The news & observer., 1905-06-23
TAR HEEL VETS
At THE REUNION
Maj. LondonRecaIIs Path
ethic and Amusing
Incidents.
YOUNG LADYS EULOGY
Miss Lumpkin's Address Created Wild
Elll us:asm, and Caused Thous-
ands to Give The Old Rebel
YelI---Ralcish Drum Corps
Set Convention Wild.

the Confederate Reunion, Maj. Henry
"A. London, editor of the Chatham Re-
cord writes a brief account of the Re-
union that always has special interest
to North Carolinians. AT the Reunion
this year Major London was honored
with the position of Chairman of the
Credentials Committee. From the
Chatham Record, we take Major Lon
don's story as follows:
ONE OF THE PLEASANTEST RE-
UNIONS.
The Confederate Reunion at Louis
vile last week was one Of the pleas
antest that it has ever been our pleas
ure to attend. Although that city is SO
far North. on the banks of the Ohio
River, and was in the Union lines all
during the war, yet at no city further
South could warmer welcome or
more cordial greeting have been ex.
tended to the Confederate veterans.
The main streets were profusely dec
GRATED with Confederate flags and
bunting, presenting q beautiful scene
and expressive of the sympathy felt
for the heroes of the Lost Cause" No
where has more generous hospital
ity ever been extended at any pre-
vIous reunion. and everything possible
fort of the veterans. Those who could
not pay for their entertainment were
lodged and fed free, and free enter
tainments were provided every night
for all who wore badges of a veteran.
Drum Corps From Raleigh Set the
Convention Wild.
North Carolina was very creditabIy
represented and on the grand parade
the men from no State were more en-
Enthusiastically chcered. About $50 vet
Grams from this State registered at our
headquarters, and there may have
been others who did not register. Our
drum corps attracted much attention
and aroused intense enthusiasm when
ever they played. The corps is com
posed Cf four Confederate veterans
from Raleigh, and they are said to be
the only surviving Confederate drum
corps. They are the genuine article
and knew how to play the old Confed-
crate tunes just as they were played
during the war. They set the conven-
tion wild one morning when they
marched into the vast asscmbage at
the head of our North Carolina vet
Grams playing Dixie. For a few minutes
the proceedings were suspended and
the immense audience cheered and
yelled like wild men.It was q grand
scenei
Cherokee Indians from North Carolina
Another attractive feature at our
headquarters were the Cherokee In
dams from the western part of the
State. About three or four hundred
of our Cherokee Indians were soldiers
in the Confederate army and about a
dozen of the survivors attended the re-
union, and, of course, attracted much
attention as they were tho on'V -
10 ma rn
in the parade with all an il. Iittn So
Cism and elected many cheers from
the dense crowds that thronged the
streets.
Veterans in March Showed Old Time
Grit.
The annual parade was grand and
was witnessed by countless multitude
that crowded the sidewalks and every
spot along the entire route fine
brass band marched al the head of the
men from each State and the air re-
sounded with the strains of martial
music and the cheers of many thou
cands. 1t was a most inspiring scene
and will never be forgotten by anyone
who saw it. Most of the veterans were
clad i'm the Confederate uniform and
Notwithstanding their old age they
marched with all the alacrity of their
young days. But the march was en-
tirely too long for such old men to-
make. being about three miles in
length. And yet Notwithstanding so
long a march very few of the veter-
ans dropped out. Although almost ex-
hausted they had the old time grit and
would not droD out of line or give UP
as long as they could drag one foot
after another.
Some Pathetic Scenes We're Witnessed.
Some pathetic scenes were witness
ed when old comrades met who had
not seen each other since the war.
Two brothers met who had not met
before since the close of the war The
captain and first lieutenant of a COM
pany met for the first time since they
had parted at the surrender. There
were many such meetings waich could
not fail to draw tears from all by
ISLANDERS, as the long separated COM
radeg hugged and embraced each
other. There were two companies Cone
from Nashville and the other from
Memphis) clad in their old gray uni
FERNS which were as faded as the OLD
men who wore them. They carried the
old Confederate muSkets and marched
as erect as in the olden time when
they were the grandest soldiers who
ever shook continent with their
tread. But it was truly pathetic
sight to see those old men marching
by as Spectres arisen from the grave
in their old faded uniforms and with
shrunken faces
Also Some Amusing Incidents
There were some amusing incidents
and scenes as well as pathetic. For
instance, at the head of the Georgia
veterans proudly marched an old typ
ical wartime darkey carrying on his
shoulders some chickens and cooking
utensils as if he had been on q success
full foraging expedition. Everywhere
he was greeted with cheers and laugh
ter and caught many coin pitched to
him. Every now and then some inn
pulsive veteran would jump out of the
line of march and dance a regular jig
amid the cheers and shouts of all who
cr'v him. At the head of one body
of veterans marched an elderly lady