Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 32.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

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[276] Major Daves read his speech from manuscript, but did it so well and spoke so distinctly that he held the closest attention of his audience throughout. The subject was one of interest to old and young alike and was treated in a most scholarly and at the same time interesting manner. The hearer always felt as if he were listening to a man speaking of his actual experience, or of things of which he had accurate personal knowledge.

On the rostrum with the speaker were the Governor and all the State officers, some of the Supreme Court judges and a number of prominent Confederate veterans. Clustered about the stage were Confederate flags, bullet-torn battle-flags, red and white bunting, cut flowers and potted plants. Pictures of Lee and Jackson hung on either side.

Though the hall was pretty well filled with people, the crowd was much smaller than it would have been but for the steady drizzle of rain, which every one who came had to brave. On account of the rain the programme in regard to a procession to the cemetery was not carried out, though many went out in carriages and decorated the graves with flowers.

All visiting veterans were served with lunch during the day by the Ladies' Memorial Association. The dinner was spread in Rescue Hall.

At noon an annual mass meeting of all the veterans was held and the roll of veterans in the county called. There were about seventy-five veterans present. Commander A. B. Stronach, of the L. O'B. Branch Camp, called the meeting to order and presided, while Adjutant J. C. Birdsong called the roll. Commander Stronach stated that this was not a meeting of the L. O'B. Branch Camp, but a mass meeting of all the Confederate soldiers of the county. About 260 names were called, and at the conclusion seventeen men came forward and had their names recorded, giving the company and regiment in which they served, as follows:

R. H. Stone, Company D, 47th North Carolina.

Bryant Martin, Company D, 47th North Carolina.

Henry Perry, Company I, 1st North Carolina.

C. M. O'Neal, Company D, 30th North Carolina.

B. F. Gill, Company D, 26th North Carolina.

H. H. Marshburn, Company H, 31st North Carolina.

Wm. Montford, Company D, 67th North Carolina.

J. C. Blake, Company I, 47th North Carolina.

J. R. O'Neal, Company K, 12th Alabama.