Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-08-12
alexandria Gazette.
FRIDAY EVENING. AUG. II
THE VETERANS GOING.


Veterans of the great war of 1861
1865 who have been honored with
public Office are growing fewer, just
as the ranks Of their comrades in the
private walks Of life are sadly diminish
ing. The number OF veterans of that
war in Congress is less than at any
time since the year following the
cessation of hostilities.
At the beginning of the present
Congress serving on the Union and
Confederate sides were the following
Senate-Union: Buckley, Of Connecti-
cut; Burrows, of Michigan; DUPONT,
of Delaware; Nelson, Of Minnesota;
Elkins and Scott, Of West Virginia;
Warner, of Missouri; and Warren, Of
Wyoming, a total Of 8.
Confederate-Bacon, of Georgia;
Bankhead, OF Alabama; Daniel, Of
Virginia; Johnson, of Alabama; Nc
Emery, OF Louisiana; McLaurin, Of
Mississippi Martin, OF Virginia;
Money, OF Mississippi; and Talliaferro,
OF Florida, a total Of g.
House of Representatives-Union:
Alexander, Of New York; Barclay,
Bingham and Graham, Of Pennsylva-
mia; Bradley, OF New York; Calder
head, of Kansas; Capron, Of Rhode Is
land; Gardner, of New Jersey; Hol-
lingsworth, Keifer and Sherwood, Of
Ohio; Howell, Of New Jersey; Hull,
OF Iowa; Morgan, Of Missouri; and
Wiley, of New Jersey, total Of 10.
Confederate-Estopinal, Of Louisi-
ana; Gordon, Of Tennessee; Jones, Of
Virginia, and Lamb, of Virginia; Liy-
ingston, of Georgia; Richardson, Of
Alabama; Spight, of Mississippi Tai
bolt, of Maryland; and Taylor, OF Ala
bama, total OF 9.
This gives total of forty veterans Of
the war between the states in the Senate
and House at the beginning OF the pres
ent Congress. Their number has been
reduced by three deaths Of these notable
Confederate veterans, Senators Daniel,
McEnery and McLaurin. 1t will be
seen from these figures that but Z per
cent of the membership of the Sixty
first Congress were veterans OF the civil
war. Nearly half the membership OF
Congress twenty years ago were Union
and Confederate veterans. In the Con
gress at that time-the Fifty-frst-there
were 81 Confederate veterans in the Sen
ate and 9 Union veterans, while iii the
House there were 70Confederate veteran
and AZ UuiOn veterans. Considerably
over half the members from the South
ern states we're Confederate veterans.
Nearly half-or Al per cent-of the
membership OF the Fifty-hrst Congress
we're veterans OF the war Men who
entered the army in 1S6l-65, when in
their teens, are now old men, many OF
them great grandfathers. The average
age OF the veterans OF the Senate is 90
years. The average age Of the veterans
Of the House is 81 years Thus the aver
age age OF these veteran statesmen when
the war began in 1S61,was IS years.
The oldest Union veterans is General
|. r. Sherwood, representing the Ninth
Ohio district. who is rs. The oldest
Confederate veteran is Private Leonidas
F. Livingston, OF the Fifth Georgia
Districts years. The youngest Union
veteran is Representative Alexander,
Of New York-64 years old. The
youngest Confederate veteran is Rep
resentative George w. Taylor, OF
Alabama-61 years old. The highest
ranking veteran of the Union army is
J. Warren Keifer, of Ohio, who was 4
major general OF volunteers. Sher-
wood, OF Ohio, and Bingham, of Pen
nsylvania, were brigadier generals.
The highest ranking Confederate vet
eran in Congress is George w. Gordon,
OF Tennessee, who was a brigadier gen
eral, and who is now commander-in-
chief Of the Confederate Veterans As
sociation.
The next Congress will see still
further diminution of the number OF
war veterans in Congress. Senators
Money and Taisaferro, retiring, will re-
duce the hummer OF Confederate vet
Grams and the defeat of Representative
Hull, OF Iowa, and Calderhead, OF
Kansas, will cut down the representa-
ton of Union veterans in Congress.
The Confederate veterans will recover
one in the probable election OF Charles
NJ. Stedman, the democratic candidate
for the House in the Fifth North Caro-
lima district.