Nana40
Gold Member
I enjoyed reading this article and thought you may too. It was interesting in that most all the men brought back items from the war. Might help to explain some of those finds we make in areas that had no action.
Wonder what happened to that sword?!
Thursday, June 22, 1905
Old Confederates Meet. In the Fifteenth Annual Reunion at Louisville. The Most Gorgeous of All. Joyous and Happy Hearts Are They. They live Their Lives Over Amid Festivities. A Happy Welcome From Kentucky--Many Alabamians Prominent in Their Gayeties--Owens, of Alabama, Commander of the Sons--New Orleans Won for Next Year.
Louisville, Ky. --Veterans of the old Confederacy, grizzled with years and many bowed with suffering, but all full of enthusiasm, filled the streets of Louisville Tuesday.
The morning, afternoon and night trains brought the hosts from the everglades of Florida; from the pine woods of Georgia; from the sand hills of Alabama; the knobs of sunny Tennessee; from the tar forests of North Carolina; from the plains of South Carolina; from every point in the great South.
Some of them came garbed just as they were when the first call to arms was sounded. Hundreds of them laid away their old uniforms in anticipation of just such an event as this reunion.
Age has been kind to these old fellows. Some are bent and their hair is silvered, but youth is still in their hearts. To have been at the railway stations and seen former comrades meet, one would not have thought that sixty and seventy years had passed over their heads. They greeted each other as cheerily as school boys.
Old Friends Meet. The scenes at the meetings between some were full of pathos. At the Seventh street station there was a meeting between a man who fought in the Tenth Tennessee and another who went to the front in one of the Virginia regiments. Neither had seen the other since the surrender at Appomattox. One was without an arm, and the other has lost an eye. The trains bearing the two arrived at the station at about the same time, and they met at the gate. The recognition was instantaneous. They forgot all else, dropped their baggage and were in each other's arms in a second, while great tears rolled down their cheeks. "A drink of water from that man's canteen saved my life at Richmond, " remarked the soldier from Tennessee., and arm in arm they strode up the street to live over again those old days.
All In Good Humor. Then there was the amusing side to the scene. Many of the old veterans were in fine humor, despite their long ride, and when they reached the states platform they stretched their legs in a fashion that indicated they had lost none of their nimbleness. The old "rebel yell" resounded through the building, and many a citizen was greeted with a "Hi there, Yank," as they marched up the street. But everbody was in good humor with himself and his fellowman, and the jibes and "kids" were taken good naturedly by everyone.
All Had Mementoes. Nearly every veteran brought with him some memento of the war to show to some comrade and he always had its history at his fingers' ends and one did not need to urge him to get the story. An old fellow from North Carolina brought along half a cannon ball which he had picked up on the field of Lookout mountain after the battle. He had retained it all these years and never fails to take it to a reunion.
The most notable relic of all was the sword said to have been worn by Gen. John H. Morgan, Kentucky's noted cavalry leader. It was in the possession of Capt. Patrick M. Griffin, of Company B, Tenth Tennessee infantry, of Nashville. It came into his possession at Nashville Monday night. He secured it from Samuel Holt, a union veteran, who found it in the possession of a negro, who said he secured it from his father, who was Gen. Morgan's cook. Capt. Griffin gave $100 for the sword, and if it is found to be genuine he proposes to give it to the Kentucky Confederates of Morgan's men in this state. The sword appears to be genuine, and is in an excellent stage of preservation. On the scabbard is engraved: "Presented to Gen. John H. Morgan by the Lexington Rifles, 1861." It is gold mounted and at the end of the handle is a golden eagle.
Other veterans brought old pistols, guns, bullets, broken shells, and in fact almost every conceivable object that could possibly be used in a war of extermination.
Taken from the "People and Things from The Southern Democrat, 1894-1907 ". Compiled by Robin Sterling
Wonder what happened to that sword?!
Thursday, June 22, 1905
Old Confederates Meet. In the Fifteenth Annual Reunion at Louisville. The Most Gorgeous of All. Joyous and Happy Hearts Are They. They live Their Lives Over Amid Festivities. A Happy Welcome From Kentucky--Many Alabamians Prominent in Their Gayeties--Owens, of Alabama, Commander of the Sons--New Orleans Won for Next Year.
Louisville, Ky. --Veterans of the old Confederacy, grizzled with years and many bowed with suffering, but all full of enthusiasm, filled the streets of Louisville Tuesday.
The morning, afternoon and night trains brought the hosts from the everglades of Florida; from the pine woods of Georgia; from the sand hills of Alabama; the knobs of sunny Tennessee; from the tar forests of North Carolina; from the plains of South Carolina; from every point in the great South.
Some of them came garbed just as they were when the first call to arms was sounded. Hundreds of them laid away their old uniforms in anticipation of just such an event as this reunion.
Age has been kind to these old fellows. Some are bent and their hair is silvered, but youth is still in their hearts. To have been at the railway stations and seen former comrades meet, one would not have thought that sixty and seventy years had passed over their heads. They greeted each other as cheerily as school boys.
Old Friends Meet. The scenes at the meetings between some were full of pathos. At the Seventh street station there was a meeting between a man who fought in the Tenth Tennessee and another who went to the front in one of the Virginia regiments. Neither had seen the other since the surrender at Appomattox. One was without an arm, and the other has lost an eye. The trains bearing the two arrived at the station at about the same time, and they met at the gate. The recognition was instantaneous. They forgot all else, dropped their baggage and were in each other's arms in a second, while great tears rolled down their cheeks. "A drink of water from that man's canteen saved my life at Richmond, " remarked the soldier from Tennessee., and arm in arm they strode up the street to live over again those old days.
All In Good Humor. Then there was the amusing side to the scene. Many of the old veterans were in fine humor, despite their long ride, and when they reached the states platform they stretched their legs in a fashion that indicated they had lost none of their nimbleness. The old "rebel yell" resounded through the building, and many a citizen was greeted with a "Hi there, Yank," as they marched up the street. But everbody was in good humor with himself and his fellowman, and the jibes and "kids" were taken good naturedly by everyone.
All Had Mementoes. Nearly every veteran brought with him some memento of the war to show to some comrade and he always had its history at his fingers' ends and one did not need to urge him to get the story. An old fellow from North Carolina brought along half a cannon ball which he had picked up on the field of Lookout mountain after the battle. He had retained it all these years and never fails to take it to a reunion.
The most notable relic of all was the sword said to have been worn by Gen. John H. Morgan, Kentucky's noted cavalry leader. It was in the possession of Capt. Patrick M. Griffin, of Company B, Tenth Tennessee infantry, of Nashville. It came into his possession at Nashville Monday night. He secured it from Samuel Holt, a union veteran, who found it in the possession of a negro, who said he secured it from his father, who was Gen. Morgan's cook. Capt. Griffin gave $100 for the sword, and if it is found to be genuine he proposes to give it to the Kentucky Confederates of Morgan's men in this state. The sword appears to be genuine, and is in an excellent stage of preservation. On the scabbard is engraved: "Presented to Gen. John H. Morgan by the Lexington Rifles, 1861." It is gold mounted and at the end of the handle is a golden eagle.
Other veterans brought old pistols, guns, bullets, broken shells, and in fact almost every conceivable object that could possibly be used in a war of extermination.
Taken from the "People and Things from The Southern Democrat, 1894-1907 ". Compiled by Robin Sterling
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