The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-10-06
RECONCILIATION.
THE BLUE AND THE GRAY.

under date OF the S0tn ult., concerning
new and important social andpolitical order
of soldiers and its future significance: Yes,
sir; the most practical method of recon
struction 1 know of = glimpse OF light
breaking in upon the future of the South--is
this Order of the Blue and the Gray " said
nv companion, enthusiastically, as we were
promenading the long deck of the packet X.
E. Lee: ''you must stop at Nicksburg, and
write that thing MP. 1t will do more good
than all the bloody yarns you tell OF Niger
killing"
apo YOU belong to it?'' asked. He was a
confederate soldier.
"No; but l will as soon as they get it in
nv town, and we're going TO have il there;
and some of those old blue-bellies used to
! fight against are just as anxious for it as
am. Now, you stop at Vicksburg and find
out all about it,"
So did. It's only little over a month
old, this association of federal and confed-
crate soldiers, and Nicksburg has the honor
of originating it. L went to see the men In
whose minds the Almighty planted this
olive branch, and they told me "all about
| it," There were three OF them, and they
sat over lunch at a restaurant on Wash
ington street. There were John ID. Beard,
once a member of the eighth Illinois
volunteers, Dick Oglesby's old regiment o.
s. Pegram, confederate officer, and j. b.
/ llnDeV. manager OI t00 w tSlCEn OHlOu Acl-
egraph office here, who was chief operator
on Grants staff in the Vicksburg campaign.
They sat one noon, munching sandwiches,
drinking ale, and talking politics-deplor-
| ing the condition of the South. Somebody
said:
war had their way, these troubles would be
stopped" si''
That's soln echoed the other two. a
| ssIt's all caused by those fellows who did
i no fighting but stayed at home and grum-
bled. Now the war is over they are thirsty
for blood and hungry for Office. The sol
diers ought to turn in and make them take
back seat" .r4U
"Let's do i'll" was the echo again, and a
grand plan of harmony practical clasp
ing of hands
ACROSS THE BLOODY cHASM g.
began to dawn on each of those minds there
They talked upon the idea thus suggested
till they developed it into a plan-the or
ganization of old soldiers, who had de-
monstrated their patriotism in practical
, manner. into an association to work to-
gether for mutual good-and they left
, that restaurant with their brains teemine
with a noble idea. Just as the three were
going ont they met Gen. Harris, who com
manded a brigade in the Southern army
Col FurlOng, a federal officer, and Warren
suggested their plan to them, and it me-
their hearty endorsement.
"Wby didn't we think of that before?'
asked one.
sim sure every soldier in this town viii
ioin it, said another, "and Will spread it all
over the Southern States" added a third
still il becomes national institution"
meeting was called, notices being posteC
over the signatures OF the mon have
3 named. and they are some OF the best in tht
town. The meeting was held, the plan rat
z flied enthusiastically, and loo name.
were enrolled before adjournment. Nobody
2 made any opposition, and nobody refuses Il
: join, when invited. Another meeting wa
I held-the second--only a few nights ago
: which was crowded, not only by men but b.
a ladies', who came out to signify their apprO
@ baton OF this union, and an organization wa
? perfected, resulting in the adoption ola
D PREAMBLE AND CONSTITUTION.
WHEREAS, There are residing in the cit
!. of Vicksburg a large number c
n citizens who were formerly sol
T diers or sailors, some of whor
= wore the uniform and followed the flag {
n the United States, battling for the preserva
i ton and supremacy of the Union, while ott
II ers, not less confident of their devotion {
the right, wore the uniform, followed th
fortunes, and fought and struggled und5
the government of the confederate States
3 and
le during the war have made good citizens
Is time of peace; and,
WHEREAS, The soldiers OF both armies a.
= now citizens of one common country, wit
d one destiny, one flag, and perfect identity
l. interest; and,
in either the army ofthe United States or
y that of the Confederate States of Americ
l. during four weary years of unhappy civ
s strife, may be relied upon by their fellow
n citizens in any emergency; and,
WHEREAS, The eX-soldierS of the tW
9 armies here present deem the occasion al
n propriate TO form an association, the obje
" of which is to uphold the laws, to promO
a. kindly relations and friendly intercOur,
I'd between the members, To repress, by the
n teaching and example, all lawlessness an
u riOtOus demonstrations, to preserve I'll
ty peace and promote the good order of societ
ne TO afford protection to each other, and abo'
OF all to extend to the weak and the helple
to the chivalrous protection of soldiers; and,
lgl WHEREAS, We hail this association
o. tried soldiers and sailors as CLEAN of hgl
is penetrating the cloud of past prelude
be which will serve to guide our course throue
go the present gloom to future OF good feeliT
On and prosperity; therefore, be it
at Resolved, That we now unite ourselv
= into an association to be known as Il
n Order of the Blue and the Gray, of which o
cd der honorably discharged soldiers and sa
all ors, of either army or navy, of good chara
"a, err, may become members.
IT'S Here follows the constitution, which
of very like that of all similar organizations.
OF THE OBJECT OF THE ASSOCIATION.
MT AS 1 said, talked with the originator
is and have told the motives and the devt
A opment, as it was told me. The preslder
~ Col. Beard, frail flower from the IlIinC
y. prairies, weighing some 400, 1 Judge, to
nc me that it was doing more good in the w
RS, over bonad and ;ts intinenca
'ss only in Vicksburg, but througho
VI the whole South would, he knew, be la
* ing and valuable. Already they were
se. ceiving letters of inquiry from all parts
en- as,s.;,,,,;o,,' -, ,srottod esPNs.;at;S