The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-10-16
ROYAL WEC1ME
TO VETERANS
NASHVILLE SURPRISES HERSELF
IN TREATMENT or OLD
HEROES.
THIN GREY LINE GROWS TIMER
And Taps Will Soon Sound FOR All.
But Today They Are Kings
IN Nashville.

Of the Lost Cause. and around which
is woven the knightliest heroism il
the history Of the deeds Of men
holds forth. One-armed men, one
legged men and men bearing a hun
dred different scars of the terrible
struggle of the '6Os, greet each other
clasp hands, and live once more the
thrilling times when they fought in
defense of their bonnie South, and in
defense OF principle they thought in
violable.
Some are in the old gray. Some
show the signs of affluence and pros
perity; some are from the Soldiers
Home and give evidence Of the pinch
es of misfortune; some are hale and
hearty, wearing their years as ligtly
as If the great war had ended but
recently, while others are bowed and
bent, with shaking, tottering forms. as
with walking stick in hand they walk
the streets and mingle with each 9TH
er, looking at the sights of the city
they visited and many of them defend
ed nearly half century ago.
But prosperous or needy erect or
bent with age, they are Tennessee's
soldiers; the men who defended her
soil with their lives, who shed a glory
upon Southern valor and manhood that
is imperishable and which grows
brighter with the years; they are men
who rescued Southern civilization
from the black pail which hung over ii
like blight and threatened its des-
truction and they are the men who,
returning to their homes in '65, turned
the sword of war into a pruning knife
of peace, and began the work of re-
Mobilization that has made the South
once more a land flowing with milk
and honey.
Are they welcome? There is not
true Tennessean in all Nashville's
thousands who does not feel touch
of pride and quickening inspiration
as he looks upon their gray uniforms
and thinks of what they accomplished
Are they welcome? Go down to the
Auditorium this morning and hear the
Governor of the proud Volunteer State
and the Mayor of the Queen City of
Tennessee tell them in eloquent words
how welcome they are.
The thin gray line grows thinner
and thinner as the years roll by. Soon
taps will sound for them all, but to-
day they are with us, and Nashville
takes off her hat and stands with un-
covered head in the presence of the
States Immortal heroes.
1t is estimated that there are aboA
200 of them in the city. Wednesday !
they held their conventions and got !
through with their business, and today |
they will be the guests of the city. |
Royal entertainment has been provid-
ed for, them. A big dinner will be
served them today at Glendale Park,
prepared by the Daughters of the Con-
rederacy and tonight one of the most
unique entertainments that has ever
been given in Nashville will be held
N their honor. A parade which will
be participated in by hundreds of
Nashville s best known citizens will
De given, and the old veterans will
cad it. 1t is estimated that approx
mately $500 people will be in the
inc of march. Many spectacular
loats and original creations will be
carried out, and the programme will
,e one long to be remembered.
Both State organizations of the Ten
lessee Confederates held meetings
at the Auditorium. The
zig building was bare of decorations
or the occasion, because of the fact
hat it has beeen newly painted. The
'nly banners to be seen were those
# Leonidas Polk Bivouac, of Colum-
ia, and the flag of Cheatham's divis-
on. Folks brigade, over which hung
picture of Fighting" Pat Cleburne.
The Nashville Military Band gave q
concert before the first
meeting began. Nearly all the vet
rams were present when the State
association of Bivouacs was called to
rder The attendance was probably
900, though many did not arrive I'M b
Il after the meeting had begun. Z
President Ewing delivered a few re- Q
larks, which were several times In !
errupted by applause. He said 1t
ras pleasant that such reunions were Il
ED annually in every county in the $
tate. because they gave the veterans .
n opportunity to go back over the s,
Id days, to re-enliven their memories b
I the battles they fought. Because o
Q are loyal to the flag we fought -
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