Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1907-07-10
THE RECENT CONFEDERATE REUNION
AND SOME INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES
As by ,ptain A. r. e'rore

As Told by Captain A. Il. E'Tore'

urn from tho Richmond reunion anu
jamestown Exposition to write YOU
something Of my trip, feeling that II
might interest some OF your readers.
and the old Vets" who did not so.
but have not been able on account
OF sickness to do SO before now.
50 far as the pageant In Richmond Ia
concerned I shall say but little. SO
much has been written BY ADLER pens
than mine OF the diRereAt reunions
that there is little to b said that
would be new. There Is q wonderful
sameness in them all. The same ex.
ercise. the same parade. the same ex.
element OF meeting old comrades
whom you have not seen for forty or
more years. the familiar Hello Rill."
and How are you. Rob-" all go, how.
ever. to make up a program for the
"od Vet" the sameness Of which,
though OF intense interest to him,
holds little for the second generation.
A Magnificent Parade.
The parade was n magnificent spec.
tacle The general and stan officers.
all in the old regulation Confederate
States uniforms. ON fine horses. looked
we'll and presented to the Confederate
eye moving pictures of the days OF
1861 TO 1865.
Noticeable in this line were the old
Richmond blues" aud Richmond
Howitzers." These two companies In
gorgeous uniform made a magnificent
appearance. whose tout ensemble"
showed vastly different from what
1t did at ApI'omattox. after four years
OF hard service and fighting. The
guns OF the battery looked so bright
and new and the sleek fat horses 40
different from the Confederate
shadows" that hauled them about
on many OF the hard.fought battle
fields of the war. Two old Virginia
Vets. whom I was with a> the parade
passed. turned to me and said: Cap
tain. how long do YOU think those
fine uniforms and hats would have
lasted on the heights of Gettysburg?"
replied: AS long as there Was
life left In Virginia soldier"
The unvciling OF the J. r. Il. Stuart
spectacle, though only those who
were very near could hear one word
Of the speech.
Grave Of Jeff Davis.
] also visited the grave Of Jefferson
Davis in Hollywood Cemetery. by
the side of his grave are those of Mrs.
Davis and his daughter. Miss Winnie.
Nearby is the grave Of Fitz Hugh Lee.
] will attempt no description OF this
truly, beautiful and picturesque GENE.
terry. In which lie the remains of
three Presidents of the United States.
and the only one of the Confederate
States, also the bodies OF many OF
the most famous Confederate gener-
ais ! will summarize by saying that
the cemetery extends along high
bluff overlooking the James river. is
beautifully laid out IN plots. covered
with green grass. broad walks and
lovely oaks covered with ivey and
Indian Crr"pcr. II l. very large
cemetery. and has. | will venture to
say. more beautiful and costly mOnu.
,nents than any other in the South.
Battlefield Of Seven Pines.
| also went to the hattlefelds of
seven Pines and Fair Oaks. and stood
iipon the historic spot " here Gen Jos.
j.. Johnston fell. when struck by a
piece OF she'll. and also the little grove
OF oaks to which he was carried. and
from which the plac. derives It's
name Those oaks still bear the scars
of battle, showing in many places the
hraloNers where the bark had
been chopped into b.; the hatchets of
ruthless relic hunters. looking for
bullets. Beyond Fair Oaks is Seven
Pines. about one mile. These places
are ON the Southern railroad from
Richmond to West Point. at the head
81 the York river and are also reached
b! an electric railroad from Rich.
mond. Al Seven Pines there is a
small station. one or two little shops.
a battlefield relic shop c6nta lining
shot aud shell. broken and rusty old
guns, hayonets, swords. knives. can.
teens and old pieces of uniforms, hats.