The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-05-16

eealed beneath such determined eountenances
were uuyielding. But know that within the
breasts Of those comrades lie hearts almost "A
tender as . wOmans.
have been with them at other times around
the campfire and in the tents, and saw them
reading letters from home, from their wives
and children and sWeethearts and sat those
times they showed to me an entirely different
phase of their characters.
Especially do / Femembe one boy Of IS wears
whom CHANGED upon one day while in camp,
reading a letter from his kind mother, and
tears were running down his cheeks, and he
looked up TO me and asked, innOcently. Lieu
tenant, don't you think the Captain would let
me go home little while to see my mOther?"
/ explained to him as well as I could that the
Captain had not the power to grant request
for such purpose. That same lad was one Of
the very best soldiers we bad.
And il is to this tender trait in their eharae-
ters exhibited while reading those lOve-mes-
sages from home, that I make my appeal to
have the wrong done at the last National En-
eampmentr ighted to these excluded Union SOL
dlers, trusting that they (the GAR. eOmrades)
Will consider the enormous sacrifice those poor,
prosecuted Unienists had to endure What
more could a man offer upon the altar OF his
country than the sacrifice Of family. home and
property, and himself hunted like a wild beast?
know that the comrades of the GAR would
themselves, and 1 sincerely hope they never
Will have to undergo the ordeal. would ike
to read in the columns of The NATIONAL
TRIBUNE that this subject was being thorough
ly discussed IN every GA. r. Post in the United
States and that every delegate, from Post to
State Encampment, and fsom State Eneamp-
ment TO National Encampment, was instructed
to vote for different construction Of Art. A Of
Chap. of Rules and Regulations Of the GAR.
1 would ike to say a word to those comrades
who fought so nObly at Champion Halls, Black
River Bridge, and in rear of Vicksburg, and
cOOped up those so conscripted UniOnists that
Maj. Fitch speaks of in his letter. with the rest
OfGen. PembertOn's army, and starved them out,
orput Yankee lead into them, that / think you
especially, and others as well, ought to be lit
tie more generous TO those who were conseript-
ed and escaped such fate and enlisted in the
Union service and served TO the end Of the war
and received an honorable discharge. which, in
the opinion Of every comrade Of the G. r. with
whom have cOnversed in this State, entities
them to membership in the G. Ar, and which
consider but a small favor for the great saeri-
fee they had to endure.
hope other comrades viii contribute some
thing through the columns Of TIE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE upon this subject OF course I am
pleased to receive letters from comrades in
communication, but it would be much better for
all interested to address their communications
to The NATIONAL TRIBUNE, that all may read.
II only few lines of Endorsement, it is better
than silence. Lieut.. Stephens, Of Denver,
Colo, of the firm of Stephens & Hanehett, Real
Estate and Loan Agents, in concluding his let
ter to me on this subject, adds that ." if every
family in the United States would take THE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE there would be no trea-
son in all our broad land" which sentiment is
heartily Endorsed By the undersigned.-E. A.
WILSON, Berdan's 1st Q. S SharpshOOters, Pig
gott, Ark.