The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-05-04
VETS TAKE ANOTHER MARCH,
OLD HEROES CHEERED BY
THRONGS IN MOBILE.
While Twenty Bands Played Dixie,
Fifteen Thousand Living Reminders
or the Terrible Conflict Marched
Beneath Battle Scared En,bIcms
Midst CunbOundcd Enthusiasm OF
Cheering.


Mobile, Ala, April 2S.-With halt
ing steps and trembling limbs, gray
bearded and feeble, with eyes in
which the fire of youth has been dim
med by the none too gentle passing
years, but with hearts full of pride
and joy, fifteen thousand vteran SOL
diers of the Confederacy marched to-
day beneath the battle Scared flags
which they followed in the sixties.
Shoulder to shoulder, with conn ades
who endured together the hards,iDs
of war, to the soft strains of Dixie"
played by two score bands, encour-
aged by the cheers Of the biggest
crowd Mobile has ever entertained,
the annual parade of the veterans
passed into history.
The weather was perfect. The sun
was bright and warm, but a breeze
from the Gulf tempered it's rays and
made ideal marching conditions. The
line of march was elaborately dec
Grated with bunting and streamers.
Huge arches carried words Of well
come to the veterans and from every
building the Stars and Bars and the
Stars and Stripes swung together.
Tapping lazily in the breeze. Major
Gen. George Harrison, commander of
the Alabama division, was the grand
marshal Of the parade. To simplify
the parade formation, a map of the
line of march had been printed show
Ing the exact spot at which each Of
the twenty-six divisions was to form.
The preliminary arrangements for
the parade were so perfect that the
head of the column was set in mo-
ton three minutes before the time
for starting, 10 o'clock.
Gen. Clement A. Evans, who was
TO have commanded the parade, was
too weak and Ill to review it, and the
new Conmmander-in-c chief, Gen. Geo.
w. Gordon, surrounded by his staff
replaced him. Gen. Gordon express.
ed deep regret that the white haired
old commander could not round out
his office by directing the closing
movement of the troops of the Re-
union.
The parade followed the line of
march assigned to it, and counter
marched through historic Bienyille
square, where Gen. Lafayette once
reviewed the Continental troops. In
a huge reviewing stand the general
officers and guests of honor watched
the parade pass in review.
One Of the pretty features of the
parade was the march of the spon-
sors and maids of honor of the Sons
OF Veterans. Mobile has a total Of
thlrty-siX public carriages-not
enough to carry all the maids and
sponsors-sO the sponsors and maids
OF the veterans were given the car
riages and the pretty young women
who came with the Sons marched at
the head Of the various camps to
which they were attached.
There were some curious features
in the parade. A number Of old ne
gro soldiers were in line, among them
Jefferson Shields, who claims to have
been Stonewall Jacksons cook. Jeff
was covered with Reunion badges and
carried a live chicken under his arm.
When asked what he was doing with
the chicken. he replied that he was
just carrying his lunch. In the Vir-
ginia division were a group Of old
soldiers carrying wasp nests on the
end of canes.
The exodus from Mobile began i'm
mediately after the parade, but
great many of the guests will remain
here for the balance Of the week.
There will be a repetition of the Mad
- AoS peii duC lOHlSul, ana many SIDE
trips have been arranged for Friday
adm Saturday.
The official programme Of the Re-
uion closed tonight with a repetition
ow the Mardi Gras parade by the Or
der of Myths and the Circulating
Ball. The latter was arranged by the
cooperation Of all the clubs Of Mo-
bile. There were orchestras at each
club and the sponsors, maids and
matrons with their escorts drove
from club to club, being entertained
in turn at each.
Special trains on all roads left the
city tonight as rapidly as was con-
sistent with safety.
StMTEK III. =. DEFEATED.