Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 17.djvu/272

 264 Southern Historical Society Papers,

ginia once more to stand side by side with warm-hearted, old-time friends. "I always loved Virginia," said Colonel Zabell, represent- ing the Southern division of the Army of Northern Virginia from Louisiana. " I never knew a Virginian to shut the door in the face of a Louisianian.'* That they never did, that they never will, nor in the face of any of the brave boys from the Rio Grande to the Penn- sylvania line.

COMMENCED MOVING.

As soon as the sun was up, people commenced to move about. The stirring sound of martial music, the tramp, tramp 6f men in uniforms, the glitter of bayonets that had never been bathed in blood, the flashing sabres of officers, the shouts of command, the tap of the drum, the flaunting of flags, the clatter of cavalry, the rum- bling of artillery, the dashing here and there of marshals and their assistants, the solemn step of gray-bearded veterans, the hurrymg and scurrying of the restless crowd of humanity, the evidence of excitement all around, everywhere, told that the veterans of the South, the volunteer military and the civic dignitaries of the South, were about to obey expectation in forming a line of parade, which would pass along the principal streets of the capital of the Confede- racy, and terminate at the grounds around a monument upon which had been placed a statue of Robert E. Lee, General of the Confede- rate States Army, which would be unveiled during the day.

General Anderson and staff* were in position at Broad and Adams streets soon after 9 o'clock, and by that hour the marshals were gal- loping hither and thither getting their forces ready to fall in.

STARTING POINT.

Ample as the proportions of Broad street are, it was with difficulty that room for the movements of troops was secured. Every win- dow from Adams street to Fourteenth on either side of the street, all the doorways, the sidewalks, and portions of the street, the house tops, and improvised seats were filled with spectators. On Main, from Nineteenth to Eighth, the same condition of affairs existed, and from Eighth up Franklin to the monument, there was the same generous recognition of the great event. Beautiful women, in the blush of maiden beauty, cheered the bullet-riddled flags of the Con- federacy ; matronly Virginia dames smiled their approval upon the brave survivors of the Confederacy, as with bent forms and heavy steps they again kept time to the tune of Dixie.