The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-06-15
Old Guard Gathers With
Sons of the
Heroes.
THOUSANDS THRONG
NASHVLLE'S STREETS
Commander in Chief Stephen
D. Lee Delivers an
Address.
John b. Gordon Absent in the Flesh
But His Spirit, as OF Old, Domi-
mates Reunion Of veterans
of the Lost Cause.


Nashville, Tenn. June 14-Under cv-
cry condition tending to successiui
teunlon, Nashville today ofhcially WEI
coined the United Confederate veterans
and their friends, constituting most
conservatively estimated at Se,eVo per
sons The exercises OF the DAY tooh
place in the tabernacle. ana every w
of space was occupied long before the
Veterans were called to order by Seh'
George w. Gordon of Memphis, COM
nander of the Tennessee Division.
n was the first convention in the his
tory of the organization in which the
Sons of Veterans sat. with their latheIs'
and the cheers from the threats OF the
Younger generation at almost every ex-
pression by those who took part in the
strife forty years ago, made 1t plain
that the spirit of 81 would be perpet-
uated In generations to come. Califor-
mia was represented on the floor; from
far-off Montana was delegation, ana
Ohio was on hand with four delegates.
Loved Figure Missing.
IT was the fourteenth annual meet
ing and the first at which the distin-
zuished oficer, John B. Gordon, did not
pi eside. A few steps to the rear OF
Gen. Stephen D. Lee, who occupied the
chair sat General Gordon's widow and
two daughters. Mrs. Burton Smith or
Atlanta, and Mrs. orion Bishop Brown
of Maine. To the right and to the left
of them were seated many OF the chief
figures of the Confederacy and charm
ing array of beautifully gowned d.
vision and department sponsors.
There was a noticeable curtailment
of the sponsor feature of the reunion
and it was announced from the stage
early that only the sponsors accredited
to departments and divisions would pc
given seats on the stage. On the
n IA r.
ing Commander In Chief. Columbus,
Miss: Gen. William d. Jones OF Rich
-nond; Gen r. H. Tebault of New Or
leans, Chief Surgeon, @. 8. A, ana MISS
Corinne Tebault. sponsor in chief; Gen:
w e. Mickle of Mobile, Adjutant Gem
eral; Gen w. S. Cabell, commanding
the Trans Mississippi Division;. Gen. A.
J. West. Atlanta, commanding the
North Georgia Brigade; Gen. G. Irvine
walker, commanding the Department
of Virginia, and Gen. Clement A. Evans,
Atlanta, who succeeded Gen, stephen d.
Lee as Commander of the Department
OF the Tennessee.
Enthusinsna in Plenty.
The convention hall was well hled
by II o'clock. The long wait of an
hour and a half before the gathering
was called to order was enlivened by
fhe anpearance of the Kentucky dele
cation with their band and later by the
arrival of the only surviving drum
corps of the Confederate hosts-a band
of three or four men from North Car
DINA. 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 7th Cavalry
band of the United States, stationed at
Chattanooga, came into the hall play
ing a spirited march. They marched
down to the stage and were escorted
10 the gallery, where they took po-
sition in the extreme end over the plat
form, their uniforms forming the only
variation to the predominating grey OF
those assembled.
Veterans to order, Chaplain Jones de-
livered the invocation.
Governor ]. B. Frazier welcomed the
delegates to Tennessee In splendid
address. Twice he started to his seat
only to be recalled and urged on by the
Veterans. Among other things Cover
nor Frazier said:
EIOQuence of Frazier.
when that grand man, that patriot
that noble Christian soldier, Gen. Rob
ert e. Lee. surrendered at Appomattox
he spoke with a heart too full for de.
ceit. In that no Southern mother swor'
her son to bitterness. She swore hin
to love and honor. All accepted the in.
equitable finality. When you saw furl
ed for the last time the Stars and Bar,
YOU had made your last. ANAL marcel
back to your homes, had babe n fina
farewell to your comrades, and foun,
the sainted mothers grave, sleeping II
the family cemetery, the beautiful homt
in ruin and ashes; when you pressed
upon your wIfes lips loving kiss, yol
sealed a solemn pledge that from tina
dav ON YOU would know but one coun
try and but one nag
You came back to take up your oil
work, to build a new civilization, T.
redeem a land that had almost mali
ciously been given to the negro. Il
less than thirty-hve years. unaided b.
ANYTHING except a fertile land and en-
pr9v YOU have attained commercial
freedom for the South
Future Of the south.
The South has already snatche
from New England the hitherto un
challenged record of cotton manufac
turing, The South is destined to be
come the garden spot In this fair lane
(sLplause.)
I'VE welcome you to the warm hos
ritality and sunshine of the South an
If that is not warm enough. we wei
come YOU to some of our good homes.
applause and cheers.
After Col. A. S. Williams. Mayor o
Nashville. had extended the-citys wei
come. General Gordon brought Iorwar
Cen. stephen d. Lee as the permanen
presiding oficer and Commander l
Chief General Lees appearance wa
the signal for remarkable outours
of enthusiasm. Cheer aIter chee
greeted him. Hats, canes, handkeI
chiefs and coats went into the air
all parts of the auditorium and tn
gallery added it's vociferous voice I
the demonstration. The band took u
the spirit of the occasion and Genera
Lee was kept bowling from side to sid
fer Several minutes.
General Lee spoke as follows:
The Speech.
TT is impossible for me to respon
10 the kindly and cordial welcome s