In September 1887, Evansville was the scene of the great "Blue and Gray Reunion." The idea was to bring together veterans of both armies in an attempt to bind up the wounds of ill feelings left over from the Civil War.
Garvin's Woods (now Garvin Park) was the site of the great encampment. Main Street was extended northward to reach the park, and although the roadway was not paved, the fire department sprinkled frequently to keep down the dust. A parade ground was laid out in the grove and a temporary grandstand was erected to seat 5,000.
The railroads offered special excursion rates and as many as 12,000 visitors came by train, boat and horse to Evansville from as far as New Orleans and California. With hotels filled, private homes opened to accommodate the overflow.
Five hundred tents were set up in the bivouac area where the various companies of old soldiers gathered to reminisce and dine on the traditional war rations of hardtack and sow belly.
On opening day, Gen. James M. Schackelford, in command of the encampment, made some opening remarks and introduced Mayor John H. Dannettell, who welcomed the throng to the city. Albion Fellows (later Bacon) read her original poem titled "The Reunion of The Blue and The Grey," and there was stirring music by Warren's Band.
On the second day (Sept. 21) the veterans staged a grand dress parade followed by addresses by the governors of Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia.
At night there were campfires, serenading and more speeches.
Evansville businessmen, realizing that hordes of visitors would be coming from all over, organized a giant industrial parade to show off the city's businesses and industries. Newspapers carried full-page plans for weeks before the event.
The great parade - 6 miles long and taking two hours and wagons displayed an array of Evansville-made products. Even Lena Bauer got into the act with her elegant display of laces and fine milliner's goods.
Friday, Sept. 23, was the greatest day of all. At 9:30 a.m. there was a magnificent infantry drill followed by a Zouave exhibition drill. The grand finale in the afternoon was a two-hour sham battle in which several hundred veterans fired over 41,000 round of ammunition before a crowd estimated at 60,000.
By Saturday, it was all over and the city began to relax and clean up the debris. Almost everyone agreed the reunion was a tremendous success. Several merchants already had received out-of-town orders for merchandise seen in the parade, and Evansville received valuable publicity in newspapers nationwide.
Only Capt. J. V. Admire of the 65th Infantry Volunteers expressed reservations. In a newsletter to comrades, he wrote: "The gray feature of this reunion was not an affectionate success. Outside of a few prominent ex-Confederate and ex-Union officers who slobbered over each other according to the programme, there was not much slobbering done. The ex-grays didn't respond to the invitation with alacrity or pronounced fondness. The conspicuous presence of the noted gentleman, horse thief and robber, Adam Johnson, did not enthuse the boys who had worn the blue. In the notice of Adam Johnson's presence at the Evansville Reunion, for the word 'gentleman' the word 'guerrilla' was intended."
