Monday, June 11, 2012

Charlotte Welcomes Veterans in Grey

The first grand reunion of Confederate veterans held in North Carolina occurred in 1929, and its opening was advanced one day to commemorate the birthday of President Jefferson Davis, which was also the date of Memorial Day in many of the Southern States at that time. Charlotte was the location of the President’s last public address, and the last full meeting of his cabinet, held at the bedside of Secretary of the Treasury Trenholm, who lay ill in the Phifer home.

Bernhard Thuersam, Chairman
North Carolina War Between the States Sesquicentennial Commission
www.ncwbts150.com
"The Official Website of the North Carolina WBTS Sesquicentennial"

State of North Carolina monument at Gettsburg

Charlotte Welcomes Veterans in Grey:

“The dates for the [1929] reunion to be held in the city of Charlotte, N.C., are June 4, 5, 6 and 7, reports commander Edmond R. Wiles, S.C.V. Headquarters of the U.C.V. and C.S.M.A. will be the Hotel Charlotte. Headquarters for the S.C.V. will be the Hotel Selwyn.

A bill providing for the loan of $100,000 worth of government equipment without cost to the Reunion Committee has just been favorably reported in Congress, and another bill providing for the expense of the Marine Band has also been favorably reported, notwithstanding the opposition that developed in Wisconsin through the Commander of the G.A.R. Division, but it was thoroughly condemned by the Commander in Chief, G.A.R. a few days later.

The State of North Carolina having furnished 127,000 men of the Confederate army, and having lost over a thousand officers, being one-third of all the officers killed in the Confederate army, occupies and outstanding place in the Confederacy. The Sons of Confederate Veterans at Charlotte organized on the 19th of January, Gen. R.E. Lee’s birthday, and a large Camp, which is known as the Stonewall Jackson Camp, No. 23, the name of the old Camp there, is now active.

The veterans will be housed at Independence Park in comfortable barracks and in the school buildings, and part of them in comfortable tents, as they were in Little Rock. The city is on the verge of erecting at once a $200,000 convention hall and armory to be ready for the reunion.

All veterans coming to the reunion will be fed and housed free of cost as well as free transportation and other courtesies, all expenses paid, while in the city. Many bands have already been engaged for the reunion, and it is likely that twenty-five bands will attend that gathering.

The city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County will contribute $25,000, and the legislature of North Carolina has agreed to appropriate $50,000, making a total of $75,000. Free transportation, estimated, and appropriation of Congress for the Marine Band, will make a total cost of the reunion around $90,000.”

(Reunion Notes, Confederate Veteran, February 1929, page 76)


Charlotte Welcomes Veterans in Grey

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