The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1897-06-24
HE WAS MAD.
A Rebel Soldier Resented a Re-
mark Made About a Union
Soldier.

Late one evening last Octobera tramp,
who had apparently seen better days.
knocked at my door and asked for sup.
per and a nights lodging. Understand"
said he when his request was granted,
"befo' you entertain me that l was a
Jawn Mawgan hoss thief"
"All right, Johnny, come in and be my
prisoner till morning, then you will be
paroled if the weather is good" was the
reply.
After supper we adjourned to the sit
ting room where being comfortably seat
ed he began; "Yes sir, we had many
great advantages over you fellows from
the beginning and almost all the way
through. We selected our own ground
to fight on and you know that was half
the battle, we knew every inch of the
country which was another great advan-
tage, we were strong in cavalry from tho
first which gave us many great advant
ages. We fought on interior lines and
could throw large bodies of men at any
threatened point at short notice and al
ways without giving you any notice at
all, while you had long lines of com
munication to guard and we thus could
know every move you made. We were
among friends who acted as scouts.
piclSets and spies for us while you were
among enemies, who were constantly
plotting your overthrow We originated
the first ironclad and had it not been for
that little cheesebox, the result might
have been different: we invented the
first torpedo boat and used the first
mines. We ought to have succeeded"
he added with sigh. land we would
have. had not you fellows fought like
devils. But today we old confederate
soldiers have the advantage over you
fellows, for while you have few states
national homes that are hard to get into,
we have home in every house in the
south and are welcomed, honored guests
besides. While you get niggardly
pension from the wealthest government
on earth and begrudged to you at that,
we have everything we want down south.
Why sir. when the war closed we were
ruined and the people had nothing to
give, but if soldier wanted an Office he
got it, people gave all their trade to a
soldier, the poor broken down fellows
were made toll kate keepers. janitors,
postmasters, in fact anything man
wanted if he had been soldier he got it
and today if there is poor confederate
soldier south it is just such fellows as
me. who can't stay in one place long
enough to get rich. 1t is high honor
down south to have been Lees Hoods.
Jacksons or Morgan's man and woe to
the man who would call US such names
as have heard you Fedcrals called up
north, it wouldn't be health for HIM
assure you. Why only last Monday l
was standing on street in---when 4
man wearing bronze button walked
slowly by and group of well dressed
young fellows standing near me who
made fun of him and said there goes one
of those pension grabbers.' l was 30
mad couldn't stand it. so went up to
the trihing whelps and said. you miser-
| able ours if you had fought those men
three years and eleven months as l did.
you would have more respect for them
Be ashamed of yourselves to speak of the
bravest men this country ever had that
way" If that had been confederate
soldier south those whelps would have
smellcd powder in york minute. Why.
I've heard Gen. Morgan say many a
time, tho western boys were the bravest
men and hardest fighters that ever lived,
| and he knew what made good soldier
Why sir, such men couldn't be rewarded
and honored enough,-Wesley Cloves in
Plymouth Scribe.