Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-07-21
FOR AID.
A Plea for the Manned and Disabled
Confederate Soldiers.
Citizens of Texas Should Join Hands and Aid
Those Who Lost Health and Property
for Cause We Upheld
To the People of Texas:

To the People of Texas:
Several years ago 1.-The John B. Hood
camp, " of this city, inaugurated plan
for establishing home for disabled, IN
digent ex-Confederate soldiers.
The philanthropIc men who undertook
!, tbeeenterprise had many difficulties to en-
counter, but have accomplished a good
work, and can point with pride to a
beautiful home where about thirty of the
old heroes are comfortably sheltered.
The present accommodations. however,
are not commensurate with the demand
and hundreds of worthy applicants, left
in penury by the vicissitudes of war, and
doomed to remain so by physical disabiI-
tiles, must be denied admittance.
Travis county could easily care for her
own dependent soldiers, but the object
Of this institution is to shield from beg
gary and want all the brave fellows
whose pTOdigles of vaIOr were once the
admiration Of the world.
The state of Texas III 1861 called her
sons to arms, and without questioning
the right or considering the danger, they
promptly responded to the call. For
four years upon every contested field her
banners led the van of battle, and her
five-pointed star was always found
among the dead and wounded.
When the war was ended many of these
MANNED heroes returned to their homes,
unable to care for themselves, and have
been buffetted from place to place,
whenever charity opened a door, or pity
promised assistance.
4
community to raise money sufficient to
construct the necessary buildings. and
furnish the necessary supplies for all the
helpless eX-Confederates of our state,
and it is but just and fair that every
town and county Should assume a pro
rata of expenses
In presenting the claims of such an en-
terprise it requires neither logic nor
pathos to awaken sympathy in every gem
erous nature, and surely the "men %
gray '-'' the knightiiest throng where6f
the world holds record '-cannetakel feet,
the comrades who fell by their SIDES az
they marched through that long nigits6fs
sorrow and blood.
We, who, when the morning da8Red,
were left unsecured by blade otlbEH will
be unworthy the cOlors we wore1and the
history we made if now we fail to come
up to the full measure of a soldiers
highest duty.
Many posts of ''The Grand Army, -
with magnanimity unparalleled in his
tory, have made liberal contributions to
this Confederate home, and words can
not express our gratitude to those true
and gallant soldiers, but every impulse
of manhood imposes the sacred trust of
caring for these unfortunates upon the
frih IL nd Jrh 1piT
dangers and know their worth.
The United States government distrib-
utes millions of dollars annually TO those
who enlisted in the Northern army. and
who were Injured>bY. the war. r.
The pension list numbers almost as
many men as ever followed the standardss
Of Grant and Sherman, and we fSfhe
South, who contribute largely %'that
fund, do not complain.
We willingly provide for those who
swept with fire and sword the fair6st por-,
tons of our land and crushed with iron
hoofs our hopes of q nation; but in mer-
cy's name what have we done for lyfeS
men VINO barred their breasts to the ssormE
and went down before it? Absolutely
nothing.
Citizens of Texas, reflect upon 9hese
things, and let the memories of cOn1lp on
hopes and consecrnted sorrows that Gel =
lowed to the death the waning fortTaes
sOf cause we loved-moYe every geuklA
fearted woman, and every chivalRSas
l man to join us in this noble charirysA {
L. S. Ross, ChairmaH zses
Il. Y. FILLMORE, SECRETARY.
e r. ii. SwEARISGEN
- = JOHN 3. RECTOR,
W. r. HANDY,
n. @. SHELLEY,
Y. B. DEBRAY,
HENRY E. SHELLEY,
w C. WALSH,
J. J ToBN,
= p WOoLDRIGE,
e 7 ROCHE. II