The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-02-19
CONFEDERATE VETS
MEET ONCE MORE
PLANS BEING MADE FOR STATE
REUNION AT RONcEvERTE
IN ocToBER.
Captain Wayne Ferguson Talks %
Coming Meetine-.wiH Asttend
National Reunion.

Captain Wayne Ferguson. Exon
federate soldier. and who has the dis
tinction OF having arrested a. many
'moonshiners- in this state as any
man ever serving a term as a United
States deputy marshal. left last even
Ing for his home at KenoVa. after be-
INK In the city for the past several
days on Official business. connected
with the income tar commissioners
Office at Huntington. with which he
has been connected FOR some time.
Captain Ferguson is one OF the larg-
est men physically among the sur
viving veterans OF the war between
the states. and though be has lived be-
yond the three score and ten years.
be Is active as one half that age.
Captain Fer yuson has attended
every West virginia State Confederate
annual reunion. dating back TO the
early seventies and has missed few OF
the. National Confederate gatherings.
He said last evening that the next
West Virginia reunion of the boys
who wore the gray" will be held at
Ronceverte. Greenbrier county. this
year. early In October. the exact date
TO be decided upon later. I'm be
there" said the genial captain. "and
have made arrangements already TO
attend the National reunion TO be held
In Richmond. Virginia on June l. and
May BE the last.
In speaking OF the West Virginia
reunion to be held this TALL. he said
The West Virginia gathering OF Con-
federate soldiers OF this State at Ron
ceverte this fall promises to be the
most interesting and impressive occas-
ION OF the kind ever held in West Vir-
ginia. | say impressive for Il doubt
less will be the last State Confederate
reunion for the boys who wore the
gray as well as those who wore the
blue They are rapidly passing away.
There have been more than 225 SOL
diers on either side. 20 have died every
"a hours during the past IL months.
The average age of the Confederate
soldier in this State is over seventy
years. Fewer and fewer every year
attend the West Virginia reunion. and
today. there are only a handful OF tile
boys in this State who fought under
Lee and Jackson.
! entered the Confederate army at
a young age, i6. and today. / am near
~ 70 years old. The average age was
far above that when they answered
the bugle call from the South. Il is
distressing to think as / attend each
succeeding State or National reunion,
how many at the years interval have
answered taps. Yes. IL is likely that
this West Virginia gathering will be
the last one Of the kind in the State.
and IL behoves all ex-Confederates TO
be present II they possibly can. II
VIII only be a few years until the final
National annual reunions Of the gray
as well as rs the blue. will be a thing
OF the past; only history will mark
these great events: the school chill
dren Of today will see no such affairs
when they shall have reached the
voting age"
Captain Ferguson serked four years
In the Confederate army and his dis
tinguished career Is shown by tho
cross Of honor he has for years worn
upon his coat. in addition 10 a scarf
min made from a button from his uni
form.
There are less than \ dozen ex- Con-
federate soldiers in the Wheeling dis
trict but Il Is understood that nearly
all these Will attend the State reunion
AZ Ronceverte this fall. and also go to
the National gathering at Richmond
early in June. II pos sible.