The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-06-22
Touching Sight AS He
roes of the Old South
Took Part In Last
Days Program of the
Annual Reunion

Richmond, Va, June 22.-(By the
Associated Press. Weary and happy
as little children when night comes
after hard day of play, the men who
fought for the South in the war be-
tween the States, after passing
through the streets of their old capi-
tai in a long and colOrful procession,
today were ready to turn their faces
homeward.
The thirty-second annual reunion of
the Southern Confederate Veterans
here comes officially to a close with
the grand ball tonight, but many of
the veterans fatigued by a week filled
with happy events are preparing to
leave the city today.
These soldiers, whose youth throbbed
on the fields of battle, are now too
weighted with years to tramp the long
avenues of the city, so they rode
proudly in Il parade of motor vehicles
down the streets that once resounded
with the Gathering accoutrements of
a young army marching to war; and
tears came to the eyes of many who
remembered.
Through the long aisles made by
throngs of tribute-people these grey
clad fighters slowly passed as though
they were conquerers instead of the
men who laid down their arms in de-
feat.
Along the way buildings large and
small, mansion and hut, were coated
with the colors that fired the hearts
of the Southland in 81 and '65. 1t was
as if the hand of time had moved back
and transformed a new and younger
Richmond to the historic city it was
more than half century ago From
the shining horns of IA bands flowed
the melodies of the old South.
Maryland, My Maryland" Garry
Me Back to Old Virginia" "The Su-
vance River" THE Old Folks at
Home" and many others; and then as
as to tighten the spirits of the parad-
ers and the throngs that watched them
to a white glow, band here and there
would flare forth with the beloved
battle song, Dixie"
Every veteran who came to Rich
mond was seated in motor vehicle
1t was estimated that 500 cars carried
the veterans in the procession. In the
escore of the men were those who
fought in '9S and those younger sol
diers who erased the seas to battle
with the Germans. Sturdy and
straight they marched afoot and in
their faces was the light they had
caught from song and story handed
down from those heroes in gray of the
Confederacy.
First in the procession passed Rich
mond's mounted police. Then, in turn,
rode Gen. VIM. B. Freeman, command
er of the Virginia division and mar
shal and chief of staff He was fol
lowed in turn by units of the National
Guard of Virginia, World War Veter-
ans, Spanish-American War Veterans,
Sons of Confederate Veterans, Com
mander in Chief Julian S. Karr, of the
United Confederate Veterans and his
staff; sponsors for the South, and 9TH
er ladies; members of the Confederate
Southern Memorial Association, Ad-
miral Wright, commanding the Con-
federate navy and his staff; and, last,
the Confederate Veterans.
The veterans themselves were
grouped in the following order:
The Army of the Trans-Mississippi
department, including veterans from
Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, the Pa
cific Division, the Texas division and
the Forrest Cavalry; the Army of the
Tennessee department, including vet
erans from Mississippi, Alabama. Ten