The National tribune., 1888-11-29
Ex-REBELs IN THE GAR.

A Plea for Men Forced Into the Rebel Army
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I have read
the proceedings of the National Encampment,
held during September at Columbus 0. | will
say that ! take issue with that body on one
point only, and invite a discussion by the COM
rades Of the GAR. through the columns of
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE upon the resolution
of that body to exclude good Union soldiers
who had the misfortune at the breaking out of
the war to live in States where Secession was
the ruling power, and were by force compelled
to join the rebel army, but deserted at the first
opportunity and enlisted in the Union service,
and as general thing were among the best
soldiers we had They had moro risk to run
than soldiers enlisting from Northern States,
from the fact that when they so deserted they
took the risk of being hung to the first con-
venient tree by their former comrades if they
were captured
As an illustration of case of that kind, a
story of man in Tennessee who was forced
into the rebel army, and in a few days deserted
and enlisted in Union regiment, and after a
short time was captured by the same rebel
regiment that he deserted from, and after they
were disarmed and placed under guard, one
of the guard who was a personal acquaintance,
shouted to fellow-guard:
" l say, Bob here's Tom Goodman among
them ere - Yankees"
Hello, Tom, what are you doing with them
ere Yankee clothes onP Deserted, ell? Well
FIX you"
And they did They marched him out to a
convenient tree and put rope around his neck
and over limb and strung him up instanter,
without even so much as drumhead court
martial. And right here | would like to ask
how many of those comrades who voted to ex-
clude such men from the GAR. would have
taken poor Toms place or the chance he had
after he enlisted in the Union army2
think / have written enough to let COM
rades know what | am driving at and / invite
a thorough investigation of this subject, so
that before another National Encampment
| takes place hope the delegates thereto will be
better posted as to the merits of this case and
know how to vote on another resolution of the
same kind; for they can be well assured this
question is not going to be disposed of so easily
We owe such comrades an obligation which
recognition by the GAR. only partly dis
charges
Now do hope that the comrades living in
the Southern States who are better acquainted
with this matter and can tell our Northern
comrades something we have found out since
the war closed, that enough Of these cases have
come to light to justify us in the course we
have taken
How is it that scouts and spies went down
into the Confederate lines, and in order to ac-
complish their objects enlisted in the rebel
service, and some of them served three or four
months before they escaped to the Union lines !?
Now, did not these same spies hear arms against
the United States? And | want to ask those
comrades who made themselves so conspicuous
at Columbus in the way they voted did not
those spies go voluntarily into the rebel lines
and into the rebel service? And yet since the
war closed they are considered good candidates
for membership by some in the GAR, while
| those poor fellows who were forced into the
rebel ranks and afterward deserted and enlist
ed in the Union service are denied recognition
b. the GAR.
/ cannot be brought to believe that ma
jority of my old comrades of the Grand Army
will deny them admission when all the facts
are known, and | call on comrades living in
the Southern States to come to the rescue of
their rejected comrades, for / sincerely believe
that some of them are better entitled to mem
bership than some who are already in
Now / know of case here of a soldier who
was forced into the rebel service and served
but few weeks, and deserted and enlisted i'm
mediately in the Union army and served TO
the end of the war, and was wounded three
different times and now is good loyal cti-
zen and neighbor, respected by all who know
! him; and, furthermore, he will vote this Fall
for Harrison and Morton, and if that is not
sufficient to make him eligible to enter any
GAR Post, then am a poor judge of what
constitutes frst-class Unionism. / would like
to see the color of the comrades heart who
could get up and say that such men should be
shut out from fellowship in the GA.R.-E. A,
| WILSON, Captain, Co. c. LIST Berdan Sharp
| shooters, Commander Advance Post, No. 5s.
Department of Arkansas, Piggott, Ark.