The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1906-06-15

VAR HISTORY
J, !, Part in the Struggles Of the
County Being Complied
Ry ACTOR LEGISLATURE
,s.,,ot General Robertson Call Upon
'''I People to Furnish ali '"ior"a''o"
for the work Possible.

Some days ago when Gen. Fred L.
Robertson, official compiler of the his
~ q tbe soldiers Of Florida, was in
Pensacola, The Journal requested nm
h,o,sb il with statement of his
work saying what had been accom-
nr,hed and what he hoped to accom-
rG,n Gen. Ropcrlson has kindly fur
risned the Journal the following state
won't Of facts, which ought to prove
r.v interesting reading to Floridlans
GENERALLY but to the old Florida soldiers
lii particular;
Tho men of the south have always
hsen the makers of history, but seldom
mo recorders of their deeds. II is to
Nj, reluctance to tell their own story
that the neglect ON the part of the
,rtOrs, to record the names and deeds
| N the soldiers of Florida, is to be at
Mbuted
In every war that has afflicted this
country since Florida became a unit of
the federation, Floridians have always
/ borne conspicuous part. In the Semi
| mole Indian wars, more men were ten
|dered than the government could use.
I'm the Mexican war over three hundred
|rbridians volunteered and did splendid
service. In the Spaish-American war
|Ae difficulty was not to get men, but
10 keep from getting too many from
Florida. In the war between the states
Florida sent to the service of the Con-
|iederate Government twelve regiments
|0f infantry, two regiments and two
battalions of cavalry, one of these al
most a regiment, five batteries of ar
|tley and ten detached companies;
more men for soldiers than the state
had voters.
Up to three years ago the state had
made no attempt to make or keep any
record of the men who had won glory
and honor for her in every war. 1t is
true that in 1897, Senator DOugherty
lned to get measure providing for
such record through the legislature,
that it passed the senate but when it
reached the House it was lost. Sui
'tquent legislature left the matter to
weep none seeming to appreciate the
Importance OF the work or to feel that
'ne state owed to its soldiers preserva-
ION toposterity of at least their names,
Inelr companies and regiments. The
DISASTROUS fire of 1901 that almost de-
'aoyed Jacksonville and caused total |
vs. OF so many valuable records, drove
"me the conviction that the state
sed some consideration to the memory
!. us faithful sons and in 1903 Mr.. Long
bradford introduced the bill that
WI became Chapter 52O3, Laws of
Or'da' and under which work of CON-
ua''on has been carried on.
VS'ng to the destruction of many re-
"us' Inc death of many of the prom
:. actors in the great tragedy, the
- anu railing mental powers of most
"e SURVIVORS, the work has been ex-
.'Ae'y dlfflcult and tedious yet, as it
!" To-Day with at its imperfections,
"o' ihstlmabe value to the state.
e veterans and to their children
NJ |" u will grow in value as the years
H., w. II the imperfect work is in
''uaO'e, how important it is that its
y, ,.'s should be sought out and cor
.'.u and the full scope of the work
=. .eu out Ever since the book came
W.T. 'ne hands of the publisher the
=. W. VI correction of errors has
\, ~ steadllv going on and will continue
., ~ ". records are all as nearly per-
r.' a' 'hey can be made at this date.
,io.;, DOCK has been surprise to the
n MY Oh the veterans and the oues-
~, "aS often been asked: GLOW was
,o ,,I' Information gathered?" The
IN n,. were built up piece by piece
mn pa'o'es' old muster rolls and parts
rts 's'er rolls, hospital and sick re-
rao. words of cemeteries, reports of
f s.;S' morning reports, guard
vsns s'sue details and reports, old
,son sps,s published during the war,
Omn" letters and diaries, an old
p'ay Book" First Sergeant's