STANLY COUNTY, NC - HOFFMAN - Confederate Reunions
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From the Notebook of Lilly Carter Hoffman:
(1968)

As a child during the 1890's, I usually went with my mother who took a basket 
of food to the campus of the old academy where the long tables were arranged 
for a picnic dinner honoring the Confederates soldiers at their reunion, which 
took place among the large oak tree just south of the large two story frame 
building known as the Albemarle Academy. The old academy has long since been 
torn away and brick school buildings known as the Albemarle Graded School are  
there now. I attended school in the first brick school building the first year 
in Albemarle Graded School oocupied the new building and continued every year 
until I finished with the class of 1906.
I will remember the soldiers with long bearded faces-seated at the long 
homemade tables eating picnic dinners prepared and given by the women of 
Stanly County. My mother was a widow then, but she always took great pride in 
preparing fried chicken, deviled eggs etc for the men who had fought for a 
lost cause.
During the sunner of 1929, my husband, Joe F. Hoffman, our baby, Bonnie of 
three years of age, and I attended a general reunion of all the Confederate 
states at Charlotte, NC. One thing which attracted my attention was seeing the 
old soldiers, some in uniform, come out of the mess hall at the end of the 
noon day meal. So many of them as they passed by us stopped long enough to 
greet us, and cheerfully say: I must speak to the baby-Let me shake the baby's 
hand." Many years prior to this they had been through a terrible war, now 
their hearts were soft, tender and loving toward a little child they did not 
know.
In May, 1933 I attended a reunion in Ansonville, NC at the home of Major 
General Smith. His flower garden was at its height of beauty with many old 
fashionable flowers. His large lawn with many large shade trees was very 
appropriate for the occasion. I was shown the interior of the home by Mr. 
Bennett Nelms whom I had known for several years. It was  handsomely furnished 
with marble topped furniture just as it had been before the war. A daughter 
about 16 years of age had died during the war and her room was arranged just 
as she left it. She was a music pupil in the Ansonville College, and her music 
roll still hung on the wall.
General Smith's sister, Mrs. LIllington who lived during the Confederacy, 
played Dixie and other familiar songs on the handsome square piano. One 
soldier could not resist the temptation to give the "Rebel Yell". He used his 
walking stick as a gun and his voice was still stong. He attracted much 
attention. I can understand why the Federals would be terror stricken at such 
an unearthly noise.
I think probably this was the last reunion the Stanly County soldiers 
attended. About 28 attended but they were getting feeble. My sister Bess 
Underwood, who was deputy Register of Deeds and others at the Stanly County 
Courthouse, made arrangements for transportation and she went with them and 
looked after their needs. The three Robert A. Carter daughters, Bess, Florence 
and I and one grandson Wilton Kimmer thoroughly enjoyed the day with the 
soldiers and UDC members who had come from different chapters.