Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-17
A Warming 10 Confederate Camps.

Richmond, Va, March 16, 1896.
To the Editor of the Dispatch:
In your issue of March 18th. article
headed "The Blue and the Gray Phiia-
delphia Brigade Association" arranging
for a great reunion. before any invitation
is accepted from this association l would
like for my Confederate comrades 10
know that this association accepted an
invitation from the old soldiers Of Rich
mond to participate in the unwilling OF
Pickett monument on Gettysburg Hill
a Few years since. This invitation was
extended them in return for courtesies
shown on the field of Gettysburg to the
survivors Of the Pickett Division.
When the arrangements were all made
for their parade from the Capitol Square
to Hollywood. the Philadelphia Brigade
refused to march in line with Lee Camps
nag. and gave as reason, that the
United States flag that they had was
borrowed, and the party lending supu-
lated that it should not march in line
with a REBEL FLAG Gt appears that
the Philadelphia Brigade did not own a
flag, therefore, borrowed one). After
more than an hours delay and consde-
rable bad feeling, they sent their nag
back to the Exchange Hotel and Dor
rowed a United States flag in Richmond.
They did. however. march with the Lee
Camp flag. and. il my memory serves
me right. also with the Ola colors OF the
Seventeenth Virginia. When they re-
turned TO Philadelphia the accounts given
of this episode in the Pennsylvania papers
were simply outrageous. The hospitality
extended them was not appreciated, and
one paper that i saw gave as a reason
that the "unreconstructed rebels hated
the Union uniform and had never be-
come reconciled with the boys In blue"
This was the reason they objected to
their joining in the parade 10 honor the
memory of Picketts Division.
In view of the wantOn and numerous
insults and m!sstatemenis made by the
Philadelphia Brigade, IL is well for the
Old Confederate to consider before he
accepts an invitation from such people.
For my part, l have no animosity against
any American who from a sense of
duty served in the Union army. and
Lee Camp, the organization TO which l
belong has possibly spent as much as
$4,000 in entertaining various Grand
Army posts who have visited Richmond
in the past twelve years. In fact. one
of the principles of our organization is
Ito extend the right hand of fellow
ship TO our late adversaries on all fitting
occasions" But when we entertain any
body of northern men who misrepresent
and insult us, | for enc do not propose
TO be in the same situation the second
time, and / trust that the old soldiers of
Richmond, at least. viii let the Philadel-
pha Brigade Association alone. Our re-
cent experience with General Walker,
of the Grand Army, ought TO be sufficient
to prevent any ex-Confederate from par
ticipating in a blue-and-gray reunion as
long as such men are at the head OF
AFFAIRS. | dislike 10 trouble you with any
communication on this subject, because,
as rule, 1t simply stirs up bad blood,
but we have nothing TO be ashamed OF
in our past record, and can well afford
10 let the Philadelphia Brigade alone TO
celebrate their own glorious deeds on the
battlefield OF Gettysburg. We can AFFORD
TO rest on our laurels for the deeds of the
Confederate soldiers on that memorable
occasion without celebrating 1t with a
body OF men that accepted our hospital-
ty. and then vilihed us on their return
| hope that other southern papers will
copy this piece. so that they may know
who the Philadelphia Brigade is nefore
accepting the Invitation TO join with them
on the 18th Of September
Very respectfully
n. V. RANDOLPH,
Member r. e. Lee Camp, No. !, c. V.