War and Remembrance:
The 1911 United
Confederate Veterans Reunion
In May 1911, former Civil War soldiers gathered at Little Rock, Arkansas, for the 21st Annual Convention of the United Confederate Veterans.
Established in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1889, the UCV
sought to "unite in a general federation all associations of
Confederate veterans." The organization sponsored its first reunion
that summer, and ex-soldiers retold war stories and revived old
friendships. Reunions of Confederate groups became a popular method for
reminiscing about the "old days" and gave veterans the
opportunity to enjoy the comradeship of other soldiers. As the twentieth
century began, reunions also allowed veterans the chance to share memories
with a younger generation.
By 1910, the number of Confederate veterans still living
had decreased dramatically. Organizers estimated only 11,000 of the more
than one million men who fought for the Confederacy between 1861 and 1865
would be able to attend another reunion. Some members of the UCV worried
this might be the last opportunity for aged friends,
relatives, and
soldiers to meet. Veterans were not the only people present, however,
Widows attended on behalf of their husbands, and children of Confederate
veterans came to represent their deceased fathers.
As a result, the 1911 United Confederate Veterans reunion was the largest such celebration as long-lost friends and families reunited in Little Rock. Expecting no more than 50,000 reunion-goers, the city was overwhelmed when twice that number arrived. For three days, more than 106,000 visitors commemorated the fiftieth anniversary of the firing on Fort Sumter and the start of the Civil War.
Veterans gathered on horseback.
Funding for this exhibit provided by Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau.
