The Washington times., 1906-04-08
Headquarters.
"Grand Arn1v of Ia Republ

f1SdOQudTleTS.
Grand Army of the Republic.
John T. Callaghan, Esq, Commanding
Camp of Confederate Veterans, Wash
ington. ID. G.
My dear sir: Will you pardon in ad-
vance the extreme frankness of this let
ter? 1 am informed that a movement is
on foot, looking to the erection of a
monument in the plot assigned by the
authorities for the interment OF the
Confederate dead in Arlington cemetery.
j am informed that discussion has arisen
as TO how the Grand Army OF the Re
public -ould feel regarding this mat
ter, and that the particular question has
been raised as to how l would view 1t.
i must assume in all propriety that in
tereSt in my opinion of the matter arises
solely from the fact that at the present
time / am cOmmander-in-chief of the
Grand Army of the Republic.
In the war. l was simply one of the
unknown atoms in the ranks where
stood in place until Knocked out by one
of 'StOnewalr Jackson's shells. That
is all | can claim for myself This Is
no new question TO me. Some years ago
when a COmrade of yours. General In
derwoOd. 1 believe, living in Chicago
considered the fact that 5000 Confeder-
ate dead, who had died as prisoners of
war. had found sepulchre In Chicago
and no monument marked their last
resting place. he. fortunately prosper
Gus IN business, generous and large of
heart. erected monument to the Con-
federate dead there entombed.
"A cornrade wrote me when the first
public mention was made of the matter
and asked what / thought of it, I an
swered him within the hour, thai consid-
ering the matter in a broad sense not
restricting it to tae United States, but
taking in the whole civilized world,
had no hesitancy in saying that any
people, who would encourage and urge
their mon to go out to battle, and who.
when those men in battle or by disease
N~ad - . =
ingly permit their last resting places to
go unmarked, thereby stamped them
selves In my opinion. as being people
so contemplate that l had no power of
expression competent 20 measure the
contempt l felt for them. I have not
changed my views since that time
I settled this question for myself
many years ago. way back in the 7O's
] learned that my comrades OF New
York city. going on our Memorial Day
over to Cypress Hill Cemetery to laurel
the graves OF our Union dead. found
themselves with a surplus OF flowers
when they had finished their allotted
task. They looked over yonder and
there was the plot where thousands of
Confederate soldiers, who had died In
New York. had been buried There was
no prearrangement. but by common inn
pulse those Grand Army men moved
over and did not leave that Cemetery
until they had dropped at least one
flower on each Confederate grave. I
proval at all Of the cause for which
you and your comrades. living and
dead fought. but because thev rec
ognized the fact that we of the North.
who met you on the battlefield. found
in your comrades portion Of the best
soldierY that were ever gathered in
martial array The other portion wore
our uniform Why we won out is not
germane to the question of today.
On Cypress Hill.
This incident at Cypress Hill moved
me deeply. and though TO those who
know me need not say 1t, it met my
utmost approval I have had plenty
Of time to think IT over. You boys Of
the South have robbed me Of a great
deal OF sleep. and in the long hours of
the night all alone I conned this ques-
tion to the depths. took the position i
did. which is pretty well known. and I
have never changed. Not possessing a
forked tongue, ! am unable to express
differing lines Of thought on one topic.
I have no desire to. The feeling I had
hack in the 7o's regarding Cypress
Hill. the sentiment I expressed re-
gsrding the monument at Chicago, are
still possessed by me and they apply
with equal force to the proposition to
erect your shaft in Arlington.
You will understand. OF course, that
I can simply speak for myself. AS