Luray-Carlisle Reunion Camp #1881, S.U.V.C.W. ~ History

A History of the Luray-Carlisle Blue & Gray Reunions of 1881

In a meeting in Carlisle, Pa. on June 7, 1881, the Captain Colwell Post No. 201 of the G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) of Carlisle, Pennsylvania made preparations for an excursion to the awe-inspiring Luray Caverns. But more importantly, Union veterans felt an ideal opportunity to "have a general hand-shaking and expression of good feeling" with former foe.

An article was placed in the Page Courier and Virginia Advertiser that stated: "It has been sixteen years of peace and national prosperity has been fully long enough to cure all the heart-burns and bitterness engendered by the unholy and unnatural strife."

Though some may have presumed that the proclamation of the Union veterans was highly optimistic, within 12 days of sending invitations for a reunion to "prominent men of Page County," a warm and friendly response was returned by local Confederate veterans.

When the G.A.R. Camp arrived in Luray at the Shenandoah Valley Railroad Depot on July 21 (the 20th anniversary of the First Battle of Manassas/Bull Run), Confederate veterans were drawn up in military form in two files, with an evergreen arch on their right bearing the inscription: "In Union there is Strength."

The G.A.R. Post then took position about 12 paces in a line facing the Confederate veterans. Between the two lines of ex-foes was planted a United States flag. With an opening address by Mayor Henry James Smoot (a former Confederate surgeon), the reunion was officially opened.

. . . no North, no South, no East, no West, but glorified in a common country and a common destiny."
- Mayor Henry James Smoot, Page County Confederate Veteran & former Confederate Surgeon

Addresses by veterans Captain Francis H. Jordan, Jr. (former A.D.C. to General P.G.T. Beauregard) and Andrew Broaddus (Co. C, 39th Battalion Virginia Cavalry - Lee's Bodyguard) followed. Near the end of his speech, Broaddus emphasized the meaning of the evergreen arch and bore-up proudly in the remembrance of service by the Confederate veterans: "Cowards bear malice - it is the part of the brave to forgive, and he, who deaf to his country's call, refused to bear his breast to the leaden storm of bullets, is the last to smoke the calumet of peace."

"Soldiers of the Grand Army of the Republic, we meet you on this occasion not as the types of misfortune, or as men with fettered hands; nor as supplicants kneeling at the behest of our conquerors; but as brothers with extended hands, thrusting aside all sectional prejudices, and curbing the evil passions which sacrilegious war engenders, casting all our former animosities into the dead history past.
- Francis Hubert Jordan,
Page County Confederate Veteran,
former Captain and A.D.C. to Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard

The playing of the Star Spangled Banner followed and introduced speeches by Judge R.M. Henderson and Captain William E. Miller.

"The recent past of our country's trials furnishes many themes for study and discussion . . . This must be done calmly, wisley and well."
- Judge R.M. Henderson,
Union Veteran of Colwell Post #201,
former Lt. Col., 7th P.R.V.C.

"I propose three cheers, and that the motton above our heads [IN UNION, THERE IS STRENGTH] may not have been placed there in vain, we will break ranks and clasp hands across the chasm, once wide and bloody, but now narrowed by the lapse of time, and covered with the green sod of peace."
- William E. Miller,
Union Veteran of Colwell Post #201,
former Captain, Co. H, 3rd Pa. Cavalry

With words of fraternal reunion" completed, and amid a roar of cheers, the two lines of men stepped forward and "clasped each other by the hands." The Carlisle Herald and Mirror reported: "During this part of the exercises many eyes were dim with tears of joy mingled with tears of sadness at the recollection of the dark days of war."

The procession of men and guests then moved onto the large dining hall of the Luray Cave and Hotel Company, "where a fine collation was served." The dinner cards upon the tables bore devices of clasped hands, with the word "Re-Union," and under this "Pennsylvania, July 21, 1881, Virginia."

When it came time to board the train again, "many were the regrets when the engineer whistled 'up brakes,' and all felt they must leave. "Cheer after cheer went up as the train moved off from the station."

With such a warm reception received in Luray, the Union veterans agreed to invite the Page County Confederate veterans to Carlisle for a reunion on Sept. 28. "The citizens (of Carlisle) promptly furnished the money for the needed expenses." More than 200 veterans made the train ride with their families from Luray for a similar round of speeches and hospitality.

Page County Confederates did not end their efforts in reunion in 1881. In early October 1896, one hundred and sixty Page County Confederate Veterans, along with many other Confederate Veterans from throughout the Shenandoah Valley, traveled to Canton, Ohio and experienced a similar reunion at that time and met with Presidential Candidate and Union veteran, William McKinley. From Canton, the Confederate Veterans trained for Pittsburg & Allegheny City, Pa., where they were warmly received by over 400,000 people.

Likewise, for the great 50th anniversary reunion at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 1913 [OFFSITE LINK], nearly three dozen Page County Confederate Veterans were able to make the trip - two of our Camp #1881, S.U.V.C.W. members had Confederate ancestors - Lewis Chrisman of Co. H, 33rd Virginia Infantry, and Siram W. Offenbacker of 2nd Co. M, 62nd Virginia Mounted Infantry - who attended the reunion at Gettysburg.

Incidentally, a few years ago, in the spirit of the 1881 reunion, as descendants of men from the organizations of Confederate veterans of Page County, Va., many of the Luray-Carlisle Reunion Camp's charter members, as descendants of Confederate soldiers and members of the Summers-Koontz Camp #490 (and a number of years before any ideas about the formation of the Luray-Carlisle Reunion Camp were ever conceived or even before the charter members realized they also had ties with Union ancestors), also proposed a reunion with the descendant organization of the Capt. Colwell Grand Army of the Republic Post - the J.P. Brindle Camp #50, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. [OFFSITE LINK] As guests of the Brindle Camp, a number of the members of the Summers-Koontz Camp #490 went to the Remembrance Day activities and enjoyed themselves immensely with the brothers from the Brindle Camp.

As a new camp of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, this is the type of spirit we would like to emulate as descendants of both Confederate and Union ancestors.

A Wonderful Memorial Day Address Delivered by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. on May 30, 1884, at Keene, N.H., before John Sedgwick Post No.4, Grand Army of the Republic. [OFFSITE LINK}