enthusiastically cheered. His address was as follows
 General 1ordon's Address.
 General Gordon said:
 'sCovernor Mir Mayor and Gentlemen of the Committee. My Fellow Countrymen; NO words that I can utter will ad- euuately' express the pleasure which I experience in responding today, in the name of my comrades, to this charac- teristic welcome extended by New Or leans and Louisiana. for the second time within a decade. To my thought 1t Is most fitting that this proud and patroitic organization should again meet in this historic city which gave 1t birth. The meeting of such men as you welcome today, whose past deeds will remain for ever an inspiration to American valor and to future sacrifices for constitutional free dom, is an suspicious event In the coun- try's history whenever and wherever 1t may occur, but how peculiarly inspiring is this reunion in Louisiana, on this one hundredth anniversary of her new birth Into governmental alliance with American states. A Roman eye would have dis covered in a meeting of such men, at 
 lContinued on SeYenth Pauel