The Minneapolis journal., 1906-08-14
REAR GUARD IS NOW ALL HERE ENCAAPAlENT IN FULL BLAST
JOHNNIE" WITH
COLORADO'S BOYS.
Confederate Lieutenant in Gray
Uniform One of Encamp-
ment's Interesting Figures.

Reconstructed from the ground up.
but still wearing the confederate gray,
Lieutenant W. NJ Witten of the Twen-
ty-third Virginia is the sole represen-
tative of the late Confederate States OF
America in attendance at the fortieth
encampment of the G.. A. R. Lieuten-
ant Witten, who is now resident OF
Glenwood Springs, Col, came IN last
night with the Colorado contingent and
is spending his time fraternizing with
his late enemies.
Six feet tall, we'll built and carrying
his gray hairs with youthful vlgor,
Lieutenant Witten is striking figure
in his gray and gold uniform. =,
eyes, I reckon that l am the only
Johnnie with cheek enough towear the
confederate gray at &. A. Il. encamp-
ment,' said Lieutenant W1tten today:
81 tried it last year at Denver and had
such a good time that when the boys
asked me to come along with them this
year I just couldn It refuse.
cam I afraid to mix up with all
these 'Yanks, here, but tell you, sir,
I wasn't afraid to mix up with them
down in Virginia in the '60's and I am
not getting timid in my old age.
Shucks,. they never tried to hurt me,
not lately. Some Of the 'Yanks out
in Colorado began few years back
trying to get me drunk. So far they
haven It hurt me none ei that w; way. ;Gn ,en a.
good lot. 7 rather liked them in the
old DAYS when the only way we got q
good look at them was thru the sights
of a rifle and I have liked them ever
since. Missed that massmeetlng at
Gettysburg because [ was with Ear!y
and Buckman, trying to capture Wash
ington while Lee went up into Pennsyl-
vania. We got near enough to see the
colors on the dome of the capitol, but
the shells came too thick for us to get
closer. Cold Harbor and Spottsylvania
pleasure of seeing.
NOWADAYS, sir, I find my best
friends among the boys who wore the
blue and | enjoy meeting them EN-: ,sp Expect
Minneapolis. ~
George w. Benson of the Twelfth
Wisconsin infantry came into. Mime
anolis from central Wisconsin,. Mr.
Benson has son and daughter-ln-law
living in Minneapolis, whom he had not
seen for thirty-fve years. No sooner
had he left the train than he went to
an information stand and with guide
made his way to his sons home
on Pillsbury avenue. where
touching reunion Of the father and son
occurred.
Fifteen old, but hardy, veterans of
the Shell Rock, Iowa, post, No. 1852, are
in Minneapolis. On the same train was
j. w. Lucas. Of the John A Dix post
at Kidder. Mo- Mr.. Lucas Is a delegate
and is supporter Of Judge Burton for
commanderin- chief.
Among the veterans from Minnesota
are four brothers from Owatonna-the
Waldron ".boys.'' These four brothers
enlisted in the same fife and drum corps
at the beginning of the civil war and
wont thru the war together. Together
they are in Minneapolis and all are IN
the Owatonna fife and drum corps. The
oldest is IS and the youngest is 81.
At the beginning Of the civil wal
there lived in Illinois a family Of nine
brothers and sisters, named Crawford
All the brothers at once entered the
service of the country. Since the wal
the family has been widely separated
Two Of the brothers and one sister
moved to Kansas while others moved
to various places, leaving only three al
the old home. The family has hat