The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1904-06-17
CONFEDERATE REUNION
Remnant of the Gallant Men Who
Wore the Gray Assemble in
the Capital City Of
Tennessee.

1
Nashville, Tenn, June 14.-Un
der every condition tending to &
successful reunion, Nashville to
day officially welcomed the United
Confederate Veterans and theil
friends, constituting a host conser
vatiyely estimated at 30, 600 people.
The exercises of the day took place
In the Tabernacle, and every bit Of
space was taken long before the vet
Grams were called to order by Gen,
George w. Gordon, of Memphis,
commander of the Tennessee divis
ion. 1t was the first convention in
the history of the organization that
the Sons of Veterans sat with their
fathers, and the cheers from the
threats of the younger generation
at almost every expression by those
who took part in the strife forty
years ago, made it manifest that the
spirit of 81 would be perpetuated
in generations to come. California
was represented on the floor; from
far off Montana delegation was
sent, and Ohio was on hand with
four delegates.
1t was the fourteenth annual
meeting, and the first at which the
distinguished cavalry officer, John
B. Gordon, did not preside. A
few steps to the rear of Gen Ste
phen D. Lee, who occupied the
chair, sat Gen. Gordon's widow and
two daughters. To the right and
to the left Of them were seated
many of the chief figures of the
Confederacy, and charming array
of beautifully gowned division and
department sponsors.
The convention hall was filled by
IL O'Clock. The long wait of an
hour and a half before the gather.
ing was called to order, was enliv.
ened by the appearance of the Ken
lucky delegation with their band,
and later by the arrival of the only
surviving drum corps of the Con
federate hosts-a band of three or
four men from North Carolina. AS
they marched down the long aisle
to the tune of "Dixie," escorting a
North Carolina camp, the enthusi-
asm of Nhe old veterans was un-
bounded. A few moments later,
the Seventh Cavalry Band, U. S.
A., stationed at Chattanooga, came
into the hall playing a spirited
march. They marched down to the
stage, and were escorted up to the
gallery, where they took a position
in the extreme end over the plat
form, their uniforms forming the
only variation to the predominating
gray of those assembled.
After Gen. Gordon had called
the veterans to order, Chaplain
Jones delivered the invocation.
Gov. Frazier welcomed the dele
gates to Tennessee in an eloquent
address. Twice he started to his
seat, only to be recalled and urged
on by the veterans. Among other
things, Gov. Frazier said:
"When that grand man, that pa
triot, that noble Christian soldier,
Gen. Robert E. Lee, surrendered at
Appomattox, he spoke with heart
too full for deceit. On that day no
Southern mother swore. her son to
bitterness and strife. She swore
him to love and honor. All accept
ed the inevitable finality. When
you saw furled for the last time the
Stars and Bars you had followed
for four years, when you had made
your last final march back to your
homes, had babe a final farewell to
your comrades and found the saint
ed mothers grave sleeping in the
family cemetery, the beautiful home
in ruins and ashes; when you press
ed upon your wife's lips loving
kiss, you sealed a solemn pledge |
that from that on you would know
but one country and but one flag.
"You came back to take up your
old work, to build a new civiIiza-
lion, to redeem land that had al /
most maliciously been given to the
negro. In less than thirty five years
unaided by anything except fertile
and and energy, you have attained
freedom for the South.
The South has already snatched
from New England the hitherto un-
record of cotton manu-
The South is destined
% become the garden spot of this
air land. (Applause.)
owe welcome you to the warm
and Sunshine of the
south, and if that is not warm
we welcome you to some
If our good moonshine " Zap
clause and cheers.)
Mayor Williams, of Nashville,
attended the city's welcome, after
which Gen. Stephen ID. Lee, perma-