The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1911-06-08
DECORATION DAY ADDRESS
Delivered by Capt. ]. n. .Iarbo in
Oakland nemorial Day

tears from SlredhlIlR GOWN my lace, anu
as the Rev. Mr. Williamson, the son of
a veteran, is to deliver the memorial
address, | think it best to have my say
first, as | fear that after have listened
to him | would not have sufficient assur-
ance to follow. | had three brothers
and four cousins soldiers in the army
seven in the Federal army and one in
the Confederate army One was killed
at the battle of Chicamauga, one IN
Texas, one died from wounds received
in West Virginia. The one who lived
in Missouri had his home and all he pos
sessed burned and destroyed by Guam
trel and his men, He enlisted in the
Federal army and contracted some dis
ease from which he never recovered and
died some years after the close Of the
war. One was taken to a hospital in
Baltimore, he had az operation perform
ed and died under the knife. The other
two died from old age. I am still here
alone of all my race who were engaged
in that unnatural war. i was badly WOun-
Ged once. have as the saying goes had
some bad, some good luck, but above all
| have been blessed with good health.
So viewing it from both sides have
squared the balance sheet and | am
satisfied Many of my ancestors have
lived to a great old age, but | realize
the fact that time is fast flying and at
best it cannot be a great many years
until | too shall hear the signal. taps,
lights out, and cross the great divide to
join my comrades in the silent camping
ground.
1t has been said by some wise-acre
that the youngland the middle aged live
in the future, the aged in the past, as |
do not know how he would proceed to
prove his assertion, as no one man knows
another man, only in part, | must con-
clude that he is basing his opinion on
his own experience. But there is one
thing | can say, and believe that all
old soldiers that had experience will
agree with me, and that is this: an old
soldier can never forget the war. 1t
has left a nervous shock that will pre-
cede every other thing while the records
of memory remain. An old soldier that
has forgotten the war, can only say,
that the records of memory have fled,
or his heart has become petrified. do
not mean the shock of battle. Of course
it is not pleasant to stand up and be
shot down, nor is it pleasant to shoot
down men. especially men of your own
country. But it is the awful carnage
which meets your eye after the battle is
over. Still later when the telegram is
brought friends, hunting a dead or
wounded father, brother or son, the
shrieks of the friends, the means and
and cry Of the wounded. | know of no
other words that will express it, it is
simply he'll incarnate.
know YOU are anxious to hear Mr..
Williamson and dare not take time to
relate instances of war. If | had |
would tell of the fall Of two men that
were killed in the Valley of Virginia,
James A. Mulligan, Colonel of the 23rd
Illinois, and Colonel Turner Ashby, Of
the Confederate Black Horse Cavalry.
| will only say This for them: they had
nerves of steel and souls that could dare,
and hearts as brave as ever beat re-
sponsive to their country S call.
will here leave the field of battle by
making the assertion that this country
IS sometimes run by sentiment, without
reason or justice.
saw during the war at the field hos
pital a little nurse. She was about
twenty-five or twenty-siX years age.
She weighed less than 100 pounds. She
was active and quick as a squirrel. She
was untirlng and a great favorite with
the soldiers. DR.. Graham, noted sur
geon in the army, who was If memory
serves me Alright, six feet two inches in
height, said to me that little girl is all
heart and brain, and the nobleSt woman
| ever saw, except my mother. AS |
expected he married the little nurse.
This was in the fall of 1864. Suppose
she had not married and remained in the
army until the war was over, and had
some time since made application for
pension, what would she have gotten?
So, or may be by an Act Of Congress,
S25 or $50. Yet Mrs. Harrison and Mrs.
Cleveland, whom | think were left in
good circumstances received So, OOJ each
per year. Mrs. Logan | think received
-, 600. IS this not sentiment without
reason,
| mention these things because l see
by some of the magazines and news
papers, articles charging the old soldiers
with fraud and false statements. |
would advise them to 90 to the War
Department and examine the company
rolls that We're made every sixty days
and they will there see VINO were a5-
sent without leave and who were dropped
from the rolls, or deserted.
| have this to say about pensions:
| think the government has been liberal.
The soldiers cannot aOrpp Them selves