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United
Confederate
Veterans
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Reunions held in Memphis
- 1901, 1909, 1924 |
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The United Confederate Veterans was an organization for former
Confederate soldiers of the American Civil War, and was equivalent
to the Grand Army of the Republic, which was the organization for
the Union Veterans. The UCV was founded in 1889 as a
"benevolent, historical, social and literary Association", and was
active well into the 1940s, with it's final reunion being held in
Norfolk, Virginia in 1951.
The primary functions of the organization were to provide for widows
and orphans of former Confederate soldiers, preserve relics and
mementos, care for disabled former soldiers, preserve a record of
the service of its members, and organize reunions and fraternal
gatherings. At its height, membership was approximately
160,000 former Confederate soldiers organized into 1,885 local
camps.
They held 3 of their annual reunions in Memphis - the first in 1901
and 20,000 veterans attended. |
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Please wait a couple
of minutes for all photos to load before clicking on the small photos...
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During the Reunions,
there were many festivities associated with the Veterans... |
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Birmingham 1916 |
Washington 1903 |
Little Rock 1911 |
Atlanta |
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From 'The Center for Civil War
Research':
"Almost
immediately after the end of the Civil War, veterans sought out
occasions to gather together, to relive their shared experiences,
find solace in their battle-forged bonds, to celebrate their heroic
deeds, and commemorate the sacrifices of their fallen comrades.
These reunions of regiments, corps, armies, and fraternal
organizations - so important to the soldiers and their families -
came eventually to serve as symbol of a wider national
reunification, despite the vast majority of reunions remaining
purely separate former Union or Confederate affairs. By contrast, at
infrequent “Blue and Gray” reunions, veterans of both sides made
conciliatory overtures, enjoyed the hospitality of former enemies
and celebrated their collective American identity. Attended by
the hundreds and thousands, reunions of all kinds evoked powerful
sentiments and became fertile ground for the construction of Civil
War memory. The location, frequency, attendance, and content
of these reunions not only demonstrates the popularity of this form
of remembrance, but also the national imperative to commemorate the
Civil War in a way that honored its veterans and gave meaning to
their sacrifices". |
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Thanks to the Memphis Public Library and the University
of Memphis Library for many of the photos on this page |
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UCV Reunion -
Memphis 1901 |
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In 1901, Memphis
hosted the eleventh Annual National Reunion of the United
Confederate Veterans. The citizens of Memphis raised an
astonishing $80,000 to construct an 18,000 seat Confederate
Hall on the site of Confederate Park - the building to be
demolished at the end of the reunion. One of the largest
single donations ($1,000) came from the first black
millionaire Robert Reed Church. The three-day reunion
celebration culminated in a parade of 15,000 veterans through
city streets draped in bunting and flags. The Commercial
Appeal called it "the most imposing spectacle ever witnessed
in the South."
As part of those
festivities, 12,000 people attended the Confederate Ball
hosted by the Forrest Camp in Confederate Hall. |
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Confederate Hall |
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It
was the largest Reunion ever held. The city was
decorated with over 15,000 Confederate flags and all 15,000 of
the Civil War survivors marched in the grand parade led by
their generals. At any given spot, the parade took over
two and a half hours to pass. Many Memphians opened
their homes to the Veterans after all the hotel space was
taken. President McKinley had been invited but had
a conflict of dates, prevented his attendance, so he came a
few days early. |
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Main Street parade
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Memphis
Main Street 1901 |
Memphis
Veterans - 1901 |
UCV -
Headquarters |
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Confederate Hall - 1901 |
Confederate Hall |
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A Word for Colored Veterans
(From The Holly Springs South
(Mississippi), April 25, 1901) |
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"There are
among the colored people, not a few who rendered faithful
service during the War, and they are certainly entitled to
recognition and to share in the enjoyment of the great
reunion. One of our citizens has already made up his mind to
take his faithful man, Jack, to Memphis when the veterans
meet, and no doubt others will do likewise. Some provision
should be made there for taking care of them. They will never
have the opportunity to look in the eyes of their old wartime
friends and we want all to go who desire and can. Some of them
have friends there of their own race, who will provide for
them as best they can, and we hope provisions will be made for
all who go, for they were true and faithful in the day and
hour of trial". |
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Veterans on Front St |
1901 UCV
Committee |
1901 UCV Cover and
Memphis Map
(BIG file) |
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The very interesting complete program is posted below. They
are very BIG files. Be patient while they load. |
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Cover -
Section 1 |
Section
2 |
Section
3 |
Section
4 |
Story of the Program |
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Artifacts and Memorabilia from the UCV
Reunions are highly collectible |
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UCV
Souvenir scroll with N.B. Forrest's photo |
Staff
Ribbons |
Special
Editions: Commercial Appeal 1901 |
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1901 Sheet Music |
Delegates-Soldiers Badge |
Delegates-Soldiers Badge |
Button |
Medal |
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Lapel Pin |
Stick
Pin |
Ribbon |
Commemorative Photo |
Official Envelope |
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1901 Program
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1901 Minutes |
1901 UCV Ad |
Spoon |
1901 UCV Souvenir |
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1901 Souvenir Program |
1901 Souvenir Program Back |
1901
Stick Pin |
NY Times 3-2-1901 |
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1901 UCV Flag |
1901 UCV Medal |
<
Leslie's Weekly article about UCV Reunion-June 1, 1901
> |
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1901Railroad Timetables to Memphis UCV Reunion |
Lost
Cause 1901 |
1901 UCV Sash |
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| 1901 Medal |
1901
Delegate |
1901
Guest |
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Article |
Souvenir |
FAKE or not? |
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UCV Reunion -
Memphis 1909 |
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In 1909, Memphis
again hosted the UCV Reunion, this time at the Bijou Theater on S. Main.
The
festivities included a Grand Ball, the Great Parade of
Veterans, a Regatta on the Mississippi, auto races and
fireworks at the Tri State Fairgrounds, steamboat excursions,
magic lantern shows, and theatrical productions. All
elements of Memphis outdid themselves vying to entertain the
veterans.
This was the 19th UCV National Reunion and included 18,000
veterans. The city was beautifully decorated with
bunting and flags waving in all directions.
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From
'Confederate Veterans Magazine' July 1909:
"Memphis
en fete was a city beautiful. Main Street ... was a mass
of brilliant bunting and fluttering flags. The resident
district also was in gala attire, nearly every house showing
the stars and bars with masses of Chinese lanterns and bunting...
Beautiful as the gala city was by day, by night it was a scene of
fairylike enchantment for myriads of electric lights lent their
glow.
Seldom
have so elaborate preparations been made for any Reunion as were
made for this... Aside from the decorations of the city, which were
as elaborate as an unlimited expenditure of money and beautiful
taste could make them, the general arrangements were well conceived
and thoroughly carried out. The entire city seemed
resolved...every third man or woman...wore the little silken badge,
"I live here, ask me," and the slightest show of bewilderment...on
the part of a visitor would bring one of these courteous guides to
his assistance". |
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"Possibly Memphis realized that in the nature of things this
probably would be the last Reunion held in that city, so made
every effort to make it the Ultima Thule of perfect success.
The management is to be congratulated on the wonderful
smoothness with which all arrangements were carried out, and
especially complimented upon the handling of the enormous and
unexpected crowds". |
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The
Decorated Bijou |
The
Great Parade |
1909
Main-Court Square |
Southern Mothers |
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"The
Bijou Theater, which was used as the Convention Hall, was most
beautifully and elaborately decorated in the red and white,
interspersed with palms and ferns".
"Besides the grand ball, with its many "dancers dancing in
tune," and the great parade of veterans, who kept time to the
martial music as if their feet were as young as in the
sixties, there were many special features - a regatta on the
Mississippi, automobile races and fireworks at the Tri-State
Fair Grounds, a steamboat excursion, magic lantern shows,
theaters, etc. The floral parade was one of the
finest features of the Reunion. Hundreds of automobiles,
carriages, victorias, and floats gayly decorated were in line,
and the rarest skill had been employed to make each more
beautiful than the other. It was a riot of color...
Beautiful as were the carriages, still more beautiful were the
inmates, for here rode the sponsors, maids of honor and
chaperons of the different organizations". |
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1909 Parade |
1909 Parade |
1909 Parade |
1909 Parade |
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See the 1909
Parade down Main Street in 60 rare photos -
Click here |
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| 1909
Parade - Gov Patterson |
Some of
the Boys |
Confederate Park |
South
greets North |
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The
'Lexington Progress' newspaper saw it differently:
"The great
annual
meeting of the United Confederate Veterans, held in Memphis
... will probably be remembered by all as the most largely
attended in the entire history of the organization. No other
point is so centrally located, so accessible by rail and river
and no other place will work so hard as does Memphis to drum
up a crowd, for Memphis has an eye to business and can see the
advantage of bringing to that city a crowd of more than a
hundred thousand people" ... "...Memphis
let as many veterans go un-housed as had ever happened in any city.
Hundreds
of old soldiers slept in the parks, on the benches and ground, as
did thousands of the COMMON VISITORS who could not find a place to
sleep or would not pay the robber prices exacted. Such
hotels as the Peabody more than doubled
the price of rooms and on cots worth but little if any more than a
dollar, a man was asked $1.50 to sleep one night. In the
matter of eating there was no reasonable complaint, for houses which
fed well held to regular prices, but on lodging the robbery was
notorious-an imposition which should never be submitted to in any
city, and Mobile should be given fair warning as that city has been
selected for the next Reunion.
Memphis papers are boasting that the
Reunion brought to that city more than a million dollars in
cash--and there you have the burning patriotism which prompted the
city to entertain the veterans who came-and were found. The
Memphis Street Car Company is said to have done $50,000 business
last week and did it honestly, charging the regular price, 5c per
ride. We wish the company could have made a hundred thousand". |
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Highly
Collectible Artifacts and Memorabila from the 1909 UCV
Reunion... |
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| Medal 1909 |
Medal
1909 |
Medal
1909 |
Medal
1909 |
Medal
1909 |
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Reunion
Badge |
Stick Pin |
Badge |
Reunion
Program |
Medal
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Souvenir
1909 |
Poster
1909 |
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Official
Postcard |
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Miscellaneous items
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Camp 315
Letter Opener |
Compact
with Mirror |
Compact -
back |
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1909 Souvenir
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1909 Letter Opener |
1909 Pin |
1909 Poster |
...The Next Reunion |
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Railroad Fares |
1909 Flag - Street Decoration |
1909
Review |
Winnie Davis |
1909 Postcard |
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1909 Minutes |
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Stonewall Jackson Souvenirs |
1909 Coffee Pot |
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1909 Sheet Music |
1909 Souvenir
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Generals - Card |
1909 Missouri Pin |
1909
Robert E. Lee Medal |
1909 Lee Medal |
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4 very
rare postcards of Generals |
1909
Souvenir |
Battlefield Routes |
1909
Registration |
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| 1909 Parade
Postcard |
1909
Parade Postcard |
Review |
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Postcard |
Souvenir |
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UCV Reunion -
Memphis 1924 |
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In 1924, Memphis
hosted the UCV for the third time. The city had just built
the Auditorium and it had not yet officially opened. But the
Veterans got to use it for all their activities. This was
the 34th Reunion.
The
'Confederate Veteran' Magazine in 1924 wrote: "Memphis has
kept the faith," was the feeling expression of Commander in
Chief Haldeman in reference to the entertainment provided for
the heroes in gray by the great Bluff City, and this
appreciation was echoed in the hearts of all veterans there.
The hospitality of the city was not limited, and only
compliments have been expressed by those who enjoyed it.
Even the weather man was considerate and provided weather that
was ideal for the occasion. Memphians can rest satisfied
that all were pleased." |
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The Grand Veterans'
Parade down Main Street ... |
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The convention opened June 4 and thousands had gathered in
the magnificent new auditorium, capable of seating some
12,000 people. There was some confusion in getting
the delegates seated; also, the unfinished condition of
the auditorium made it difficult to hear a short distance
from the stage.
The reunion parade is always the crowning feature with the
veterans, and Memphis gave them two parades, veterans
taking part in both. The Civic Flower parade on
Wednesday afternoon was a vivid spectacle, highly enjoyed
by participants and spectators. The Veterans' parade
on Friday morning brought them out in force, many marching
in line, though the larger part seemed well content to
ride with the pretty girls and share with them the
enthusiastic cheers of the thousands looking on. |
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Thanks to University
Libraries, University of Memphis, for the photos of
the 1924 parade. |
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The Grand Veterans'
Parade continues ...
These photos
have rarely been seen since 1924. |
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The
Memphis Commercial Appeal printed a special
eight-page commemorative edition during the UCV Reunion. This very rare newspaper, in the
collection of Dave French, is posted below in its
entirety.
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They are VERY BIG files.
Please be patient while they load. |
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Highly
Collectible Artifacts and Memorabila from the 1924 UCV
Reunion... |
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Medal 1924
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Medal 1924 |
Medal 1924 |
Medal 1924 |
Medal - Engraving of Ellis |
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Delegate 1924 |
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1924 Broken Medal |
Medal - Back |
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Souvenir Medal |
Souvenir |
1924 Invitation |
1924 Ribbon |
Delegate Badge |
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1924 Scrapbook Souvenir |
1924
Commercial Appeal |
1924 Reunion Letter |
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1924
Railroad "plans" |
1924
Confederate Veteran Magazine...Reunion edition |
Peabody
Construction - 1924 |
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1924 parade on 2nd Street |
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Some of the local UCV
Camps at the State and National Reunions-Conventions |
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Alabama -
1890 |
Arkansas -
1911 |
North
Carolina 1903 |
Atlanta -
1929 |
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Austin - 1905 |
Decatur Camp |
Florida 1927 |
Tennessee |
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Franklin -
1905 |
Murfreesboro
- 1929 |
Dyersberg |
Birmingham
-1916 |
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Nashville - 1897
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Nashville Tennessean |
Nashville |
1923
Rosser-Gibbons Camp |
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Sardis, Mississippi - 1900's |
Sardis, Mississippi - 1900's |
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The complete program for the first UCV Reunion at Chattanooga in
1890 ... |
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We are looking for the
complete program for the 1901 UCV in Memphis - to replace this
program. |
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...and The Final Reunion...1951, Norfolk VA |
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UCV Hat with Emblem |
1951
Final: Norfolk, VA |
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Credits |
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The
Historic-Memphis website does not intentionally post copyrighted
photos and material without permission or credit.
On
occasion a "non-credited" photo might possibly be posted because we
were unable to find a name to give credit. Because of the nature of
our non-commercial, non-profit, educational website, we strongly
believe that these photos would be considered "Fair Use. We have
certainly made no monetary gain, although those using this website
for historic or Genealogy research have certainly profited. If by
chance,
we have posted your copyrighted photo, please contact us, and we'll
remove it immediately, or we'll add your credit if that's your
choice. In the past, we have found that many photographers
volunteer to have their works included on these pages and we'll
also do that if you contact us with a photo that fits a particular
page. |
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The "Historic-Memphis" website would like to acknowledge and thank the
following for their contributions which helped make this website
possible:
Memphis
Public Library, Memphis University Library, Memphis Law Library,
Memphis Commercial Appeal, Memphis Press Scimitar, Shelby County
Register of Deeds, Memphis City Schools, Memphis Business Men's
Club, Memphis Chamber of Commerce, Memphis City Park Commission,
Memphis Film Commision, Carnival Memphis, Memphis Historical
Railroad Page, Memphis Heritage Inc, Beale Street Historic District,
Cobblestone Historic District, Memphis Historic Districts, Vance
Lauderdale Family Archives, Tennessee State Archives, Library of
Congress, Kemmons Wilson Family, Richard S. Brashier, Lee Askew,
George Whitworth, Woody Savage and many individuals whose assistance is
acknowledged on the pages of their contributions. Special
thanks to Memphis Realtor, Joe Spake, for giving us carte blanche
access to his outstanding collection of contemporary Memphis photos.
We do not have high definition copies of the photos on these
pages. If anyone wishes to secure high definition photos,
you'll have to contact the photographer or the collector.
(To avoid any possibility of contributing to SPAM, we do not
maintain a file of email addresses for anyone who contacts us). |
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