Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-06-26
Confederate Reunion

Richmond, NlrglnlaS June 70
With nineteen military bands
and 5000 veterans in line the Fhir-
tv-second Confederate Reunion was
held in Richmond this week amidst
a demonstration of affecriJn ar1
enthusiasm which swept The city
like a storm. Thursday, the day OF
the parade, was magnificent. The
air was bracing. There were lOO,-
600 visitors in the city. Headed by
Governor Trinkle, the pageant
moved from Capitol Square, west
ward. shortly after 10 o'clock. At
Fifth Street the line turned from
Grace into Franklin, thence, ur
Monument Avenue to Boulevard,
where it doubled back, the front
passing down the avenue on che
side, while the rear continued to
advance up the other. More than
one thousand private automobiles
were placed by citizens at The dis
posal of the veterans. The day was
one of beauty, enthusiasm and pa
thoS.
AS band after band broke into
Dixie the thousands who lined the
sidewalks burst into frenzy OF
cheering. The city was wrapped IN
the colors of the Confederacy, Bat
tie flags Of the South, tattered, IA
ded, glorious. fluttered here and
there along the mighty procession,
which glittered brilliantly in the
sunlight. Standing in an automo-
bile, with sponsors from the Lone
Star State, Mrs. Trinkle, wife Of
the Governor, graced with her
presence the division from Texas, in
which State she was born. Hand
somely gowned, in open cars, rode in
line, sponsors and visitors from
each of the States which were
banded in the Confederacy.
Reaching for miles, the endless /
pageant moved onward cheer after /
cheer going up from the thousands /
as music passed ans :he banners OF /
the Unforgettable Cause were /
borne by. And then came the vet
Grams.
When the first cars bearing the !
soldiers of Lee made their appear
ance, hush fell over the multi
tude. General Julian S Carr, COM
mander-in-chief of the aged legions. +
accompanied by his staff. headed
the divisions. Following him STREET
ched a caravan of autos. freighteI
with all that is left, besides imper-
ishable glory. of the fighting men
of the Confederacy.
In a moment the crowds haG left
the sidewalks. Surging forward IN
to the streets, men and women sur
rounded the old soldiers. \ pro-
longed and mighty cheer broke
from the whole, line along It's entire
extent. Heads were uncovered and
tear-stained faces testified to &
depth of feeling which in no other
way could have found adequate eX-
preston. As car after car passed,
cheer after cheer arose. The voter
ans would wave back to the
throngs at their sides, touching
hands with matrons and maids, who
tossed roses at them and who threw
kisses to them. One old war-dog oc-
casioned a flutter of merriment
among the ladies by announcing
that ne was a widower. The scene
was at once brilliant and sad.
All that was left of the Trans
Department of the Arm
les Of the Confederacv was there; .
all that was left of the Armies of
the Tennessee Department; of the
Army of Northern Virginia, and of (
the Confederate Navy As the sol
diers from Alabama, Texas, Ken
lucky. Georgia. South Carolina.
Mississippi, Tennessee, Lou
isiana, Maryland, and North Caro-
lima, with their bands and their
banners passed by. cheers and tears ,
were so intermingled that the heart
was Suffocated with its happiness
and with its pain.
Quite a number of veterans, too
proud to admit the necessity of
being borne in autos, formed into q,
a body and marched on foot with
musket. They received a royal well
come, all along the line. For as ,
these grizzled heroes moved forI
ward, Richmond seemed to live
again through the hopes and fears
Of sixty years ago. Lee, in bronze,
from his high pedestal, gazed down
upon them; Jackson mounted on his
war Charger, reviewed them; Davis,
their president, in everlasting
bronze, held out his arms to them.
1t was as if a page of history was
passing. The city paused momen-
tarily, in a very agony of love.
There they were, the ragged bat
talon of glory, unconquered, even
of time. AS they passed. cheers
were lifted and heads were bowed
For there is no virtue of earth
which commands the universal and
unStInted respect of that constantly
In courage which lives victorious
even over defeat.
Richmond may have been entered
by Grants armies in 1865. but il
never really surrendered until last
Thursday.
(Signe0 Carter W. Wormelev.