The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-11-20
HEROES OF THE CIVIL WAR
How the State Thanks Them For
Their Bravery. and Blood.
ARE REPUBLICS REALLY UNGRATEfUL?
All Chapters of Daughters Of the Confederacy
Urged to Take Up the Burden OF Car
ing For Those That the State
is Now Negiecting.

On the second day of the late convention
United Daughters of the Confederacy q
request was brought to them from the
chairman of the executive committee o.
the Soldiers Home that they would try
IN SUNNY that institution with the bed
linen that was so greatly needed there.
This request created much discussion,
and brought forth some very positive as
s~ertions that all such needs were already
supplied by individual liberality.
The manifest absurdity of the chairman
of the executive committee making any
such appeal if the needs did not exist
so impressed some Of those present that
a committee was appointed to see MT.
w. c. Stronach, and ask the state OF the
case.
The committee reported at the after
noon session that Mr.. Stronach said that
no provision had been made or promised
for bed linen or bed clothes OF any SORT
and that while such articles were needed
for all the rooms in the hospital, there
was urgent need for enough for ten GO)
beds Immediately. In response 10 inns
appeal the convention voted very nearly
Ta'f IF the funds IN its treasury (S3O.0O
out OF SL3.2O TO be given to Mr.. Stronach
al once for bed linen; and all the dele
gates were instructed by the president
to bring the matter Of the needs OF the
Home. especially the need for bed clothes,
to the notice CT their respective chapters
After the adjournment of the conven-
ton at an unfortunately late hour, We
were taken to the Soldiers Home, where
a reception was rendered US by the l..
OBJ. Branch Camp of Confederate Vet
Grams.
1t was my first visit to the Home, and
| will never forget it, for | am the daugh-
ter and the sister of a Confederate sol
der. Everything was in exquisite order
and the whole establishment gave eVl-
dence Of extreme care and thriftiness.
Several members of the camp of veter-
ans and sons of veterans were there tc
receive us, dressed in the dear, the beau
tiful Confederate gray.
We shook hands with those of the Ole
soldiers who stood waiting to give US 6
Tar Heel welcome, and then were car
ried into the new hospital, a very eN-
cellent and cOmmodiouS structure.
Bright wood fires sparkled on the opeT
hearths. and the rooms looked so clear
and pleasant that we fairly longed fol
them to be furnished and occupied.
After a visit to the sick barracks
where ten or more sick men were con
fined, and noting the extreme baroness O
the room, the entire absence Of any sor'
of luxury or comfort, bare floors, wood
en- chairs, plenty OF W~hite-Wash, anC
clean beds, but nothing suggestive of ease
or repose, | remembered what | had heard
asserted before the convention in regart
to the supply of all things needed fol
" 49, ~-~,- 1-Is1l
indeed, it was positively said had beer
built, as we'll as furnished completely b.
private generosity.
l asked Mr.. W. c.. Stronach cate
gorically, a few question, and was assur
ed that all such statements were found
ed upon anisstatements; that the legisla-
tive appropriation for the Home was
wholly inadequate for it's necessities, anC
at present it had no source Of revenue
nothing to depend upon, not even "libera
donations"
l asked: what do you need most?"
Quick came the concise and emphatic
reply: eve need everything, and neel
it right away"
Just at that moment some of the ladie!
began singing The Bonny Blue Flag.
One after another Of the veterans join.
ing in the chorus.
Dixie followed, and then came thu
Rebel YELL" in our honor.
At the sound of those broken, quayerin!
voices the mists of thirty five years rollet
back and ! saw those broken and feebl,
old men once more in the pride anc
vigor of manhood, the flower and strength
of youth, yea, even Of boyhood, for vel
do | remember a dOwny-cheeked, blue
eyed boy of fourteen, who, early in 1862
marched gaily away to the call Of tn
bugle and won his spurs four years be
fore he had the right to cast a vote; ant
l remembered that they were Of the mel
who had made possible our proudes
boast:
First at Bethel, farthest at Gettys
burg; last at Appomattox."
They were the men who went-10, co.
more than the State had voters-to tn,
front.
They were the men in whose hands
were held half of the muskets that Lei
surrendered at A~pDomattox.
And how does the State reward them
How? Why, with scant thanks, anC
scanter ~rations. They are made to feel
in ten thousand ways, that they are bud
dens upon an unwilling public. Their,
is a mean, narrow, grudging spirit shown
in what little is done for them. TIL,
effort seems to be to do the least posi-
BILE. Yet these men, at the call Of tn
State sprang forward, without invitation
and gave their all without stint, stand
ing for four long years a wall of stee
between us and the foe.
1t is a shame! A crying shame, and
public disgrace to treat them so. Their,
was not a woman in that gathering who's,
face did not burn with shame, and who's,
heart did not swell with indignation ant
sorrow, that such valor, such patriotic de
votiOn should be so little priced, so il
requitau-
II we could control legislation; if WI
could make appropriations the old sci
diers, God bless them! should never know
another want.
AS a rule, women cave so little to give