The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-10-12
ANNUAL REUNION OF CoNEED-
ERATE VETERANS IN
JACKSONVILLE

The twenty-seventh annual reunion
OF the Confederate Veterans met in
Jacksonville Tuesday. the sessions be-
ling held at the Seminole Hotel, Gen.
eral Alfred Aver of Ocala, command
CT of the division, presiding.
There were present at the reunion
quite a number of the veterans from
different parts of the state.
At the opening session General
Aver delivered his annual address,
speaking as follows:
Address of Commander Aver
When we laid down our arms half
a century ago none of us ever dream
ed Of living to see another war, but
a few of us have lived to see not only
the United States, but the whole
world at war-and such a war! Fight
ing not only on land and sea but also
in the air above and the waters be-
meath. 1t surely looks like hell has
broken loose on this old earth of ours.
The old Confederate soldier was as
much opposed to entering into this
war as President Wilson was, for he
knows, by experience, what war
means: but, now that we are in it,
no one on earth will more cheerfully
make any sacrifice to win than the
Confederate soldier
We all love a whole-souled, jolly
fellow, one who can give and take
hard ticks in a good humor and we
iespise an irritable. quarrelsome fell
low who is never happy unless he is
in a fuss or a fight with some one.
The more insults you take from him
the more you will have to take. and
there is but one way on earth to deal
with him, and that is to whip him or
die trying.
William, the kaiser, is just that
kind of a boy, and we have. got to
whip him. no matter what it costs, if
We ever expect to have peace in the
family of nations.
/ thank God that the blood of the
Confederate soldier is not buried in
the grave with him, but is transmit
ted to his sons and daughters. That
same red blood flows in the veins of
our soldier boys today, and will prove
its mettle on the battlefields of
France, for that blood was never
known to show the white feather.
am glad that so many thousands
OF U. c. VS.. attended the Washing
ton reunion. When we marched up
Pennsylvania avenue, wearing our
Confederate uniforms, our bands play
ing Dixie" our Confederate fiagc fly
ing in the breeze beside the Stars and
Stripes, and the streets lined and
packed with thousands of people from
every northern state, all with hats off
and handkerchiefs waving, it convinc-
ed me that after all these long years
the north has at last come to recog-
nize and admire the courage. man.
hood and honor of his southern broth
er.
An officer in the Grand Army re-
marked in my hearing: eff the sons
OF these old soldiers fight the Ger
mans with the same vim and deter
minataion that their daddies fought
us, they will give them hell, sure."
Two of our commanders, Pasco and
lnglis, and many of our comrades
have answered the last roll call
since We met in Tampa. When Gen.
eral lnglis crossed the river he left
a big gap in our ranks. We loved
him for his many good qualities. but
the GROWING act of his life was in
building that magnificent monument
to our beloved women of the south.
We know the many obstacles that
. building committee had to contend
with, and some of us had despaired
OF ever seeing it finished. Now, when
we see that beautiful structure we an
take on our hats to Inglis, Partridge
and Sebring, for these men have built
monument in the heart of every
Confederate soldier. and in the hearts
OF his children and grandchildren and
great grandchildren for generations
to come that is more lasting than