The Tupelo journal., 1909-06-18
CONFEDERATE REUNION
TEARS AND CHEERS GREET THE
OLD HEROES.
Singing of "Dixie' Sweeps the Great Gathering OFF
Its Feet-Speeches of Eloquent Orators Add
to Remarkable Demonstration.

phis, has been assigned to me. And per
nit me to say that l esteem this
tesy to me as an exceptional distinction,
for | am always proud and happy to
meet and to greet the friends and com
rades of five and forty years ago. A
king, much less my humble self, might
well be proud to stand uncovered before
the venerable fragments of as brave and
heroic armies as ever stormed a citadel,
fought a battle or won a victory.
Representatives from every battlefield
from the Potomac to the Rio Grande are
here. The followers of Lee and John
ston, Hill and Gordon, of Stewart and
Hampton, are here. Soldiers who fol-
lowed the two Johnsons, Bragg, Beaure-
gard, Hood, Polk, Hardee, s. d. Lee,
Buckner, Cheatham, Hindman, Walthall,
Cleburne and CRANBERRY, Forrest, Wheel
er, Morgan and Van Dorm, are here. He
roes that carried the flags of Kirby
Smith and Price, McCulloch, Cabell and
Marmaduke, are here, as also, perhaps,
seamen who were with Semmes, Maffet,
Buchanan and other naval celebrities.
What floods of heroic memories rush
upon us as these names and the valiant
exploits of the men they commanded are
recalled.
Il welcome and bow to the revered and
honored remnants of armies that fought
battles and won victories when bare
footed, ragged and hungry. And we
would marvel that men of such mold
could ever have been vanquished, if we
did not know that they were finally over
powered more by the vast preponderance
of numbers and than by gener-
alship, courage and proves; more by
famine than by fighting. For four try
ing and sanguinary years you maintained
your cause against odds that would have
driven the armies of wellington or Ma
poleon to despair. 1t required four Fed
eral soldiers, who were better armed, bet
ter fed, better clad and better provided
in every important respect, four long
years to overpower ragged, barefoot
ed and hungry Confederate. When the
disparity of men and means, in wal IA
%eilities, appliances and resources of all
kinds, are considered, it must be admit
ted that the South made e gallant fight
in defensce of her right to independence.
| congratulate the survivors of her pass
ing armies not only on the gallant fight
they made, but upon the justice of their
cause. Though self-interest and power
denied us separate independence, the
principle for which we contended still
lives in the right of self-government. I
also congratulate you that the younger
generations of this country and the peo-
pie of the world generally are beginning
to understand the issue involved in our
great interstate war. Already the truth
of history is coming our way, and it is
not improbable that some of us will live
to see our historic vindication triumph
ant and complete.
81 have the fullest faith that posterity
will honor and perpetuate the story of
your just and heroic struggle, and though
u hearts are beating slower than they
did in the wild, stirring days of other
years, every throb is a conscious memory
of a right and and an honorable cause.
No right cause can ever die. Finally,
comrades, 1 have no language strong
enough and ardent enough in Which to
greet you here today.
"Again l salute you and bid you thrice
welcome to the hearts and Inequalities
of your friends, comrades and country
men here. Every flag that floats in this
city, every streamer that adorns a build
ing, every blast from horn or bugle, and
every shout that rends the air, proclaims
a welcome to the veterans"
Following Gen. Gordon's speech, Mayor
James H. Malone, of Memphis, was in
troduced and delivered an address of well
come on behalf of the city of Memphis.
Gen. Evans was introduced, and once
more the cheers of the great assemblage
broke forth as the grizzled commander-in-
chief of the United Confederate Veterans
arose from his seat and approached the
speakers stand.
Gen. Evans spoke deliberately. It
seemed as though he were rather search
Ing faces OF Ills duulcuCc lOI lldoICa vi
recognition than appealing to them other
wise. One looking and listening received
the impression rather of a personal ap-
peal than of a message to his audience.
1t was as though the commander-in-chief
were searching for the clew which would
let him into the heart of hearts of each
and every gray-uniformed veteran before
him. If the impression was correct, he
was not long finding the response he
sought. 1t rippled out in cheers as he
stepped forward to open his speech. It
thundered in the pit when he made a
feeling allusion to the privations and
dangers which bound them all together.
It came forth like a paean when he stood
before them at the close and said:
"Now you have listened to my voice