Saturday, July 3, 2010
The Great Reunion
The biggest-ever reunion of Civil War veterans occurred in 1913, on the 50th anniversary of the Battle Of Gettysburg. Check out this site, especially for the slide show (that first picture of two old enemies siting on a bench, shaking hands has always been a favorite of mine). Here is some more history of the reunion.
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Wow, that was fascinating. Thanks for that link.
ReplyDeleteAppropos of nothing, my mother told me about her memories of her great-grandfather, a Confederate soldier, who lost a leg and an eye (in which battle, she couldn't remember, but it would have been one where a Texas regiment fought). Every Armistice Day, and again on the Fourth of July, he would dress in his old uniform along with all the other old Confederate vets, and march in the parades around the town square (followed by a public watermelon supper). I visited that town square a couple of years ago, and it still looks a whole lot like it did way back then (from the photographs I've seen). The only difference is, now a whole lot of the citizenry only speak Spanish.
His last name was Edmunds (if I dug, I could probably find him in history's archives), and he was still alive as late as the early 1930s. I knew his daughter, my great-grandmother, who dipped snuff and was lively and mobile until she died in 1954 at the age of 95.
It's through these people that the Civil War remains a living history to me.
That's some great family history, Rebecca.
ReplyDeleteThe ancestor in my direct line of descent was a Confederate soldier, too. He was captured at Gettysburg, and died the following year in a Union prison camp, located in New York, I believe.
OT: This may not the be the appropriate thread (or maybe in fact it is) but I just want to wish you all a great 4th July. Perhaps it's a little late (or a little early - damn time difference, never been good at figuring it out) but never the less...
ReplyDeleteAnd despite everything, for a lot of us unfortunate Europeans, America is still a shining city on the hill. I know you will never go quietly into then night, and it warms my heart!
Happy Independence Day my friends!!!
Very interesting. I always found the Battle of Gettysburg very fascinating.
ReplyDeleteThis Canadian salutes America on the 4th of July.
ReplyDeleteNow, if you only had a President who'd do the same.
Many thanks, Mikael and Robert.
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