The National tribune., 1909-08-05

ing. The Daughters OF the COnfederacN
of Alabama had sent flowers and a re
quest that the ladies from the North
would place them upon the monument
which the Chicago, Iowa and South Da-
kota ladies did. The two days at Shi-
Eloh battlefield were filled with intense
interest to all who were present, espe-
| cially the veterans who took part in the
battle, and when it happened that two
or more members of the same regiment
were present they would hunt up their
old camp ground and then find the diff
/ ferent positions they held in the battle
| line of those days. and, standing on the
same ground then, live in memory
again the terrible scenes of the long
ago.
The Line of Battle.
The writer, with three others of his
regiment. picked out the exact spot
where they felt the sting of the mimic
hall AZ years ago. The battle line is
about three miles in length, and we
visited almost every part of the field.
including the most noted places, viz.
the Hornets Nest and the Bloody
Pond" This pond Is still there and
fenced off, with tablet to mark it.
During the battle the wounded soldiers
crawled to this pond to slake their thirst
and bathe their wounds, and SO many
washed their wounds in this pond that
the water looked like a pool of blood,
hence the name. To those of our party
who wended their way TO Shiloh Church
(where the battle began), a unique ex-
perience awaited us. Upon coming in
sight of the church we beheld the citi-
zcns from the surrounding country, with
their wives and children, gathered from
miles around. The Albert Sidney john
ston Camp of Confederate Veterans
were holding their semj-annual meeting
in the church. We were met by the
veterans of the Confederate army with
a glad shake and a cordial invitation to
remain to dinner with them, which was
accepted, and we did enjoy their fried
chicken and all the other good things.
The dinner was eaten with the sauce of
"reminiscences and repartee between the
| blue and the gray. We give you one
little tidbit, in which the Union veter-
an seemed to get the worst of it. No
t.cing the leanness of the eX-Confeder-
aies, the Union veteran said: Johnny.
how is it all you fellows look lean, as
tho you hadn't enough to eat?" The
ex-Confederate, who wore a wooden
leg, made quick reply: We'll, Yank.
| you see, it's this way; you-uns shot us
onto crutches and we-uns shot you-uDs
on the pension roll" After many a
Joke and story of the battle the people
adjourned to the church for services,
the church being filed, Capt James NJ.
Irwin Commander of the Confederate
Veterans Camp, presiding. The meet
| ing was opened by the Misses Anderson,
of South Dakota, daughters of a Union
veteran, who sang the Star Spangled
Banner Capt. Irwin then said: 1--WE
love that Star Spangled Banner now as
much as you of the North do" We no.
/, ticed, however, that the two flags hung
on the wall of the church opposite each
other-Old Glory and the stars and
bars. Gen. Basil Duke. one of the Shi-
loh Park Commissioners, then gave a
fine address, giving his experiences in
the battle of Shiloh. where he was
wounded. He was in Morgan's COM
mand of the Confederate army. Among
other things he said: I'VE fought in
the civil war for the cause we thought
was right. We believed the rights
guaranteed to us under the Constitu-
ton were being taken away from us,
and you must admit that our love for
our homes and property is as dear to
us of the South as it Is to you of the
North. The people of the North be-
lieved that to divide the Union of States
would destroy this Nation. Time has
proved, under the providence of God,
that the judgment of the North was
correct, for had we succeeded in estab-
fishing the Confederate States of Amer
ica no doubt, later on, other States
would have felt aggrieved on some
question and would have seeded, and
in time. had our cause won, this Ma
ton would have been divided into a
great many small principalities, govern
ing themselves. Now the issues for the
veal OF this great Nation are as dear
TO us OF the South as you of the North"
Gen. Duke closed his address by saving
that we all rejoice at the fraternal feel
tngs now existing between the North
and the South, and hoping that ever
these bonds of love and good will be-
tween us may grow and cement us to-
Sether, stronger and stronger, and we
shall continue to prosper and enjoy the
rights and privileges OF this great Ma
ton.
Rev. Mr.. Hoods, the pastor of the
church, on behalf of the Camp and the
people of Hardin County, Tenn, then
gave an address of welcome, bidding
the friends from the North q cordial
greeting and extending the right hand
OF Fellowship and brotherly love. w.
drummer, of Chicago, ILL.,, on behalf of
the boys in blue and their friends, re-
sponded, contrasting the scenes of AT
years ago with that of to-day. He said
in part: 1T was a beautiful Sabbath
morning, April 6. 1862; the birds were
singing among the trees and nature was
putting forth her verdure of green.
when suddenly the booming of cannon.
the shrieking OF shells and the rattle of
musketry heraided the beginning of one
of the most terrible battles of the civil
war / will not take the time to relate
all my experiences of that battle. but
simply say this, that when on Monday
evening We had regained our camp we
found few Sibley tents all riddled
with shot and shell, and while you ex-
had possession of our
camp you took my knapsack, blanket. |