The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-12
I, help to force the capitalization Of the

ost Federal general officer, William y.
Bartlett, who fought In their front line
with tho admirable desperation that made
hin the foremost hero of all the officers
who commanded the 10000 Federal troops
In our front on that day Massachusetts,
never sent out a Drawer and more DASH
lett, the Federal hero Of the Crater.
Stung by the unfairness of such treat.
ment from our own historians. l conceived
a plan for reunion of the survivors Of
the charge of the Crater. to correct the
injustice to you and to our dead COM
rades. and it resulted most successfully
on that sixth day of November. 1903.
tives from those who charged with mus
kets In their hands and. laid them aside
to be read by those coming after us. who
may wish to know about the charge of
the Crater from the mouths tof the par
tic'parts.
II was in no spirit Of boa.stfulncss that
we returned, realized on this battlefield
and charged over the same ground where
we rushed and fought in the whlrl of
battle, over forty-one years ago.
E You did no more than your duty; you
did no more than your comrades of other
than those who with you won other
fields, and do not claim for you great
or honor than for any true Confederate
soldier. but when feat of arms so
Crater by the three depleted bridages Of
Anderson's division on the goth day Of
July, 1864, is brnahed aside !, as g skirmtsh
Elephants to speak out In. behalf OF the
great oren,nod charge, which f'l'' challenges CHI
the world for parallel - S
The English historian, Gregg, says. that
"the exploit crowned General * Malone
with fame that no subsequent errors can
obscure.
When you helped to defend Petersburg
in 1915 five times Mahone's brigade
I left its place in the breastworks on Will
cox farm and twice Its winter Quarters,
and each time successfully charged the
troops of the army Of the Potomac and
while all reheetSd equal circuit on on me
the charge of the Crater was fruitful of
greater results. and It should be known
aud will DO known II the world will lis
ten, to-day, TO the survivors or me men
Mort hern Virginia from fatal disas-
ter and inflicted upon the enemy de-
feat that brought tho "Heralds' cry for
Il really seems the irony Of fate that
you should haro to go to your enemies to
find Justice for your va.or, but 1t Is, never
theless, truo, for you have 10 read me
official reports of the Federal officers to
know the full force and effect Of your
prowess on that day.
These documents, your written personal
experience of the battle, and this demons
TIC tic history OF the charge Of the Crater
with the historians who shall como after
us. x,
The unique feature of a sham battle
on a real battlefield will burn your deeds
on the ineffaccable tablets Of Vrginia's
history.
Between Southern soldiers who have
touched elbows in charge with bayo,
bound by unwrltten and unspokcn laws
| even as strong as the kinship OF brothers.
While glory in the everlasting link Of
kinship betWeen all true Contederate
Of friendship has grown between those
| who held opposite sides OF tho firing line
| from 1861 TO 1865.
These old battle flags, given back to US
! by the unanimous vote or Congress with
| the willing signature of chlVarous
PRESIDENT are signals of peace and love;
They are heinlds proclaiming that the
veteran soldiers of the North and south
1 love their enemies for the glory OF God,
and have united in friendship for the
honor Of the great American Republic.
Our flag of glory fly no more
| Where mid mad battles thunder-roar
We brothers Stay!
| Glow love In souls where once glared Ire!
| Then never will a star expire
/ Until the heavens III final fire
| Have passed away!'
we rally again to recount actions and
| recall memories of war in spirit Of
| friendly rivalry which Will shed luster
! on tho army Of Northern Virginia and
the array Of tho Potomac in degrees hu-
initiating TO neither.
Let the truth come. and the American
| soldier who stood with Lee and Jack
son will be found By the future historian
| as true and patrlotic as the soldier who
| fought with Grant and Hancock; and the
| cause Of the South shall be pronounced
| absolutely right and Just under the con-
! stitution, to which George Washington
! affixed his signature.