This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/hkB.2ACE/8518 Message Board Post: Dallas Morning News, 1900, Feb 23, p. 4 Dallas, Dallas County, Texas Green’s Brigade Survivors Reunion For The Present Year Concluded Its Labors At Belton Yesterday New Officers Were Installed Each Year the Number Reporting Is Growing Smaller – Veterans Visited the College Girls Belton, Tex., 22 Feb – According to the program, Green’s brigade met this morning at the opera house promptly at 9:30 o’clock. President John T. Wofford of Cuero called the association to order and announced that the committees on memorials and resolutions were ready to report. Chairman W.A. Shaw of the memorial committee read a lengthy report, which feelingly expressed the sorrow of the brigade for those who had died since their last meeting. The report was adopted. The committee on resolutions reported, extending their heartfelt thanks to the citizens of Belton, to the members of the Bell County Camp of Confederate Veterans and to the Daughters of the Confederacy for the homelike hospitality accorded them while here. Col. W.A. Shaw of Dallas made one of his characteristic speeches and presented to Miss Lydia Kirk, Daughter of the Brigade, a karap pole, meaning in Mexican, “better medicine,” which weapons were used by Willis L. Lang’s men during the Civil War. After speeches by Dr. Frank Rainey of Fort Worth, W.P. Browning of Lampasas, President Wofford announced the election of officers in order. The following officers were elected: President, A.B. Fields, Victoria; first vice president, D.D. Hardeman, Beeville; second vice president, Thomas B. Collins, Arlington; third vice president, W.A. Shaw, Dallas; fourth vice president, W.H. Browning, Lampasas; treasurer, F.S. Wade, Elgin; permanent secretary, John G. Rankin, Brenham. Immediately after the election the new officers were installed and Hempstead was selected as the next place of meeting. Just as the town clock was striking the hour of 12, the brigade adjourned to meet next year in Hempstead and thus the seventeen annual reunion of Green’s brigade passed into history. This afternoon at 2 o’clock the old veterans marched to Baylor Female College, preceded by the Second regiment band. Arriving on the campus of the college, they were halted, and amid sweet strains of martial music, about 300 pretty Baylor girls were marched out and while being drilled were reviewed by the old soldiers. It was indeed a pretty sight to see so many young ladies, richly dressed in the costumes of the college, march in columns of twos before the old soldiers. Following this, they all repaired to the college chapel, where an interesting program had been arranged for the entertainment of the brigade. Dr. R.K. Maiden, welcomed the old soldiers on behalf of the college. Judge W.H. Browning responded in behalf of the brigade. His speech was a most happy one and he said that Green’s brigade never surrendered during the war, but that now they would willingly surrender all the to the Baylor girls. He was vociferously applauded during the entire speech. He feelingly thanked the college for the cordial reception tendered them. The feature of the afternoon’s entertainment was the song by Miss Florida Parish, entitled, “While Wearing of the Gray.” Some of the veterans left this afternoon for their homes and it was indeed a sad sight to see these old gray, grizzled soldiers as they told each other good-be, a sight which caused many a breast to heave with emotion and the tears of not a few to slowly roll down their cheeks. One of them remarked to another as he said good-bye; “ I will meet you in Hempstead next year, but if I do not, I will meet you beyond the river.” Others will leave tonight, while tomorrow will carry them all. Proceedings In Detail Mack Stewart’s Sentence Commuted. Belton, Tex., 22 Feb – Not withstanding the fact that veterans were up a little late last night they were up early this morning and appeared as bright and chipper as though they were in their teens instead of being on the shady side of forty. President John T. Woffard called the meeting shortly after 9 o’clock this morning. The first business was reading of communications from absent ones. One was from Mack Stewart, whose case has attained some degree of celebrity. The letter stated that he had succeeded in getting his sentence commuted from death to four years imprisonment. He hoped that by the influence of his friends in Texas he might yet be pardoned. In connection with this letter Adjt. John G. Rankin gave a brief history of the efforts that had been made by himself and others in Stewart’s behalf and said everything had been done for him that could have been done for him. The committee on memorial made the following report. To Green’s Brigade Association: Your committee on memoirs begs leave to report; It is sadly suggestive that this association is called upon to mourn the loss of so many of its members. Twenty of our members have passed over the river to rest under the shade of the trees. When we look upon the gray heads here assembled – and there are none here but gray heads – what a sad reminder it is that only a few years more and Green’s Brigade Association will have no annual reunions on earth, for we will all have gone to join the great majority, where reunions will be perpetual, where life eternal will be a blissful holiday, ruled by love, untinged with any of the varied alloys that so often make life upon earth a burden. Ah, yes, we mourn our dead. Yet why should we? We are in the minority here. Why mourn, that our comrades have gone “over there” where the others are, gone to “fame’s eternal camping ground,” where there are no distinctions in rank, station or happiness. As we spread tear-bedewed flowers upon their graves let us rather say, “God be praised, they are rid of the evils and cares of life temporal and in the full enjoyment of the life eternal reserved for every brave soldier that dies.” Whether leading or led, whether with ten talents or one, in pride of position or humility of station, each acted as men should in the light of duty. And we honor each and every one as we honor Johnston, Jackson or Stuart. As humble soldiers they were faithful, as chieftains they could have been no more. Therefore be it Resolved, That while we sympathize with their bereaved loved ones, the association feels the loss to be theirs and shall cherish their memory until we join them “over the river.” Resolved, That the name, rank, and command of each dead comrade be recorded upon our minutes, together with age, date and place of death. After complimentary remarks by Messrs, Rankin, Cresson and others the resolutions were adopted. The following is a list of those who have died during the last year: George Johnson, Company A, 4th ; Duff Hale, Company B, 4th; T.J. Pompell, Company E, 5th; John W. Good, Company G, 5th ; Albert Green, Company K, 5th ; J.O. R. Woods, Company K, 7th ; Col. John (Rip) Ford, William Giesenchlag, Company -- 5th ; Thomas Morelock, Company F, Brailan Robertson, Company D, 4th ; Ed F. Adams, Company A, 5th ; Henz Woodland, Company B ; J. M. Retchie, Company E, 4th ; E.J. Hopgod, Company A, 7th ; J.L. Been, Company F, 5th; Marcos McKey, Valverde--; M. Magen, Company E, 4th ; J.M. Scott, Company F, 4th ; W.J. Menshemana. To John T. Woffard, the president of Green’s Brigade Association, your committee on resolutions respectfully submits the following report: Resolved. 1. That we tender our thanks to the citizens of Belton for their hearty and homelike hospitality they have extended us. 2. We extend to Bell County Chapter, U.D.C. and to Bell County Camp No. 122, our grateful acknowledgments for the splendid reception they have given to us and to W.A. Messer, the Mayor, for the tender of the keys of the city, and to Capt. James Boyd for the chaste and eloquent manner in which the reception was tendered. 3. We are grateful to the Second Regiment band of Brenham for their sweet, grand music at the concert given us and for their magnificent music during our proceedings. 4. The Daughters of the Confederacy, assisted by Prof. Davis have won our love and admiration for the elegant and interesting entertainment on the night of the 21st and we are sorry that we have not words to express our due appreciation of the same. 5. The banquet. Oh, the banquet! How happy and delighted we were in enjoying the magnificent feast given us by Bell County Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy. 6. We tender our thanks to the railroads for their kindness in giving us reduced rates. 7. We tender to John T. Wofford, our president, our thanks for his able and dignified presiding during this meeting. 8. Our hearts go out in gratitude to our secretary, John G. Rankin, for his able, continuous and loving looking after the interest and good of the association. 9. Resolved further. That the kindly reception and treatment we have received at the hands of the ladies of Belton – may God bless them – forcibly and agreeably remind us that they are imbued with the same spirit that was so strongly exhibited by our mothers, wives and sweethearts in the dark and troublous times of the past, and that we are pleased to know that our beloved southland, with its cherished memories, can never retrograde while that spirit is maintained. We of the committee further report that this association was especially delighted at the presence of our sweet and lovely daughter of the brigade, Miss Lydia M. Kirk, at this meeting and wish her a long and happy life. The following is the roster of Green’s brigade so far as they registered: H.C. Franks, Marlin; John Witley, Navasota; M.D. Oliver, San Saba; J.F. Rube, Brenham; A.L. Baker, Seguin; J.B. Smyth, Chappel Hill; August Pflughaukt, Brenham; J.A. Bell, Nolanville; J.M. Scantlin, Mancha; H.F. Gault, Killeen; J.W. Hove, San Saba; W.M. Price, Beaukiss; Dan Eckman, Beaukiss; S.P. Richey, Beaukiss; August Ebert, Maron; A. Gilben, Maron; J.R. Knight, Prairie Dale; J.L. Cook, Granger; T.J. Everett, Kyle; T.F. Thompson, Hempstead; W.F. Hellen, Canyon City; A.K. Allen, Fidcoke; J.R. McDade, Chappel Hill; O. Baker, Liberty Hill; D.G. Bundrant, Brookhaven; H.A. Bundrant, Bookhaven; T.D. Gill, Oakville; J.M. Crosson, Ballinger; J.S. Morgan, Gladdish; Nick Ziss, Pist; Adolph Schan, Bracken; C.B. Wilson, Taylor; A.H. Kerr, Davilla; A.P. Marvis, Marlin; T.B. King, Bellville; S.B. Pier, Buckham; M. McKeese, Rancho; W.A. Shaw, Dallas; J.E. Mills, Hempstead; W.H. Browning, Lampasas; John P. Kirk, Austin; J.W. Oplewhite, Hazeldell; Henry Barker, Mullen; Sam Amsler, McGregor; C.H. Ricke, Brenham; Wm. Remmert, Brenham; P. H. Barnhill, Brenham; W. J. Gleam, Bellville; G.W. Strickland, Manchaca; Theo. Walter, Shulenburg; J.P. Clarkson, Corpus Christi; T.K. Yond, Louisville; L.T. Tooke, Weimer; Frank Cochran, Cuero; H. L. Mitchel, Milam County; J.A. Wilkins, Brenham; D.P. Moore, Temple; F.H. Farley, Smithville; J.C. Harwell, Oenaville; F.B. Collins, Arlington; J.S. Waid, Elgin; T.J. Allcorn, Brenham; J.P. Knight, Buffalo; Adam Cararian, Bremond; J.P. Oliver; San Saba; John T. Wofford, Cuero; J.P. Hargis, Taylor; H. Whitener, Belton; M.G. Yark, Giddings; W. A. Rumple, Bremond; Joe Pearson, Navasota; John Williams, Rockdale; J. W. Dewees, Newark; George B. Holland, Fort Worth; C.H. Sakon, Organge; Henry Russell, Orange; R.O. Harris, Lawrence; W.D. Vance, Pine Bluff, Ark; C.S. Roff, Brenham; J. G. Boorm, Rockdale; A.J. Oliver, San Sabe; P.M. Kolb, Rockdale; W.G. Wilkins, Brenham; J.G. Brown, Rockdale; J.H. James, Belton. Concert for Veterans Belton, Tex., 22 Feb – Last night at the opera house Prof. Davis and others gave a concert to the members of Green’s brigade, followed by a festival given by the Daughters of the Confederacy. The opera house was filled to overflowing with members and citizens of the town. At the conclusion of the concert the old veterans, in company with a large number of invited guests, repaired to the Miller building, where plates had been laid for about 250 guests. The tables were abundantly supplied with good things to eat and the old veterans partook of the eatable with vim. All in all, the brigade was royally entertained by the Daughters of the Confederacy and they were loud in their praise of the manner in which they were being treated. The entertainment and supper lasted until near 12 o’clock. The members retired for the night feeling a great deal better that they did when they were doing service in Arizona and Louisiana.