The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-09-28
Composed of Dtserters From the Con.
federa'e Army and the Demo.
cratic Party.
WHEN HE COULONTATTEND THE REUNION
Had TO PIow 10 Pay Tax To the Deserter
Who Says He May Be the Man
That Shot My Leg
OHU

aroused more indignation than the bill
to pension deserters from the Confeder-
ate army. This indignation has been
heightened because Senator Pritchard,
the author of that BILL is asking re-elec-
ton to the Senate because he secured it's
passage, while, when a member of the
Legislature in 1885 he voted against the
small appropriation of 100000 to pension
Confederate soldiers. The following let
ter. addressed to Gen. Julian S. Carr,
President of the State Confederate AS
ISOLATION, gives the feeling of the old men
who wore the gray:
To Gen. Julian S. Carr, the Soldiers
Friend.
Dear Sir: never saw you in my life,
as old as I am, but l think so much or you
as the friend of we old soldiers. 1 sure
ly would love to see you one time, and
give your hand one good old rebel shake,
for. if there's one thing l am proud OF,
it is that l was a jeff Davis rebel, and
don't you forget it. Some folks may
think that they ought to apologize to
somebody for the war, but l don't. We
had the right of it, and we give the
Yanks all they. could carry for four long
years, and if they hadt got in help
from all the outside world and put in the
niggers to boot, they never could
whipped u.s. which they didn't, no how,
for we just wore ourselves out whip
ping them. That's the truth of the
matter.
Ashamed of being rebel! No stree. 1
gifts to thinking about it some days when
I'm blowing along on my wooden leg,
and get so full I'm bound to give the
rebel yell, and l tell you, when old Buck,
my steer. hears it, he knows he'd better
move along, and he does. Amt it
strange, General. how we can have 4
campaign and a battle all to ourself.
and when the fight begins to git hot, and
the Yanks begin to throw down their
guns and run, were Just bound 20 give
the rebel yell. 1 can't help it.
But, General, 1 sat down to tell you
why l didn't answer to the roll call at
Greensboro a few weeks ago, when you
old soldiers were up there having such
good time; for my wifes said to me a
dozen times a day, ever since: bill,
why don't you write to General Carr and
let him know why you didn't attend"
General. my wfe's a worse rebel, if pos
sible, than | am, and she says she's got
no use for anybody that don't love the
memory of Jeff Davis, Bob Lee, Stonewall
Jackson and Zeb Vance. and all the old
soldiers who slept on the ground for four
years, and stood up to the rack, hay or
no hay, and hung on to the fight as long
as there was a pea in the dish, and then
sopped the dish. l tell you, she's rebel,
and that's what makes her think so much
of you, General. l tell you what she said
the other day We were talking about
the reunion at Greensboro and how kind
you have been to the old soldiers, when
all of a sudden she said: "Bill, we've
got four boys Jeff Davis, Robert Lee,
Stonewall Jackson and Zeb Vance, and I
reckon they are all We'll ever have; but,
how I'd like to have one more son and
call him julie Carr" I looked at her
right straight and the old woman blush
cd as if she hadn't been more than six
teen. We are getting along up close to
seventy, and the chances are slim; but,
General, if we do have another baby at
our house, and it's boy, his name will
be julie Carr.
Yes, General, I surely wanted to be
with you and the "old boys" at Green's
boro. In the first and foremost place,
wanted to see you and thank you for the
interest you take in we old "vets" who
stood guard for four years around the
mothers. wives and sisters of the South;
but in the next place, | wanted to see the
boys" one more time. l read it in the
papers how the old boys enjoyed them
selves. Some a singing old war songs;
some singing camp-meeting songs; some
a'trying to dance, like they use to do in
camp; and some going to church and CIV
ing in their experience and getting happy
and l said to the old woman: That's
just like EN-" But when I come to where
it said that Rev. A. D. Belts was there
mixing with the boys, it just seemed to
me I'd give a thousand dollars to a bin
there and jined in with the "parson"
an dthe boys in giving one old-fashioned
rebel yell. l just cried and l couldn't
help it.
But, General, I couldn't come and I'll
tell you why, I'm nigh on to seventy.
and I'm poor, and my wooden leg had
about give out; and didn't have the time
to spare from my little crop to make
another. But, to tell the whole truth. 1
didn't have any clothes fifteen to wear.
I've seen the day l wouldn't a stood on
clothes. I'd just as soon have pitched