The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-06-15
LEE WILL LEAD
SOUTH'S VETERANS
COMMAND Err -IN-CHIEF
HE WILL BE ELECTED BY THE
NASHVILLE REUNION.


Awaited Gen, Lee and He Was
Hailed with Cheers When He APP
peared in the HalI-RespOndec
with a Speech-WOrlx of Sons OF
Veterans and Memorial AssOcia-
ton.
Nashville, Tenn, June H.-Under
every condition tending to a great
reunion, Nashville to-day official well
coined the United Confederate Veterans
and their friends. constituting a host
conservatively estimated at 10000 peo-
ple. 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. w.
Gordon of Memphis, commander of the
Tennessee division.
II was the first convention in the
history of the organization in which
the Sons of Veterans sat with their
fathers, and the cheers from the throats
of the younger generation at almost
every expression by those who took
part in the strife forty years ago made
it plain that the spirit of 81 would be
perpetuated in generations to come.
Almost every state was represented
on the floor. From far off Montana
a delegation was sent, and Ohio was
on hand with four delegates.
It was the fourteenth annual meet
ing and the first at which the dis
tinguished cavalry officer, John B. Cor
don, did not preside. A few steps to
the rear of Gen. Stephen d. Lee, who
occupied the chair, sat Gen. Gordon's
widow and two, daughters, Mrs. Bur-
ton Smith, of Atlanta, and Mrs. Orton
Bishop Brown. of Maine
Chief Figures of COnfederacy.
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. There was
noticeable curtailment of the sponsor
feature of the reunion, and it was an
nounced from the stage early that only
the sponsors of the departments and
divisions would be given seats on the
stage.
On the stage were Gen. Stephen d.
Lee, the acting commander-in-ch chief;
Gen. William D. Jones, of Richmond;
Gen. C. H. Tebault, of New Orleans,
chief surgeon C.. S. A, and Miss Co
rinen Tebault, sponsor in chief; Gen.
W. E. Nickel, of New Orleans, adj
jutant general; Gen. W. S. Cabell,
commanding the trans Mississippi .di-
vision; Gen. A. j. West, Atlanta, COM
handing the North Georgia brigade;
Gen. c. 1. Irvine Walker, command
ing the Department of Virginia, and
Gen. Clement A. Evans, Atlanta, who
succeeded Gen. Stephen D. Lee as
commander of the Department of Ten
nessee.
Survivors of Drum Corps.
The convention hall was well filed
by II o'clock. The long wait of an hour.
and half when the gathering was
called to order was enliVened by the
appearance of the Kentucky delegation
with their band and later by the arri-
val of the only surviving drum corps
OF the Confederate 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 enthusiasm
Of the old veterans was unbounded.
few moments later the Seventh
United States Cavalry Band, stationed
at Chattanooga, came into the hall play
ing 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
platform, their uniforms forming the
only variation to the predominating
grey of those assembled.
After Gen. Gordon had called the
veterans to order Chaplain Jones de-
hvered the invocation. Gov. ]. B. Fra
zier welcomed the delegates to Tennes-
see in a splendid address. Twice he
started to his seat only to be recalled.
Among the other things Gov. Frazier
said:
Gov. Frazier Spoke.
When that grand man, that patriot,
that noble Christian solier. Gen. Rob-
ert E. Lee, surrendered at Appomattox
ne spoke with a heart too full for de-
ceit, in that no Southern mother swore
ner son to bitterness. She swore him
10 love and honor All accepted the in
eVitable finality. When you saw furled
Tor the last time the Stars and Bars.
you had followed for four years, when
you had made your last final march
pack to your homes. haN id final
farewell to your comrades and found
me sainted mother sleeping in
the family cemetery, the beautiful
nome In ruin and ashes, when you
pressed upon your wifes lips a loving
KISS, you sealed solemn pledge that
1rom that day on you would know but
one country and but one flag.
You came back to take up your old
work, to build new civilization, to re-
deem land that had almost mali
iNuSly Deen gwen TO Ine negro III
less than thirty-five years, unaided by
anything except fertile land and en-
eergy, you have attained commercial
freedom for the South. The South has
already snatched from New England
the hitherto unchallenged record of
cotton manufacturing. The South is
destined to become the garden spot in
this fair land. (Applause).
We welcome you to the warm hospi-
tality and sunshine OF the South and IL
that is not warm enough. we welcome
you TO some of our good homes Cap
plause and cheers.)
Warm Directing for Lee.
After Col. A. s. Williams. mayor Of
Nashville. had extended the city vel
eome, Gen. Gordon brought forward
zen. Stephen u. Lee, OF Columbus,
Miss, as the permanent presiding ON
GER and commander-in-cbief Gen.
Lees appearance was the signal for
renarkable Outburgt OF enthusiasm,
Cheer after cheer greeted him. Hats.
canes, handkerchiefs and coats went
INTO the air IN al parts ~ the aud.to.
rum, ana the gallery added ne yocifsr-
Que voice 20 She denomination. The
1and took Up the spirit of the oceasloll
Continued on MINI Pase.