The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-11
HANDS CLASP HANDS IN
 EXCESS OF FEELING
Parade of 10000 Aged Soldiers Ends the Reunion and the Thinninq Ranks of Fighters Leave
 For Home.

demonstration of welcome by the men in gray for the son of the man who conquered them marked the final scene of the nineteenth reunion of the United Confederate Veterans today. It took place during the parade. In the re- viewing stand stood Gen. Frederick Dent Grant of the United States army. The first few divisions in line passed with only limited number recog- nizing the son of the man who ac- cepted the surrender of Lee. But final ly a cavalry division approached and It's commanding officer, old and grizzled, peered steadily at General Grant a mo- ment. Then he turned In his saddle and yelled:
 Come on you kids, here's General Grant come to life again in his son."
 With one of the old time rebel yells the division charged upon the stand and jostled one another for an op- portunity to shake the hand of the son of their old-time enemy. From that moment every gray clad veteran who could reach the stand rushed up to shake hands with General Grant. The stocky army officers cold gray eyes filled with tears and his shoulders shook with emotion as he murmured God bless you all, boys. God bless you" giving each cordial hand grasp. Battle-torn banners were grouped at his feet and waved over his head in salute. One old officer rode up to the stand seized General Grants hand and kissed him on the cheek, exclaiming, hox I father, of whom you are the image. but he was gallant, magnanimous foe, and love his son.
 More than one veteran was in tears as he saw the famous federal chief tain's son so touched by the reception. II Is doubtful if any other north ern man, even a President, ever received such an ovation as that which was spontaneously given to General Grant by the Confederate Veterans today.
 March of Veterans.
 Clad in the rough gray homespun which they wore-sometimes to victory but finally to defeat-in the eos, car rying the ancient rifles with which they defended what they believed was the right, shoulder to sh boulder with men who bore uncomplainingly with them the awful hardships and depriva- tions of cruel war, the 10000 United Confederate Veterans marched in what was probably the last big parade in which they will ever participate. Some of them wore struggling boards as gray as their uniforms. Some were cleanly shaven. There were many
 
 on wooden legs. But all marched proudly and bravely with the fire of great faith in their eyes and the pride of great, though lost cause, in their step.
 The heat was intense-the culmina- tion of three days of the warmest weath CT Memphians say they have had in years. The sun beat down pitt lessly upon the asphalted streets and was thrown back into the faces of the parade committee. the line of mapch was cut down to about one mile and the countermarch was elimi- mated. Commanders of divisions and brigades directed that the older and feebler members of their commands should drop out. But officers were compelled to report that they could find no men old enough or feeble enough to take advantage of the in- dulgence.
 Martial Music.
 Bands from all over the south, 25 of them, were interspersed here and there through the parade, and when steps Jagged or aged limbs trembled and seemed unable to keep the step, the stirring notes of Dixie" My Maryland" or The Girl Left Behind Me- were sufficient to send the blood coursing through the old veins as 1t did 50 years ago, and lend strength to the muscles that age had weakened. Everywhere were flags, the Stars and Bars of the lost cause, the tattered battle flags of the states that chose Davis as President, the guidons of decimated bat teries of artillery and the pennants that Forests splendid cavalrymen had often followed into battle and sometimes to death on the field.
 The parade was led by Mai Gen. John H. Mcdowell, grand marshal, and the veterans, marching by the divisions in which they served, followed behind. At the head of each division rode the spon- sors and maids of honor, beautiful south ern girls attired charmingly and wearing the huge crimson shoulder knots that told of their proud position. Following the regular divisions came the survivors of Forests famous cavalry corps Soldiery and masterly they sat their mounts, gray clad with the haunting yellow trimming, which denoted their arm of the service.
 Sons of Veterans.
 The Sons of Confederate Veterans, sev eral thousand strong, closed the parade. It was not 80 many years ago that the Sons really were sons, young men, most of them, scarcely more than boys But now most of them are getting along in years nearly all of them are gray, and they look like veterans themselves. They, too, were accompanied by host of beau- tiful young women as sponsors and maids of honor, while behind them rode the official chaperones, stately granddames, who,. in their day, too. had worn the ribbons of sponsor and maid.
 The parade over, the reunion practically