The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1902-06-28
Mr.. TOOMBs REPLIES TO HIS
GETTYSBURG CRITIC.

tlcle descriptive of visit to th
Gettysburg battlefield, solicite'
by and published in the Times o
June 14th, l had unconsciousl,
subjected myself to the nnkin,
and, l think, unwarranted crit
cIsm of mississippi Gettysbur,
Veteran,
/ wish to assure my Veteran
friend, and l have the most pro
found love and respect for al
veterans, that the article in ques
ton. necessarily brief, was intend
ed as a geneDal outline of thu
greatest battle of the civil war
involving over 100000 men ant
fought over an area of 25 square
miles. In the brief space allotted
me it was absolutely impossible
to enter into a detailed account o.
this gigantic Struggle, which re
fected nothing but honor anC
glory upon the battIefags and
leaders of the Southern Cross,
and which left the indelible i'm
press of its matchless heroism
upon the pages of Mississippi,
martial history.
1t is a source of sincere regret
that my article should have been
so grievousIy misconstrued by
my critic as to convey to his mind
the very erroneous impression
that | had evidenced disloyalty to
the good people of Mississippi
My PURPOSE in describing the bat
tle6eld was two fold. l wished
to present to those gallant old he
roes who shared the fortunes Of
var on It's bloody field, pen pic
ture OF GETTYSBURG as it is today,
and 10 pay tribme N an numb e
way to their magnificent deSpera-
ton: IN he second place, | want
ed the young people OF my own
generauon 10 know something of
The emo ions which filled my soul
as stood upon the fed hallowed
BY The blood OF our fathers, the
flower of the Southern army, and
| hoped tha. my observations
might prove an incentive to a
closer aud more interested study
IF the part played in the great
baltic by those whose memories
md traditions we love and honor.
| attempted no minute descrip-
ion Of Mississippi's part IN the
,attle, not from auy lack Of rev
renee for hel gallant soldiery, |
or side by side with my worthy
rite stood two oi my fathers |
'rothers, one Of whom today |
years an empty sleeve as evidence
f his devotion to>the Lost Cause.
he part played by Misslssippians
J a matter of history and needs
o repetition. My critics asser-
on That ''ali the world knows"
leets my hearty approval. 1t
,as my realization OF this truth,
S applied to the battle of Gettys-
urg, together with lack of spBce,
lat first suggested to my mind
le utter uselessness of relating
! detail to grateful, patriotic and
Itelligent Mississipplans the story
: their own well known glory.
With reference to the unkind
treat contained in the closing par
,raph of my trenchant critics CO.
unication, in which he calls to
ind the fate of him
with soul so dead who never to
himself hath said
This 10 my own, my rative land"
have this to say" / challenge
IA to cite one single instance
here / have evidenced any feeling {
It that Of the deepest loyalty and [
Ivotion for Mississippi, whosei
putasion for knighthood and
ivalry has long since made her '
Q peer Of any Of her sister states.
glory In the tact that / am Q Mis-
] cherish the memory of 9
her honored sons who have I'D | {
d lustre TO the pages Of. history; h,
d Hove love best Of those TO !,
ION my critic would believe me :
loyal, that noble band Of heroes .
10 for four long years followed l
, varying fortunes Of battle. v
'nGglinR for the freedom OF our II
untry. the honor Of our people "
} security Of our homes, "under
, leadership of HUMPHREYS, Stone o
rKsdale, Davis, POsey and count. =
Q others, as gallant and heroic =
ieftains as ever appealed to the >
,itrament Of war. Their everlas- "
e story Of their matchless her
is recorded in letters OF life Il
'Od on the fields of Sharsburg, n
Charlottesville Peter d.
lrg, Chicamaugua, Gettysburg,
! every other battle in which
y were engaged. b,
)ne year ago the Democrat did q,
honor to publish my response
Kentucky College banquet to y
toast THE State of Mississnni. u
'ou will pardon me for quoting
m that article with reference to
s military history. as Sc
ows :" Her record in war is no re-
respondent with honor than Ia
progress in the arts of peace -
the glory of her manifest des- !. =.
2. She gave to the lost Cause 81
leader and Champion. and fir