The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1904-07-01
A Trip to the U. c. Y.
Reunion at Nashville.

have to start out from PlanterSvill
alone on June 13. / was the onl,
veteran on the train who was going
but 1 was accompanied by son
Mr.. Lon Gates, Of Tupelo, a jolly
whole souled son, and found tha
he was as enthusiastic and enjoyed
the occasion as much as the veter
ans did, although not with the same
feeling. Bnt Lon and | only wen
as far as Nettleton alone. There
we picked up James Buchanan
Geo. Mullins, Lee Payne, Rosbor
Moore. Purne'. Smith. veterans,
and young Mr.. Sumner, who is 8
grandson of veteran, all of whom
are jolly good fellows, and we kept
picking up few at every station
until we had about two crowded
cars when we got to Birmingham,
where we had to lie over until 2
o'clock that night for the making
Of two specials, the regular trains
being crowded but when the train
started it started with the rebel
yell and the singing Of "Dixie," "
"The Girl That Wears the Home
spun Dress" The Girl l Left
Behind Me-" Farewell Mother,
You May Never Press Me- to Your
Heart Again" Ava II Rebel Sol.
der Far Away From Home" and
"Maryland, My Maryland," occa-
sionally interspersed by Il religious
song, such as, "Old Time Religion
is Good Enough for Me" and
"When the Last Roll is Called I'll
Be There, and others. ali Of which
produced feelings that tho English
language fails to furnish words to
adequately express. l will Jump a
little by saying that this was kept
up all the way and those who fail
ed to go missed grand treat.
And now | vii tell you some
thing Of the scenes and occurren
ces at Nashville. Around the Van
derbilt University and OF the cam
pus the banners Of the several
states were ahoab aud large crowds
of veterans were assembled for the
purpose of registering and those
who recognized each other were
heartily shaking hands with such
expressions as, "God bless you" "
"God love you," and when one
found an old vet to whom be was
particularly attached by war Incl
dents and he had not met him since
that time, you find them in each
others fond embrace, two gray
heads together instantly, kissing,
hugging, weeping for joy. tears
flowing down their furrowed cheeks
but they were tears of joy, and
then began talk that lasted as
long as they stayed there and fual-
ly the parting hand must be taken,
and again the burrows are filed
and they are different tears, tears
Of grief, sorrow, bitter tears, but
they are sweetened by the ray of
hope that if no more earthly meet
ing shall occnr that they will meet
up yonder where there shall be no
more parting, no more sorrow.
| have been asked if [ had a
pleasant trip. My answer is yes,
for two occurrences as the above
were my own experience. The one
a boy with whom | was raised
the other comrade who was slight
ly wounded, and who, when | was
dangerously wounded at Gettys-
burg, Pa, helped me off the bat
tie field and stayed with me until
we walked $50 miles to Staunton,
Va He nursed me through spell
Of fever Of 80 days duration and
l parted with him, he to go back
to the front and | to 60 home on a
furlougb, Oh Oct, Is, 1868, and
we had not met since. [ stayed at
home until | was able to 60 to the
front; he was badly wounded and
captured before | got back and the
viciss;tudes of life have not thrown
US together since. Gentle reader,
you who are net vets, can never
know what our feelings are, then,
do not ask, "Why keep mp the re
unions"
Nashville, having suffered much
during the war from the fact that
it was often in the possession OF
the Federals, and as often in the
hands Of the Confederates, it is,
therefore, an historic place and Il
one had time TO take all Of it IN,
they could get great deal of in
formation, bnt on an occasion IF
this kind, we have no time to gath
or information. But will say that
Nahville did its part we'll to make
the occasion an enjoyable one and
her old residents, especially the
Mothers and Daughters of the Con.
eederacy know how to appreciate
an old Confederate soldier.
]. P. STOvALL
The Rain.