The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-04-30
VETERANS REUNION
GRAND PARADE THE FEATURE OF
TIE LAST DAY
CROWDS CHEER HEROES

Hundreds of Old Soldiers, Accom-
panied by Sons Of Veterans, Spon
sors and Maids, Tramp to Strain
| of Martial Music.-Anderson Sc
lected for Next Years Reunion.
A special dispatch from Aiken K
The State says in the Thestone thea
tre Wednesday morning, with a stage
profusely decorated with tatteree
banners and batue-scarred relics o.
the SOS, the annual reunion of Souti
Carolina division, United Confederate
Veterans, officially opened at Aiken.
Seated on the stage of the theatre
when the literary exercises began
were numbers of Official ladies anc
the Daughters Of the local chapter
in addition to a number Of distin'
guished men, including Gen. U. R
Brooks, historian and orator; Gen. c
Irvine Walker, honorary commander
in-chief Of all the surviving forces OF
the Confederacy; Col. D. S. Hender'
son, ex. Gov. John c. Sheppard, Maj
Gen. Hammet league, who is com.
mander of the South Carolina dlVi-
sion and others.
The ushers were unavoidably slow
in seating the 1900 or more people
who filed into the theatre, and 1T was
not until 1880 o'clock-30 minutes
late-that the curtain went up and
the exercises began, with Capt. c. K
Henderson, commander of the Bar
lard E. Bee camp Of Aiken county
veterans, presiding at the prelimln-
ary opening.
AS the curtain rolled up the band
was playing a medley of old Southern
airs and war tunes, merging into
"The Bonnie Blue Flag" as the cur
tain raised: This brought forth shout
after shout but the demonstration
was not in the least degree compar-
able with that which burst forth
from a thousand throats when the
band struck Dixie.
The presiding officer then sounded
his gavel for order and an invocation
was ordered by the division chaplain,
Lieut.. Col. F. o. S. Curtis, D. D., OF
Walterboro.
The first speaker was Herbert E.
Gyles, mayor Of Aiken, who delivered
a general address Of welcome to
Aiken, assuring the visitors that
Aiken deemed it signal honor and
a peculiar pleasure to have them
there. He expressed, too, the hope
that they would remain longer in
Aiken than did Col. Fitzpatrick when
he encountered there, in 1865, the
fighting men of Joe Wheeler. This
brought applause of appreciation and
an understanding laugh.
Welcoming the veterans was Col.
Daniel S. Henderson of this city. His
ntroduction-or rather his presenta-
ton, for he is known all over the
State-brought forth shouts and
cheers. Filled with the appeal Of his
irresistible eloquence, the welcome of
Col. Henderson was signally impress
sive. When he had finished his re-
marks Gen. U. R. Brooks introduced
8 resolution thanking Gen. Bennett
H. Young, commander-in-chief of the
Confederacy, for his selection of Col.
Henderson to deliver the annual ora
ton at the Chattanooga reunion. The
resolution continued by commencing
the wisdom of Gen. Young's selec-
ton. The resolution received a
prompt second, and, by. rising vote,
was unanimously adopted.
The address of welcome to the
Sons Of Veterans and their lady at
tendants was delivered by Haddon
Johnson.
Then, as commander of the divi-
sion, Gen. league was rendered the
gavel and formally assumed official
charge Of the further sessions OF the
convention.
Responding to the several address
es of welcome was Col. W. H. Ed
wards of Chester. He thanked Aiken
for inviting them there" When
everywhere else we we're neglected. .
He said that they had all heard OF
the charms Of Aiken, but that she was
truly more charming than had ever
been depicted to the outside world
concluding with profuse assurances
to the effect that:
"In the future this will be a green
spot in the hearts Of us ALL
The auunal orator of the occasion
was John C. Shepard Of Edgeheld,
former governor of South Carolina
and still actively identified with the
o~airs Of the commonwealth. His In
PRODUCTION elected vociferous ap
plause.
Mr.. Sheppard spoke without an!
manuscript. At all times a speaker
of most distinctive ability, he sur
passed himself, is the outspoke1
opinoin Of all who ever heard hin
speak. It teemed with the wisdom
! Of the statesmen of old who made
| South Carolina's history record O.