The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-19
WALTHALL IN PARADE


 lowed. then came Gov. Nat E. Harris of Georgia and his staff.
 ', WALTHALL IN PARADE
 Riding up in front, a member of Grand Marshal E. J. McCrossins staff, was one of the most prominent figures of the parade. Mounted on a dark bay horse of thoroughbred pedigree, wear ing brown riding suit and dark put tees, his head surmounted by a slouch hat of the old type of southerner, rode Henry B. Walthal1, the Little ColoneI' of the Confederate troops in the world famous film, the Birth of a Nation.
 Proud, With a firm set to his mouth and an air of the old time southern gen. tleman, Henry Walshall rode as if his presence in the parade of the men who fought the bloody battles of the war with his ancestors, was an honor of which he was justly proud
 Headed by Gen. George P. Harrison, the new commander in chief of the Gohfederates fofces.zsthe army of Ten nessee, came into view. Then came the men in gray and gold with their short Jackets and grim -visaged faces which told without words why their name was spoken of with awe by the fed eral troops during those trying days of the civilNwar. They were the far famed Forests cavalry. General Bax- ter D. Smith of Chattanooga led them. fine specimen of vigorous manhood. who had ripened into the greater man. hood.
 Then came the army of Virginia. that valiant horde of men who defied death and fought 40 hours without cessation on the bloody field of Gettysburg; that band of men who deliberately threw themselves into the mouth of the ene- mys fire to be moved down like the young blades of grass threshed by a lawn mower. They were proud, these old men, many of them bent with age and lame of foot. They were part of Lees army and they were proud and glad of the fact
 READY TO WHIP MEXICO
 General VanZandt headed the army Of Transmississippi, those veterans who came all the way from Texas, Okla homa. Arkansas and the Pacific coast to fight for what they thought and still think was right. Large men, remark ably we'll preserved and firm of step they presented a. formidable appear ance. One of them cried out that he was ready to do duty for the stars and stripes when Uncle Sam called for volunteers to whip Mexico. He was thunderously applauded as his com rades took up his cry.
 The Richmond Grays and Blues were greeted with applause. The National Guard of Alabama were present. as were the uniformed order of the Woodmen of the World the school children, Boy Scouts, and the Boys Industrial School band and student body. Thousands of SOL diers. young and old, marched. Brass bands were plentiful and they all ren- dered the music that is dearest to the hearts of the southerners.
 And the sponsors. To say they were beautiful. charming. gracious, grand, are put Ieepie adJectlves not possessing the power to describe the hundreds of beau- tiful women of the southland who added to the occasion by their presence. They threw conventionality to the winds and flirted, threw kisses and danced, much to the elation of the vast crowd. There were blondes. brunettes, wonders, peaches. and superpeaches. They were from every southern state and some were from other states. They presented grand picture Of wonderful southern womanhood as they cheered, laughed and waved at the crowds of people who cheered them to the echo.
 The Confederate navy, the Ku-Klux Clan. the Orphans brigade, all came in for their share of the applause.
 The entire parade was reviewed bv Gen. Bennett H. Young, his staff and Governor Henderson and his staff at the reviewing stand. situated in front of the Motion hotel.
 BATTLE SCARRED FLAGS
 Many were the battle scared flags in the parade-relics too valuable to be wrested from the hands of these old vet erans by gold. Flags dipped in the blood of their comrades, flags possessing the love lore of the cause they fought and died for. They were all in the parade and those who bore the colors bore them proudly. er
 As the last of the valiant old warriors brought up the end of the parade the crowd went wild with cheers They have paraded, many for the last time, but the memory of those dear to the hearts of the southland and the whole country will never be forgotten. Each year their pa- rade shall grow smaller, each month the grim reaper pauses long enough to sound the last call of taps. As they fought, so they shall die, bravely, honorahly, with nothing to loose, all to g,lin And their memory, like the sweet scent of rose pIIoted in tha morn with 5o,x, ,,ro~ ;<s