The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1903-11-21
An Open Letter to Judge
Blanchard.
New Orleans, Nov. IA, 1!

threadbare argument of Lees
Boy Soldier" and Hero Of the
Battle of Malvern HILL" while I
do not consider that they need
any notice on your part in your
present campaign for Governor,
but desire to say that there were
a large number of young boys
from every portion of the South
who were much younger than
your opponent, who apparently
is endeavoring to make political
capital out of his war record.
I have been out of politics
since May 81, 1865, when I was
released as Confederate sol
der from a Yankee prison at
Camp Douglas, Chicago, I dis
cussed politics with a musket
from April, 1861, to 1865 in the
Confederate army, entering the
army at the age of sixteen and
One-half years. 1 was under Lee
during the entire seven years
fight below Richmond, common
cling at Seven Pines and ending
at Malvern Hill. My brigade
was commanded by Gen. Cor
don and my regiment. the Third
Alabama, went into the battle of
Malvern Hill with 355 men in
line. We were placed under
fire fully one hour in advance of
any other Confederate troops,
and the losses sustained by my
regiment in the battle of NAL
vern Hill were 200 killed and
wounded. My company, which
consisted of forty two men, had
twenty-seven killed and wounded,
and the Confederate records
show that the casualties sus-
tanned by the Third Alabama
Regiment at the battle of NAL
vern Hill were the greatest of
any regiment in a single engage
ment during the entire war of
1861 to 1S65-yet there were
several boys in my regiment, and
under Lee, who were much
younger than myself, and your
opponent was not in my COM
mand-and is, therefore, not en-
titled to the credit of being
Lees only boy soldier" and the
only Hero of Malvern Hiu.' 1
have an admiration for manhood,
and it certainly required a man
of iron nerve to stand up before
the guns of Malvern Hill, behind
which stood the men of Nc
Clellan's army and who were
soldiers of no ordinary charac-
ter, but Americans, and there is
not a Confederate soldier who
was in that engagement at NAL
vern Hill but that deserves an
epitaph upon his grave Here
lies soldier of the battle of NAL
vern HILL But have we not
heroes in the democratic party
in Louisiana that should be re-
mem who for thirty
years have stood up and fought
the battle of Louisiana for white
supremacy,-have they not had
to be vigilant to protect their
homes from the invasion of ig-
norance, lust and rutality? Is
man less a hero who has fought
the battle of Louisiana against
| the domination of the African
race than one who has fought
under Lee and at the battle of
Malvern Hill? [ have been
thrown among the heroes of
both engagements, and the he
rOeS of the battle of Louisiana
are equally deserving, and to the
victors should be given the
spOils of Office There is not a
State in this union that produces
brighter boys and girls than the
State of Louisiana-none that
has better school system-nC
State whose future is brighter
so let US have peace" and try
to build up and not pull down by
dissensions what the heroes OF
both the aforesaid battles have
won. Your opponent is worthy
of anv position that the people