The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-05-29
Southern and Northern Soldiers.

To the Editor of the INDIANAPOLIS Journal.
At the recent reunion of ex-Confederate
soldiers, at Houston, Tex, the historical
committee, I'm its report, made some very
silly statements as to the cause of the war
between the States. They were afraid they
would not receive the credit due them by
the historians of the North, and so they pro-
pose to nave a history written by one of
their own country men, and as a prelude.
they set forth some of the things their his
tory shall contain. The report, it seems.
Was the expression OF the sentiment of the
assembly, as il was very enthusiasticaily
adopted. According to the report, there
was no rebellion-just a ''d:gnifed with
drawal from the Union" They should never
have been called rebels but patriots"
The North was not actuated by any high
moral motive. but simply to drive the Sc
coded States back into the Union by brute
force. The South was fighting for its fire
sides and homes, and per contra the North
was seeking to destroy them. They had
but about one-fourth the soldiers of the
North, yet by their superior bravery they
held out against the cowardly invaders for
-four long years"
h rot. Granted they We're as brave
as they claim they We're, there is no denying
the fact that they had the life fayed out
of their would-be Confederacy by the cow
take all the comfort out of it they wish
they are welcome to it; but how silly all
this prating about the superiority of the
file who met the Northern soldiers upon
the field, face to face, and hand to hand, in
%insinuations Of inferiority of the Union
soldiers. In many of the great battles
fought during the war the numbers en-
yet the North. though taking the offensive
and fighting it's way into the Confederacy,
steadily beat back the enemy until they con-
quored.
Their history. when written. will not tell
how they contrived, before the war. to have
the navy of the United States scattered all
over the globe. and how nearly all the fire.
arms and munitions of war had been con-
veniently placed in the South, where they
could be easily seized and turned against the
North. Neither will it tell about their hav-
ing been preparing for war for years before
it came. and how they were thus enabled
to equip and mobilize a larger army at the
beginning than the North. 1t is fully known
and acknowledged by all who are not biased
the moral support given the South by the
"peace-at-any-price" party in the North.
and the more substantial encouragement by
two years. No true Northern soldier would
detract from the valor of the Confederates;
we accord them equal bravery. but no more.
We recognize that they were fighting for
what they thought was right; and yet. TO
grant this. places a very charitable con-
struction upon their motives and actions;
but now that time has shown TO the world
that they were wrong. the true and brave
soldier would acknowledge as much. and in
so doing, would be accorded due respect and
honor for his manliness: but for him TO try
to belittle his opponents by misrepresenta
ton. and to seek to exalt himself by self
praise. he will find few intelligent people
who will listen. and a great many who will
turn away from him in disgust.
The world, in all ages. has ever been ready
TO do homage TO brave men. whether they
were i'm the right or not. but no amount of
self-exaltation will cause the American peo-
pIe TO render 10 the South more than its
due. and when the present generation
has passed away and the student of history
reads of our civil war. he will not wonder
so much at the great bravery OF Southern
soldiers as he will at the senseless war
they waged against human liberty and the
flag of their country. j. A. ROBERTSON.
Indianapolis, May y.