Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-03-06
GEN. Rosser's Address:

ten. R0sSer's Address:
A few weeks since, Gen. Rnsser delivered
and address in Baltimore, which has been
much commented upon. Some of his strong
expressions excited the ire of the extremists
in the North, and the disapproval of some
in the South.
The general tenor was national, Ioysl.
and patriotic. The following is the Dor.
tion that caused most comment of an ad
verse character:-
81 am tired of Gettysburg reunions and
Blue and Gray love feasts which the poll
tie ians are holding. I am; aud l believe
that every brave Confederate soldier living
to DAY is more loyal to the constitutions
government of the new United States and
to the flag of the new Uuion than are the
rank and file of the Grand Army of the Re
public. This banner" waving a Confeder.
ate battle flag, "under which we SO glori
ously fought is now badge of our LOYALTY
to ourselves. This Is the cross which we
bore with courage, patience and fortitude
which entities every brave, true and tried
Confederate soldier to wear patriots i'm.
mortal crown" Continuing. he said the
South was victorious in every battle in Vir
ginia from the first to the last, and finally
yielded only to starvation. at was a fact
and is still fact that Southern gentle
man can whip puritanical Yankee every
time" He put down the Confederate q ag,
and taking up the Stars aad Stripes, be
said: This is the Gag of my county, and
to our patriotic hearts this flag symboizss,
by its stars, the self.illuminating light oil
States sovereignty, and these bands of red
aud white symbolize the bonds of flesh and
bone which, in E. Pluribus Unum, unite
them all in one union of national life and
destiny"
The Baltimore Sun has the following to
say with reference to it:
THE recent address of Gen. Thomas L.
Rosser, of Virginia, before the Confederate
Army and Navy Society, in Baltimore. has
afforded the moro extreme republican
papers and politicians an opportunity for
unfavorable comment and some have gone
50 far as to refer to Gen. kosser as a brag.
CART, as man who talked great deal but
did very little fighting. and as one who was
captured by one of the "fanatical Y ankees''
to whom the General paid his respects in
his Academy of Music address A Confsd.
crate soldier, who is pretty familiar with
the operations of the Army of Northern
Virginia, expresses the opinion that Gen.
Rosser never was prisoner of war. He
was educated at West Point, being cadet
from Texas, and entered the Confederate
service as lieutenant in one of the bat
teres of the celebrated Washington Artil-
lery of New Orleans. He was quickly pro-
NOTED to the oaptaincy of this battery, and
vas soon recognized as one of the bravest
and most skillful artillery officers in the
Army of Northern Virginia. His dash and
gallantry attracted the attention of Gen. J..
E. B. Stuart, who had him promoted to a
colonelcy and assigned to the command of
one of the regiments In Gen. Fitz Lees
cavalry brigade. In this position he great
ly distinguished himself, being splendid
horsemau, crack swsrdsman and pistol
shot, man of great courage and GOODNESS,
with remarkable aptitude for the DISPOSE
ton and handling of troops. Such a COM
bination of soldiery qualities quickly led to
another promotion, and this time he was
made bri9adier- general aud assigned to
the command of Gen Turner Ashby's old
brigade, composed of the Seventh, Eleventh
and Twelfth Virginia regiments, Lieulen-
ant Colonel E. V. Whites battalion, and
Cbew's battery of horse artillery. This
command Gen. Rosser christened the
Laurel Brigade" and its history is a ia
millar one to the survivors of the Army of
Northern Virginia. Under Rosser it dis
tiuguished itself in numerous battles. H.
GLIDING the engagements at Warrenton
Springs, Auburn, Parker's Store, SaBgster' =
Station, the first and second days battles in
he Wilderness, Todd's Tavern, Trevylian' s
Station, the White House, Reams Station,
Cedar Creek, and dozens of other fights.
In 1864 Rosser was made a major-geueral,
and each prom otion seemed to develop new
capacities az cavalry commander. He
was in the retreat from Petersburg, and
during the expiring hours of the confsder
acy was recon- mended by Gen. Lee for the
position of acknowledgement Il is the rec
election of the Confederate above referred
to that Gen. Rosser did not surrender at
Appomattox, but had succeeded in getting
through the Federal lines and was on his
way to North Carolina to join Gen. Joseph
E. Johnston when he heard of the surren
der of that distinguished officer. Then be
disbsnded the men who were with him.
Another story is that after the war Gen.
Rosser rode into Virginia town wearing a
gray coat adorned with two rows of military
buttons, which he was ordered to remove
by one of the Federal provost marshais and
| that on falling to promptly comply With the
order the officer OF snme Of his men cut the
buttons from Rosser's coat. This may be
true, for provost marshals genara!ly had al
their heels file of blue coated soldiers, and
cutting Confederate buttons off of peoples
! clothing, big, little, old and young. by Fed
eral officials, was a common thing when the
| fighting was over and the Confederates had
LAID down their arms. Those, therefore
who have been circulating silly stories
about Rosser's war record had bstter learn
something about it before they ''shoot of
their mouths" 1t is safe to say that nc
more brave OF dashing soldier fought in the
Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.