The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-16
GRAY AND nLuE VETERANS.
4 Group of Them In 'The Confeasr-
ate veteran"


ing News was engaged IN moet des-
perate battle for my mfe. and that. too
umoug strangers. with uot familiar
face 20 smile upon me. Il was u sudden
{ sharp conflict with disease. ana vet
through a Kind Providence. ! won the
victory. although 81 may be my last. In
Tho past my wonderful will-power has
carried me safely through many such con-
hlcts. bur ! feel now mat ] can hafab
expect 60 stand any more such Firugg'es
fof life God has favored me above my
merit In long ltfe and active service,
while hundreds OF my friends ana esse-
Gates 10 Georgia. who should have out
lived me many years, are "a their graves.
The Confederate Veteran OF Nashville,
Tor July contains a group picture Of the
speakers table az the Atlanta Blue aud
Gray Reunion Ny picture IL that OF
little old man with full grey beard. and Is
taken for Gen. Joe Wheeler. Next 20 me-
is tail. stnlwart Confederate veteran,
Col. Martin Van Buren, Moore of Au-
burn Ala, the husband OF "Betsey
Hamilton" and. himself q gifted writer.
lie should have outlived me many years.
and set on Monday morning.. Sept. 3. In
the depot al Louisville KY, read OF his
death He was nos. however, as stated.
graduate OF West Point Military Academy.
nor ever a cadet there. ana yet he was a
brave and faithful Confederate soldier.
A press telegram said Gen. Joe Wheeler
would leave Chicago for Monte sano.
Ala hts native home" Such ignorance
BE- bliss where els folly 60 be wise Gen.
Wheeier's native home Is Augusta. Ca.
and HE family residence ~ Wheeler, Ala.
a rural railway station. but his law Of
fee has been al Cortland. a nearby town.
lie entered West Point Academy from
New York. because both his father and
mother opposed his choosing a military ca
reer But he was born TO be a soldier and
20 wens to New York TO relatives who Ia
vored his ambition and got him appointed
TO the academy.
GOV Gambler Is rather hasty and brash
IN his attack upon Eggleston's History OF
the United States. Rev. Dr. Edward
Eggleston is. / think. a Virginian. and his
brother George served as a gallant cav
nlryman in the Confederate army. and
after the surrender published "a very In
tercstlng book on his war experiences. II
would seem that the G. A. r. influence
which Gov. Gambler condemns would
hardly reach this Virginia family In SUM-
Client force 10 warp Rev. DIT. Eggleston's
mind into doing marked injustice TO his
naive state and her illustrlous Confeder-
ate dead.
/ Gov. Gamblers assertion that the Grand
Army OF the Republic Is merely "a side
show 90 the Republican party Is the
mcrest nonsense. The only two couspict-
Gus generals on the stage during the ses-
sions OF the Grand Army Encampmont at
Chicago were Gen. John G. Black. OF
that city. and Gen. Daniel +. sickles-
L. $. A.. (retiredl. OF New York, both
lifelong md h0nored Democrats. No
member 81 the Grand Army OF che Repuh-
Ne Is ever allowed 90 wear mis- badge at
a political meeting or appear there as
Grand Army man. No Grand Army OF
the Republic officer IS ever allowed TO use
hle official paper for political purposes
OF any kind: and Grand Army Of the Re
public officials cannot as such, recon-
mend any one for political office. No
political question. aud no candidate can
be- discussed IN "a Grand Army meeting.
That the majority Of the members are
Republicans Is not the fault Of the order
aud no Democrat IS dcbarred from mem
hershlp nor f. he made uncomfortable in
any way because he h. In the minority.
| Here In Florida the highest honors Of the
Grand Army OF che Republic have been
| bestowed upon lifelong and active Dem
ocrats II the Grand Army Of the Repub-
/ DC was merely n side-show TO the Re
/ publican party" these men would leave
| q In a moment. But they know better
| being on che inside ana hence pay no at
tention 10 the ISLANDERS % ignorant OUT
siders
The announcement that Gen. Otis viii
not take command OF the Department OF
| the Lakes al Chicago until Oct. ]. carries
! with II no explanation Of the reason for
/ this delay SO ! will explain a. Mai. Gen
/ Elwcl s. Otis. T.. $. A.. Is a member Of
| the famous Lafayette Post. No 40. G. 4.
| r.. Of New York. the richest and swell
/ est post in tho country. on Sept - they
| propose TO give Gen. Otis a grand ban
I quet. something unsurpassed IN tho his
tory Of the Post. on Wednesday night,
/ Aug - my wife and I accompanied Com
mander a. G. Blackwell and Adit Whbur
! r. Brown Of Lafayette Post TO the rooms
/ % Gen. joe Whcelcr L.. $ A.. and daugh-
I tiers, az the Auditorium Hotel IN Chicago
| the object Of the visit being 20 prcsen,
/ Gen Wheeler a formal and very cordial
I invitation 10 be the second guest ~ honor
/ az the proposed banquet. The old Gen
cral could not resist the invitation. and
I while Gen. Otis will be the real guest Of
| honor. little old fighting Joe Wheeler wEl
hc the lion Of the occasion. Lafayette
1 Post not only admires the hero Wheeler
but they love the man-sO modest so gen.
I tlc. and set as brave as a lion Ills re-
/ ception at the banquet will be one OF the
I greatest events Of his lie. The Doopi,
/ OF Chicago were greatly cndeared 90 Gen
[ W. Ter. and now DC ls over iu Alabama
am gag his old constituents. who are pay
irg him all the honors a "Conquerlng
Hero" could expect on his return from a
great ana faithful service in the field
Judge Leo Rassicur OF ST. Louis. the
new commander-in-chicf Of the Grand
Army Of the Republic. IS peculiar look
iug man small OF stature. with foreign
countenance and a cold staring gaze. lie
is just the opposite Of Gen. Shaw. or any
previous ommnudcr-ln-chief. and Is "a
man 81 very pronounced views Under his
administration many radical changes Will
hc made. che removal 81 hcadquarters
with the valuable services OF ADJ. Gen
Stewart being among them. He vii
largely Weaern.ze the organization and
impress his own ideas very strongly 'upon
It's operations the present year. one sig
nihcaut event took place al Chicago
There De- sharp rivalry between the Wo-
mans Relief Corps and the Ladies Of tn,
g. 4. r. and after his election Judge Ras.
sicur visited the headquarters OF she lat.
ter organization and accepted an honor.
/ nry membership IN a. His future action
Ia regard 10 these rival organizations VIII
be- watched with peculiar interest. as the
Womnn's RELIEF Corps has always beer
very near 20 che q. A. r. In the past
/ Judge Rassicur IS also said to have his
own views ON the subject OF military IN.
structlon ana patriotic teaching In the
public schools. and he VIII probably in.
auguratc some radical changes Ia this de.
partment so ably conducted the past eve
] ,r..sea Col A Hon a IA - z 4.