New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-01
At Opening Reunion the OLD
Troopers Are Greeted by
Women Who Welcomed
Them so Years Ago.
SING AS THEY DID THEN
Five State Executives Reach
the Field, and Aged Men in
Gray Shake the Trees with
Their Rebel Yell' for
Governor Mann.

! ~'@Ahhs
GFrOm STAFF Correspondent OF The tribunal
Gettysburg, Penn. June 30.-The re-
union Of the Gettysburg graduates,
class of SO, started thfs afternoon with
q stirring session in the big tent under
the direction Of the 9th New York Cav
airy, part Of Buford's famous command
These were the boys who, on June 30.
1863, fifty years ago to- day. swept into
the village on their dusty horses and
earned the undying gratitude OF the
townspeople. Some of the children and
glri5 who turned out in white dresses
on that tense evening. who strewed the
soldiers path with flowers and sang
John Browns Body" and Rally
Round the Flag" for them. gathered in
the tent to greet them to-day
The reception, while possessing such
an acute interest for these old troopers
and the girls with whom they fiirted on
the very eve of battle brought together
also the survivors of several other cav
airy division in the Army Of the Po-
| tomac and of several cavalry commands
in the Confederate Army Of Northern
Virginia. Altogether the old soldiers
gathered thousand strong, grouping
themselves on one section Of the huge
grandstand which rises on the sides of
the tent.
| Captain Adams opened the cers-
monies by relating some of the Incl
dents Of that afternoon and evening
long ago when he entered Get sburg
for the first time. Major Jerome b. Ed
wards Joined him at the foot of the
grandstand to announce that no set
programme had been provided and to
urge all to make the occasion a sue
cess by making it also entirely I'M
promptu
For his part, the major said, he
wished nrst TO welcome the six elderly
women who represented that regiment
of little girls and young women who
touched his heart and the hearts OF MS
comrades on their arrival In Gettys9org
a half century before. He called them
by name-Mrs. Salome Steward Mrs.
Sally Hearns, Miss Carrie Young. Mrs.
Steads. Mrs. Rupp and Mrs. William
Tawney.
Greeted After Fifty Years.
"rf absence makes the heart grow
fonder." said Major Edwards, our
hearts go out to you as we look into
vour dear faces after an absence OF
dftv wears. We left you sorrowfully
and regretfully, and now we come from
all parts of the country to tender our
regrets that our stay was so oriet ana
our absence so long
Major Edwards added that he Was
sure that every one would IKE 10
hear these women, who sang courage
into their hearts on that otner aay'
repeat their songs to-day.
chorus of cracked male voices
ochood his suggestion, and Of course
the women demurred. Mrs. steward
remarked that these girls OF ntty
vears ago could not sing now as they
could then. but voice piped up: "lf
isn,t so much the singing as the sing
ers We want"
| Tlen the ~
United States Cavalry band hao an
inspiration With wave OF mis- patton
and a nod at his musicians, the latter
hogan playing so softly that II nurt
the tune those singers knew so We'll
"RaI,v Round the Flag" The veter.
ans shouted "Hurrah for the girls OF
So"
The music died ~ut as delicately as
Il had begun, and before those girls
of '63" knew what they were apoul
they had risen in their seats and hao
begun TO sing tho old favorite.
They sang clearly and WELL whue
the old veterans stood in enraptureo
silence. all except one old man VINO
insisted upon talking for oriet mo-
,oant mr. two until he was made clear
" to understand that he was IN I'M
minent danger of being iynched. An
other veteran who forgot to remove
bic hat had II knocked off his head.
,nd when those dear old girls"
had finished their song and the wild
,nn,ause had ceased, the band played
tho time again and the old men piped
nm but with all their numbers and
greater volume they had TO acknowl-
edge that they fell far short OF the
high standard set by their Gettys-
burg sweethearts.
Ready to Renew FIirtations.
Are you one of the girls who stood
on the drygoods box at the corner
, when l rode by?' was one of the mr.
tatious suggestions flung at the won-
en- from the group of veterans. An
other admirer handed out his card 10
, them. A tall Virginian in gray
greeted them with the rebel war
whoop. and everybody eheered him
, and them.
D Major Wheeler called for volunteer
speakers. and a veteran who said he
had belonged TO the Sth Illinois cav
) airy got up to say that he wished to
thank the women, and that he never
would forget TO the end of his days
? the reception they gave the cnion
troopers the day before the battle. lie
l I'D. ho,na 10 said bit OF UuE~