The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-07-28
NATIONS GRATITUDE
AMERICAS HOMES FOR ITS OLD AND
MANNED SOLDIERS.

Et Is to General Winfield Scott, the Hero
of the Mexican War, That We owe the
Real Initiative in This Work Where the
Heroes OF Our Wars Live.
The pension rolls attest to the last
ing gratitude of the American people.
for on the roster of the nations fame
are not alone the men who suffered In
the civil war, but the widows and
daughters of revolutionary soldiers,
now less than half a score. those Of
the heroes of 1872, and many name
that was famous in the war with Mex
leo.
Nor is this the only evidence of the
nations gratitude, for throughout tho
country are palaces Of comfort and
ease, where the heroes Of our wars live
out their declining years as wards OF
the states and the nation. Our Sol
diers' Homes form study in gratitude
which surpasses in interest even the
story of Les Invalides of Paris, Of the
Soldaten Helm Of Berlin. or those OF
Kilmainham and Chelsea, for they are
as extensive as the nation and as deep
hearted in spirit as Is the thankfulness
Of those who toll that the aged war
riors may know no further sorrow.
II is to General Winfield Scott, the
hero Of the Mexican war, that we owe
the real initiative in this work Of graft
tude. Like all great soldiers, his
heart was with his army, and their suf-
ferings and trials appealed most
strongly to his noble nature. It was
at the close of the Mexican war that
the tribute extorted from the City Of
Mexico for himself and his soldiers,
was placed by him to the credit OF a
Soldiers Home. The draft for one
hundred thousand dollars was endors-
cd by him as follows: "The Bank OF
America will place thewithin amount to
the credit of the Army Asylum. subject
TO the order of Congress-"
But Congress was slow to act and
not until 1851, when the nation itself
demanded immediate action were
homes provided for those who were
left from the three hundred thousand
and more who had fought under Wash
angton, and from the half million who
had been under arms in the war OF
1912. The act OF Congress provided
for National Home at Washington,
but as the people would brook no de-
lay temporary homes were founded at
New Orleans, at Greenwoods Island.
Mississippi, and later at Harrodsburg,
Ky. But the bulk of the Scott fund
went toward the purchase of a five
hundred acre tract three miles north
of the national capitol. And upon 1t
the government has erected many
splendid structures, more than sufh-
cient to accommodate all who have ap-
piled. Since its foundation nearly
eleven thousand veterans have been
admitted and to-day its walls give
shelter to over seven hundred old SOL
diers, almost all from the regular
army. The rules of admission to this
and all the branch homes are simple
in the extreme. For the main home
they read as follows:
1. Every soldier of the army of the
United States who has served, or may
serve, honestly and faithfully, twenty
years in the same.
2. Every soldier and every dis
charged soldier, whether regular or
volunteer, who has suffered, or may
suffer, disability by reason of disease
or wounds incurred in the service and
in the line of his duty, rendering him
incapable of further military service,
If such disability was not occasioned
by his own misconduct
8. The invalid and disabled soldiers.
whether regulars or volunteers, of the
war Of 1872 and Of all subsequent wars.
The branch homes are as follows:
Central branch, Dayton, Ohio; North
western, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; East
ern. Togus, Maine; Southern, Hamp-
ton, Virginia; Western. Leavenworth,
Kansas; Pacific, Santa Monica, Cali
fornia; Marion, Marion. Indiana.
These homes, which together form
~The National Home for Disabled Vol
unteer Soldiers" have cared for nearly
$4,000 veterans, and now have within
their walls nearly twenty thousand.
The rules for admission require an
honorable discharge, disability which
prevents earning livelihood, and no
veteran drawing a pension of $16 or
over is eligible, except by vote of the
board OF managers.
Yet these are but a few of the
homes, for in twenty-six c. +he north
ern states separate institutions under
state care provide shelter for the vet
Grams, and most of the southern states
have similar homes for the care of the
ex-Confederate veterans, some of the
latter in charge of private organiza-
tions.
Over 1900 inmates attest to the
gratitude of New York in the magni-
hcent home at Bath. AS many are
provided for in the Quincy home, H.
linois and in that Of Ohio at Sandusky.
But perhaps the most elaborate is that
Of Iowa, at Marshalltown, which, while
1t contains only about 500 inmates, Ia
arranged to accommodate more than
double that number.
In fact all the homes are able tc