The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-06-10
MANY OBSTACLES.

Truth requires to say that as the pioneer
in these public acts, exhibiting the forget
ting and the forgiving spirit, Colonel
knauss has had uuc1 prejudice and many
obstacles to overcome. At first, though his
loyalty to the cause for which he fought
and bled was never questioned, the cen
sistency of his conduct was. 3Iost Of those
who witnessed the proceedings the first
year were not people who sympatnlZed
with him, but who wondered at his courage
and what would come Of it.. OF the few
Confederates residing in Columbus only two
or three at first Joined in the decoration
Of their comrades, graves lesGthey should
be denounced as disoyal and suffer in
their business affairs Each year, how
ever, a more favorable sentiment grew
up, until the war with Spain removed all
cause for doubt as to the attitude OF Con-
federates toward the flag.
In June. 1858, hundreds, even thousands,
including squads Of uniformed Grand
( Army men and wagon loads OF children
from the public schools, followed Colonel
IInauss 10 Camp Chase TO assist in StreW-
ing flowers and placing flags on Confed-
crate graves. Cqnfederates came from
Kentucky. HEADED by Colonel Bennett
Young. who was at one time a prisoner
with General John Morgan in the Ohio
pententiary. With these also was tie
Confederate Glee Club of Louisville, COM
posed of sons of Confederate veterans.
All these received hearty welcome from
citizens of Columbus in general and from
Grand Army men in particular. On this
interesting occasion Colonel Young was
given the place of honor His address
was ringing appeal for fraternal feeling
between the people, and especially based
on common interest in the honor of he
old soldiers of the North and South, Of
our common flag. Following him came
Judge David T. Pugh, of Columbus, de-
4
in Ohio who delivered an equally master
ly address in the same vein, emphasizing
the readiness of all right thinking people
in the North to do all i'll their power
to obIiterate all sectional feeling, and
to treat as loyal brothers those who once
wore the gray. The SGlee Club rendered
martial songs of the Southland, very ap-
propriately pUnctuating them with such
patriotic airs as the National Hymn the
sStar Spangled Banner. in which the voice
of the blue and the gray blended as It
in the presence OF the dead to pledge
each other in loyalty and friendship. a
hundred or more school children also
took part in the singing, and the feeling
seemed to prevail that the one spot on
all the earth from which all political as
well as all personal animosities should be
entirely excluded is the graveyard.
GRATEFUL TEARS.
In Nav 1889, the American water WORKS
Association held its annual convention IN
Columbus. Among ofher plans, Tor the
hosnitible entertainment of the Confede-
rates. Colonel Knauss arranged q, visit TO
Camp Chase Cemetery, ana kindly dis
posed citizens furnished their private car
riases for the ride. On reaching the celne-
terry they found that Colonel hnauss' wife
had preceded them with cut flowers which
she had laid on the monument, and with
n :, e., .-,,1o r;,,rr i,
space prepared for the purpose in front
of the monument. In this presence Col
.onel Knauss>made a brief statement as TO
what had been done in past years for the
care of the graves, ard how the blue and
gray had We'd with each other for several
years in doing honor to the. memory OF
the heroes buried there. Filled With emo
ton which forced tears from every eye.
the Confederate, one after another, poured
out their hearts in gratitude to one who
had braved public opinion, and made it
possible for9~them to 90 for their dead
comrades in Northern graves what II Mon
soldiers have long BEEN doing for their
dead comrades in Southern graves.
The relevancy of what has been said
is in this: That the ground in which those
Confederate soldiers are buried was Dur-
chased, is sill owned by, and therefore. is
still rightly the care Of the United Sta tes
government. That two Unio.l soldiers,
governors of Ohio one afterwards Presi-S
dent and the other afterwards a United
States Senator. set an example of respect
for the memory of dead Confederates
which others might well follow. Yet others
were slow to follow their example with
regard Ito the Confederates buried at
Camp Chase. Perhaps the first person to
do so was Rev. Louisiana Ransburs
Briggs. who still resides not far from the
cemetery.