Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-07-11
+ j. j. j. !. i !. j. j. ]. ]. j.
j. THOUGHTS OF THE =.
!. REUNION. J..
i. \ !. !. !. !. !. i. i j. !. !. !. i.
(By j. Russell Wright.

army of Lee and the Confederacy ;
paraded to-day. 1t was the parade !
Of the first Confederate reunion held /
north of the Potomac, and the first |
time the Union veterans ever march, |
ed with the men they fought fifty
odd years ago. Somehow 1 felt that |
Lee and Jackson looked down in |
benediction upon the scenes in the |
streets Of the National Capital to-
day, and that the ghosts of Long
street, Forrest, Stuart and Pickett !
were with their old comrades. And |
so 1T was we'll that veterans Of the |
Blue marched with veterans Of the |
Gray.
If reunions are held it Is to re-
vtve memories, to strengthen COM
radeship, to answer roll calls that
grow shorter each year. 1t was a
thrilling contrast, in line this morn
ing, Of now and fifty years ago; en-
feebled men, some of them on their
last march; the bands played the
old tunes and the new. How the mu-
sic stirred me and those about me!
How it quickened the footsteps Of
aged men who passed in review!
How memories crowded one upon the
other and marched us out of the
present into the long ago! Again
saw Pickett charge up the rocky
sides of Gettysburg; I pictured
Stonewall Jackson (called the fright
arm Of Lee'D as he fell at Chancel-
lorsville; Lees farewell address to
his broken army at Appomattox,
with its face turned toward the desc
late South One might see Stuart
and Forrest as they led their coura-
geous cavalrymen into charges that
no latter-day warriors will ever ex-
eel; Longstreet, Gordon, Bee and
Bartow, Albert Sidney Johnson, Hill
and Garnett-they all marched be-
fore us as though they were in life
to-day!
No Southern city could have given
the survivors Of the Confederate ar
mics more touching greeting than
they received to-day. The Flag of
the United States nuttered beside
the "Stars and Bars" and told the
story Of what was and what is-one
flag, one country, one people; that's
all. But above all, bringing q lump
into the throat and a queer tingle
into the body, were the airs that the
bands played. "The Stars and
Stripes Forever" with it's plea to
laggard feet; "Suwanee River" with
Its call to sentimental thoughts; "Old
BLACK Joe." bringing memories of
"darkies" and ante-bellum days;
'My Old Kentucky Home" with its
dreams Of content; Garry Me Back
to Ole Virginny," forcing pictures of
Bull Run. Manassas, Petersburg and
Richmond; "The Girl Left Behind"
one Of the campfire songs Of the
COS; Maryland, My Maryland"
with its martial swing; and Dixie"
-"DiXie," under the spell of which
men went bravely to their death and
died with blessing instead of
curse on their lips more than half a
century ago.
Happy to Hear Dixie.
The "old Confeds" smiled happily
from the ranks to-day when Dixie"
was played--because, no matter at
what point along the avenue it was
heard, the throngs on the sidewalks
cheered and waved hats and hand
keTchiefs, and heart beats were fas-
ter.
Yes, Washington gave us q warm
reception. No organization received
greater applause, none deserved
more! Here was the contrast of
which l have written-the indissolu-
BILE link Of love for country and
cause, whatever that cause be, that
ties together American hearts, and
that reaches out across the years in
the handshake OF understanding.
When Lincoln was asked how he
would regard the prodigal South af-
ter the war, he said: IL shall treat
them just as though they had never
been away That Is the way the
government Of to-day and the Capt.
tai of our country treated us this
morning. So the vision comes again.
and somehow feel that Lincoln.
Grant. Sheridan and Meade looked
down approvingly to-day from the
land OF the last roll call, and with
them, peering through the blue and
gray Of heaven, Lee and Jackson and
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