The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-06-04
Veterans In Foil Possession
Of Richmond
THE 18TH ANNUAL REUNION
The Largest Gathering of Veter'
ans Since The War

Reunion Begins Under Most Enthus-
iastiC Conditions-Unveiling OF
Statue OF Gen. j. T.. Il. Stuart One
OF Features OF the Day-Parade
Preceding dwelling n Brilliant
pagcant-WaS Witnessed by Be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 People
Al Hollywood Cemetery Annual
Ceremonies in Memory OF Confed-
crate Dead Took Place.
Richmond. Va, May 3Q.-With the
largest number of Confederate veter-
ans gathered together since the war,
and the vast horse show building. in
which the convention was held, beau
t&ul with flags and bunting, and por-
traits of the peerless leaders of the
~sNnfederacy, the seventeenth nnual re-
union Of the United Confederate Vet
Grams began here this morning under
the most enthusiastic conditions.
Since early morning, a steady stream
OF veterans had been pouring into the
building and when at 10 o'clock GeR-
eral Stith Boiling. acting temporarily
for General Lee, called the convention
to order, almost every chair in the
6uilding was occupied, inc the benches
around the sides of the hall. were fill
cd with the surviving remnants of the
glorious army of the Confederacy.
General Boiling introduced the Rev.
YETsIIso~ T@o1 1A~~l -~--~
of the grand camp, who presented Rev.
DR.. J. ]. Gravatt. of this city, and the
latter offered the opening prayer.
Governor Swanson, of Virginia, then
took the stand and amid the widest
enthusiasm on the part or the conven-
ten, welcomed the veterans in elo-
quert words to the Old Dominion.
Mayor Mccarthy, Of Richmond, was
hen introduced and welcomed the VS.
itors to the city which forty-five years
ago, they defended against the armies
of Burnside, Pope, Mcclellan, Sheri-
dan and Grant.
B. b. Morgan, Of the local camp of
Sons of Veterans, vas then introduced
and added the welcome of those he re-
presents to the welcomes, which had
already been expressed.
General Boiling then presented to
the convention the commander-in-chief
of the Confederate Veterans, General
Stephen D. Lee. and the old soldiers
rose to their feet and received him
with the utmost enthusiasm.
General Lee assumed the gayel of
the presiding officer and proceeded to
make his annual address.
He said among other things that the
coming of a confederate veteran to
Richmond was like the return of a
~long-absent child to it's mother-that
Richmond is to the Confederate what
Calais was to that French prince. who
compelled to live in England. said
"When I die, you will find engraved
on my heart the one word Calais"
At noon, the first session of the re-
union adjourned for the veterans to
take part in the unwilling of the eGues-
trian statue of General ]. E. B. Stuart
erected by the Cavalry Association of
the Army of Northern Virginia.
The parade incident to this Cere-
mOny, started at = D. NJ. and was a
brilliant pageant. The weather was
beautiful, and the display was Witness
ed by a vast ~cOncOurse, estimated to
number $4,000 to $4,000.
The people We're packed along the
whole course of the parade, a distance
of about two miles, on the sidewalks.
on the pOrches and in the windows of
the buildings on both sides of the
streets.
The whole number of people in line
and on the sidewalks. is estimated at
from 125. 900 t 150, 1000.
There are about 10000 actual vet
erens in the city. Of Sons of Veterans
and other auxiliary bodies, military
and so on, there are about 10000, and
ia addition to these, there are about
10000 visitors drawn hither by the
reunion ceremonies.
At the head of the unveiling parade
rode Governor Swanson and his staff.
Then IN a carriage came the sponsor
1n-chief Of the United Confederate Vet
Grams, with her maids of honor, and
next in line was the 10th Virginia reg
iment. Next came the Richmond
Light Infantry Blues battalion, re-
splendent in its new dress uniform,
and after the Blues, the carriages con-
tanning the sponsor-in-chief of the
SnNc ~ Eyofaranc orI h@~ -NASs 80
honor followed by the marching son.