Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-06

Within the tents there was al
ways conversation. Not even in the
dead Of the night did it cease The
talk was Of charges and Of retreats.
of maneuVerS that have become more
and more heroic now that the years
have passed-but mostly as is the
way Of veterans the world over. Of
personal prowcss and adventure.
Camp fires We're lighted in rows
that stretched for miles and miles
along the streets between the tents
Around them men sat talking I'm
der the tents men lay on the cots
talking There was little sleep, es-
pecially the first two nights but
voices everywhere through the night
Voices that were steady and numer-
Gus with sort of staCcato effect that
came with the intermittent putting
Of thousand Of Corncob pipes
Every veteran was his own best
listener, Naturally, with everybody
talking
There was so much to tell so many
deeds Of valoT SO many heroes so
many beloved leaders who now are
demigods
Some Of the leaders were present
Most spectacular and attractive fig
ure. perhaps, was General Daniel T.
Sickles, Of New York. the sole sur
Viving corps commander Of the Union
Of Gettysburg.
Every day of the four saw stream
of visitors 20 his quarters men who
cried like babies as they shook mis-
hands and who had a hundred stories
10 tell him. The old general cried
himself and at one time was ordered
kept from the visitors. More than
5000 men. 10 is estimated, came to see
him and 10 shake his hand on the first
day Of the reunion, and he held
veritahle court as he sat in an arm
chair on the porch Of the Rodgers
home "a battlefield landmark
sa7 Young Leaders soorn Beds.
|Ha- Otngrs Of the leaders younger aud
~. more vigorous than H.. aged Federal
scorneu .he proffered beds and snug
chambers that had been reserved for
them. Chooi.rE instead the tents and
co.'s Of their comrades one of these
men was General A. J. West, Of Geor-
gia, Who later was presented with q
loving cup by the men = his state
General Bennett = Young Of Louis,
willie, commander chief of the
United Confederate Veterans. was ar
other hero. When he addressed the
reunion crowd the first day. his own
gray veterans greeted him with a
lusty rebel yell that was rivaled I'm
vigof hy the sincere cheer which came
from the Union veterans
Confederate generals present were
Robertson. Texas. West Georgi-.
Shaffer Louisiana, A. - Williams,
Florida. Law. Florida. and Carr.
North Carolina
Mrs H. d. Longstreet OF Gaines
Vile Ga, widow Of the great Con
federate leader, WAS here and was al
ways the center Of reverent crowd
Many men who fought under her hus-
band followed her day after day. tell
ing Of incidents that occurred during
the war.
The first night at the battlefield she
could find no quarters Everything
sa was reserved, and she was forced 20
sleep on the floor OF a farmhouse The
next morning, however. she found
that a tent had been reserved for her
by General SiCkles.
She went TO the pump Of a farm
house to get drink OF water. and
~ there met an old soldier She asked
him under whom he fought. and he,
ignorant Of her identity, replied,
LOngStrect
And are YOU glad or sorry that
the war ended as IL did2" she asked
him.
Il am glad" he said. emphaticalIv.
go lar as the war itself Is concerned.
but not for the reconstruction days.
You may be a Northern woman. and
If you are. You can't imagine what
We Went thrOuEh-uOt in the war.
when the soldiers fought us. but in
the days afterWarG, when the poll
ticians governed as But I'm glad TIE
war ended in "a united nation
Wore Badge of Union.
Mrs. Lougstreet saw everywhere eN-
,.=4 amples Of the reconciliation that the
- Gettysburg meeting has brought
aabout.r She met q soldier wearing a
gray suit but decked with a badge
marked Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteer
Infantry she asked him why he. a
Union man, should wear "a gray suit.
Me- he said, surprised % am
not a Yankee. / fought under Long
49, street, and I'm from Mississippi"
why do YOU wear that badge,
- them" she asked
--.- why" he said. "a Yank came
along to-day from the Fifth Pennsyl-
r. vania and asked ME ~ I'd trade
badges with him after we'd had a
talk and found out where We were n
Gettysburg. So We traded Hes
wearing my badge now Fifteenth
Mississippi Says he'll keep IL as lorg
as he lives.
Reconciliation is sincere There was
even talk during he four days Of an
amaIgamation OF the United Confe9-
crate Veterans and the Grand Army
of the Republic under the name. The
United Veterans Of the United
States"
Old Nurses Open Hospital
A band OF devoted women were The
survivors of the corps of nurses VINO
served during the battle Mrs Sa-
lone Stewart, leader of the band. was
here 70 open the ola hospital Others
Of her staf present were Mrs. Charles
r Dive and Miss Comera Haugor'l.
OF Philadelphia Miss Margaret Ham
iltou. Wakefield. Conn Mrs Mary
Stevens Peabody Conn Mrs Annie
Irving. NeNhurg, Mrs Helen Cole.
Sheboygan, Wis. Women OF the fam