The Washington times., 1917-06-04

hungrier than you boys. Give EN-
some pie"
The first meal at the big mess tent
yesterday was enjoyed by a large
number OF the old soldiers. 1t con-
sisted Of roast pork, roast beef, pota-
toes, peas, tomatoes, bread, and but
ter, pickles, iced tea, coffee, and pie.
A Mr.. Allen. of North Carolina, who
was in the Second Cavalry, IL looking
for some of the boys OF that COM
mand. John Noel, OF that cavalry, can
ind him in the mess tent at meal
times.
S. w. Smith, Who was q cavalry
man in the Tennessee campaigns, and
who is here with the crowd from
| Gadsen, Ala, was in conversation
with one OF the youngsters Of about
| eighty years who hailed from Texas.
concerning a certain brother OF his
| from Parker county, Texas. He thinks
that he is here, but wouldn't know
him IL he saw him. Their CONVERSE
| ton progressed until the Texan said
he would expose how Smith lost his
leg. Mr.. Smith said he caught 1t in
( q steel trap and could prove II. Mr..
Smith Is looking for Oliver. whoever
that gentleman might be. and has
ive nickels in his shirt pocket for
the man that brings the long lost
oliver before his eyes.
Way back there in the sixties we
tried to reach Washington and we.
tried mighty hard and wanted to
mighty bad. but l reckon"-and here
the griEzled old veteran paused and
l. - n
reckon that we are all glad now that
we didn't then. and we are mighty
glad that we are invading now and
are being welcomed as we are"
W. w. Ball wears q toothpick in his
mouth and halls from Seymour, Tex.
He was in the Eighth Texas Infantry.
in the division commander by Gen. W.
J. Walker. He also belonged TO the
Mississippi Division under command
of Gen. Kirby Smith. II was while he
was in the latter command that he
participated in a battle when the Con-
federates captured an army OF hve
thousand and all its supplies.
ave only had half the men that
they had, but we got them in q road
which had been blocked by q wind
storm and they couldn't turn and We
just had them in q mess" he said.
Then the old mans eyes began to
shine as he went into detail after de-
tail OF the night and victory.
well, are you all nxed3- asked one
OF the officials looking to the comfort
OF the old soldiers.
Eyes. indeed am" was the reply.
land ! am having the time OF my life
already. We all came here to have a
- az
Wounded while fighting with the
famous Morgan raiders. but able to
attend the reunion, J. ID. Graves IL
here from Lexington, Ky.
There are only q few OF US left
now" he says. IL am seventy-eight
years old. and know OF only three
or four comrades who were at the
last reunion and are at the final camp
ing ground now.
"what was the worst battle ! re-
member Well. all those battles with
Morgan were a. bad as they could be.
but the worst thing I remember was
the time we were in the saddle seven
teen days. That was the time that
Morgan was captured and our force
nearly disbanded. but he got out
after q while and reorganiIed his
men. I was with him until he was
killed"
There were some marines In the
Union Station with full equipment.
Two veterans examined the weapons.
well, Bill" said one, II am mighty
dern glad that neither side had things
like these. There wouldn't have been |
enough left TO make q real good re-
union"
Probably the most picturesque OF
the veterans at Union Station was J.
P. Bowling, First Infantry, Atlanta,
Ga. He wore q complete Confederate
uniform, spotless and pressed. The
only thing he had that was not In /
the best OF condition was tattsred
ribbon which told where he came
from and what division he belonged !
TO. He was the center OF Interest
while he was there and all the scouts
did their best TO wait on him.,
Bowling was in Johnson's command
and fought Sherman in his march to
the Atlantic. His worst battle was at
FRANKLIN. Tenn, which was said to
have been one OF the bloodiest battles
of the war for the time II lasted.
He was wounded and captured at
Nashville. Tenn, and sent later to
Fort Douglas. where he remained I'M
til the war was over.
L II. Mason. OF Terrell, Tex, re-
moves his gray felt hat and exhibits
a bald head and points out q scar.
That is where one OF them tried
to get me, but he just spoiled a good
bullet"
That was all he had TO say about
the scar.
Mason served with Lee and Jackson
and fought in the famous battles OF
fredericksburg and Gettysburg.
II WISH" said Mason, that we had
Jackson to go over to Europe TO set
tie those Germans. ] know what he
would do. He would let some OF his
men attack from the front and then
the rest would creep around to the
rear and he would have them!
There never was a finer general;
Il was a sad day when he was killed
| was not 100 yards away" |,