The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-12-22
CONFEDERATE REUNION.

VON66OGnAU6 nGONbONs
The Veterans, Daughters and Spon-
sors All Have Big Time in Jack
sonviIIe. The Meeting a
Grand Success.
United Confederate Veterans held in
jacksonville on December the thir-
teenth and fourteenth was a most de-
lightful and splendid one in every res
pect-with the exception of the bad
weather the last day. The reunion
was very largely attended and the vet
Grams were very enthusiastic over the
meeting. Ccala and Marion county
we're well represented.
The meetings were held in the
Board of Trade rooms. which were
very attractively and artistically dec
grated for this happy time.
Commander Ballatine and Col. F. L.
Robertson presided at the sessions
and Bishop Weed. the regimental
chaplain opened the meeting with a
beautiful prayer.
Beautiful addresses of welcome were
read by Mayor Nolan and Mai. Will
liams, commander of the r. f. Lee
camp, which were ably responded to
by Gen. Jewell, of Orlando.
The annual address was made by
Hon. W. L. Palmer. of Orlando. and
a very brilliant and splendid speech
it was.
he civ To he vote nc
by the Martha Reid chapter,U. D. c.,
was the supreme event of the reun-
ion. A beautiful musical program was
given and all the pent-up enthusiasm
Of the brave old soldiers of the South
was given free rein. ALI the emotions
and feelings engendered by the MEM
Org of the stirring scenes Of forty
years ago swept in unrestrained tu-
multi through the audience time after
time; and again and again the gray
clad heroes leaped to their feet, cheer
ing wildly, waving hats and canes in
mad abandon. and sounding again and
again the famous Confederate YELL"
The scene was an affecting one. The
old soldiers. many Of them bent and
feeble with age were present and old
friendships were renewed, old memoir
les were revived, and fancy again
painted the scenes first enacted in the
pickering light of campfires. or in the
glare and tumult of the fray.
Again and again during the evening
Dixie was called for and the enthu-
siasm was intense Later on in the
evening a delicious supper was served
TO the veterans and visitors.
AS has already been announced in
these columns, Ex-Governor Francis
p Fleming of Jacksonville was unan-
imously elected general commander of
the Florida veterans and this is GER
tainly an honor wOrthily bestowed
Notes.
The sponsors and maidS-Of-hOnOr
were very royalty entertained during
the reunion and the various festiv-
tiles planned for them were verv
charming.
On Wednesday afternoon they were
the guests of honor at a tea and dance
at the country club given by the
Jacksonville sponsors and maids and
on Thursday morning Mr.. and Mrs.
c. B. Rogers rendered them a water
party on the launch Regina. The ten
mile trip down the ST. Johns river
was very greatly enjoyed and was a
lovely treat 10 the young ladies.
On Thursday evening a grand ball
was given the sponsors and maids at
+. the armory and it was a very mag
nificent climax to a very memorable
occasion.
On account of the very diSagreeable
weather the parade planned for
Thursday afternoon was called off,
which was great disappointment.
A pleasing incident was the presen-
tarion of a medal to Mr.. F. NJ. IRON
monger, of Jacksonville, the youngest
soldier in the Confederate army. The
presentation speech was made by Miss
Olive Munnedyn.
A letter was received during the
reunion announcing the critical illness
of Mrs. ]. j. Dickson, and consequent
ly her inability to attend the reunion.
A very sad occurrence of the re-
union was the sudden death on Thurs
day night of Captain ]. j. Thompson,
of Gainesville at the home of Cover
nor Fleming. He was attacked with
heart failure and died quite sudden
ly. The deceased was brother of
the late Senator j. Naylor Thompson,
of Nassau county and also of Louis
Thompson of Lake City.
The old Florida Confederate battle
flags were brought down from ITALIA
hassee and graced the convention
hall during the reunion
Grip Quickly Knocked Out.