Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-07-21
FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF BAT.
TILE OF BULL RUN OBSERVED
BY VETERANS.
PRESIDENT TAFT AND
GOVERNOR MANN GUESTS
croWnins Event Of Manassas Peace
Jubilee and Reunion Which Began
Last Sunday-President and Cover.
nor Of Virginia Deliver Addresses
Public Reception This Evening.

Manassas, Va, July 21.-The blue
and the gray marched across the fields
Of Manassas to meet each other again
today. This incident, unique in history,
the meeting Of federal and confederate
veterans on the field where they fought
a mighty battle just fifty years ago,
attracted as witnesses the president of
the United States, the governor of Vir-
ginia, the home Of the confederate cap
itai, and visitors from many states.
1t was the crowning feature of the
Manassas peace jubilee and reunion
which began last Sunday with SER
! mon on the court house lawn by Rev.
H. n. Couden. chaplain of the house
of representatives, who lost his sight
while serving in the union ranks.
President Taft and Governor Mann
long ago had accepted invitations to be
the guests Of honor Of the day, to re-
view the lines Of gray haired veterans
In the evening they will meet the old
soldiers and other visitors at a pub
lie reception.
9 o'clock this morning when the vet
Grams of the blue and gray assembled
at the Henry house on the battlefield.
The addresses Of welcome were de-
livered by Col. Edmund Berkeley of the
Eighth Virginia. and United States
Senator Thomas S. Martin Of Virginia.
Responses were made by Gen. John F.
Gilman, commander-in-chief of the
Grand Army of the Republic. and Gen.
George w. Gordon. grand commander
of the United States Confederate Vet
erans. Souvenir badges were presented
by Col Robert NJ. Thompson, of Wash
ington.
At noon the veterans were mar
shalled in review and the blue and
gray clasped hands. The '1ove feast"
was served at l o'clock. after which
the visitors returned to Manassas.
Forty-eight young women, repre-
senting the states of the union, formed
circle, clasped hands and sang the
Manassas National Jubilee Anthem.
At 4:3O o'clock President Taft and
Governor Mann delivered their ad-
dresses to the veterans Of the two
armies.
1t was on July 21, 1851, just fifty
years ago today, that Bull Run, or the
first battle of Manassas, was fought.
The confederates under Johnson were
accredited with a decisive victory over
the union forces under Mcdowell, the
retreat of the federals leaving practi-
cally clear road to Washington for
the confederates, it is said. had they
chosen to continue their advance on
the capital. This was the first real
battle of the war, and it's result awak-
ened the north for the first time to a
realization Of what the secession Of
the southern states meant. It was here
that "Stonewalr' Jackson gained the
name which will be associated with
his memory for all time.
In August, 1862, Manassas was again
the scene of a bloody battle, Lee and
Longstreet and Sykes, Reno and Rey-
nolds fought to a: draw, the battle
lines being exactly the reverse of what
they were the year before
The jubilee reunion was planned by
committees of the Grand Army of the
Republic and the United States Con-
federate Veterans. Interesting events
have taken place each day this week,
sessions of the national organization
Of "The Blue and the Gray and Their
Sons being held today.