The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-01-05
VETERANS MET
AND EU[0G|zED
DEPARTED ONES
MEMORIAL SERVICE OF CAMP
WARD WAS IMPRESSIVE FROM
START TO FINISH, AND MANY
WERE IN ATTENDANCE.

WERE IN A ! ENDANCE.
Touching tributes were paid to de-
parted veterans by surviving comrades
last night at the annual memorial SER
vices which were held at the bivouac
in the old armory building. There
was a small representation from the
Daughters of the Confederacy, but
those who were there were full of en-
thusiasm, and they only wished that
more of their organization could have
been present. The small number was
accounted for by a lot of sickness in
the city and other causes which pre-
vented their presence. Il am sorry
that there are not more daughters
here, said Mrs. A. e. Mcdonald, in
responding to a vote of thanks offered
by veteran for the presence of the
ladies. IF they are not here in per-
son, the Daughters are with you in
spirit" This remark was applauded.
Then the invitation was urged upon
the Daughters of the Confederacy's
organization to come out more strong
ly and attend the meetings at all
times.
it was memorial meeting, in which
old grizzled soldiers took prominent
parts 1t was not gathering of
eloquent speakers, yet the tributes
paid to the departed ones who failed
to respond when the names were call
ed were from the heart, were we'll
meant and were the true expressions
of one-time comrades in one-time
strife.
Here and there, sitting about the
bivouac were men with whitened
locks with a load of years. A few
wore the uniforms so beloved by Lee
and Jackson and Davis, and quite a
few used crutches or displayed an
empty sleeve. An empty trouser leg
spoke ardently, eloquently, silently,
yet with much weight, of the days of
IS, and hands to ears, striving to
catch every word uttered by the pre-
siding officer, told of ear drums which
had been broken by the cannon's roar.
A few ladies in black also sat in the
hall. They had reason, too, to remem-
Der those who had shed their life's
blood for the South.
New Officers.
The hall had been decorated with
the Confederate flag, and this caused
many to look at the new creations and
in their mind compare it with some
reminiscent idea of the battle-torn flag
they had loved to see flying, and
which they followed so faithfully 45
years ago. The election of officers
was the first event of the evening.
This resulted as follows:
COMMUNICATION B. Reed.
Quartermaster-H. c. Frederick.
First Lieutenant-H. G. Flowers.
Second Lieutenant. D. Kendall.
Sergeant-Major- M. Scarritt.
The Roll Call.
Then one of the most impressive
portions of the evenings ceremonies
was taken up. This was the calling of
the roll of the entire camp, and when
names were reached whose bearers
had been followed to the grave with
draped colors, some survivor, feeble at
the best, would arise and pay tribute.
In one case, when the name Of de-
parted one was called, it was an
nounced that the comrade who was to
have responded for him was very i'll
himself, and that he, too, may be dead
at any moment. In fact, his life had
almost been despaired Of This was
in the case of asMr. Suarez. Out Of
the hundred names or more called,
fifteen had died, but the death roll
since the last memorial meeting had
amounted to a dozen. Those who
were reported dead, and who received
a word tribute were: A. c. Berry, H.
Baars, Geo. w. Curtis, J. M. Davis, ].
w. Dixon, r. M. Gray, William Kirk,
]. L. Matthews, S. R. Mallory (whose
tribute was spoken a year ago., J. c.
Peb1ey, John Rupert, Frank Touart,
R. H. Turner (who was also given a
tribute before), A. Villar, Isaac WEIGH,
the oldest veteran.
Some Word Tributes.
The name of w. E. Anderson was
the first called. He had been memo
rialized before, but the fact that the
first name called was that of a vet
eran soldier whose life work had end
ed impressed upon the survivors the
surety of death, the frailty of life.
w. L. Witch, speaking for A. C.
Berry, deceased, said: "A. c. Berry
was born October II, 1916. He en-
listed at Selma, Ala, in the Govern
or's Guards, Capt. Gouldsby), 4th Ala
bama in April, 1851, at the age of IA
years. He served in the Army of
Northern Virginia until Lee made a
raid through Maryland. Because he
was so small Capt. Gouldsby sent him
home because he was afraid he would
get lost But on account of his rest
less spirit he could not stay at home
and returned to service in three
months, getting place with Gid. Mel
sons artillery. from Uniontown, Ala,
Capt. Seldom, commanding. He saw
some service around Mobile and finally
in the Army of Tennessee, and served
as a courier for some command from
Nashville to Atlanta. He never had
furIough during the entire time of his