Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-07-14
BY MORRIS T. STAFFORD.


Having been a participant in the
great battle July l, 2 and 8, 1868, it
seems to me that the reunion of the
blue and the gray at Gettysburg,
I from which ! have just returned, on
the ground where was fought one of
the greatest battles of history should
teach US lessons not to be easily for
gotten.
| First taking one of the resolutions
passed unanimously at large meet
| ing of the Confederates on the third
day of July, 1913, on the old battle
ground. is indicative Of loyalty and
love for the old flag. Here is the
resolution:
Resolved, by the ex-Confederates
at Gettysburg assembled, that our
thanks are due, and are hereby ten
dered to the state of Pennsylvania for
initiating the movement which has
made it possible for the survivors of
the two great armies which fought
in this illustrious field so years ago
to meet in friendship here today and
plant a monument OF peace, a monu-
ment which shall stand as the SYM
Dol of American valor, manhood and
brotherhood.
| Resolved, that we thank the gov
eminent of the United States for the
magnificent and munificent manner in
which 1t has seconded the efforts of
the state of Pennsylvania in carrying
forward this great work of peace and
fraternity between the blue and gray;
and without any establishment what
soever, we desire to reaffirm and
pledge not only ourselves but all our
brother ex-Confederates and all the
people of our loved southland to the
utmost loyalty to the government of
the United States and to the flag of
our country.
Resolved, that we take pride in
the fact that to the armies of the Con-
federacy is due the credit of demon
strating the utter impossibility of the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the union. When
We consider that 100000 men of the
very flower of chivalry, as good mater
ial as was ever organized in a fighting
force and directed by such command
ers as our beloved Robert E. Lee and
his lieutenants, inspired by sectional
devotion such as has not elsewhere
been known in history failed to sep
arate the states, We see that the dem
orstration was complete, that the
thing was not to be done, and our
failure must give pause to those who
in the future would contemplate such
an undertaking"
After meeting so many of the old
IConfederates on the grounds and hear
ing their many expressions of loyalty,
am sure it came from their hearts,
and in an again united people.
talked with many North Carolinans
and Virginians. (There were 1,400
North Carolinans and about as many
Virginians there, one of them gener-
al during the war, told me that South
Carolina, the first state to secede from
the union and the one fired the first
shot at the fort in Charleston harbor,
did not send as many men in the field
as North Carolina lost in killed dur
ing the war
There was one entire brigade of
North Carolinans, and one brigade OF
Virginians, and another of Texans,
who followed General Pickett in his
charge the afternoon Of the 3rd of
July, 1863, from the Peach orchards
to Cemetery hill, and lost in killec
nearly 5000 in Is minutes.
The survivors of that terrible con.
fiict marched again to the stone wall
where Picket was defeated and shook
hands and shed tears over the place
where so many Of their comrads gave
up their lives. This occurred Just 50
years after the battle.
July we were to hold reunion OF
my old regiment, the 102nd New YORK
infantry, of Greers' brigade 18th CORDS
at our monument erected on Culph hill
, at 4 o'clock p. m, but thunderstorm
broke up our reunion. ! went to The
: place early, hoping to meet some o.
1 my comrades. ] was sitting on tn,
I, base OF our monument when a com
Q raoe came and sat down by me an,
!, asked me where l came from. toI,
> MIN from Rock Island. Then he aske,
:. me II / know anyone by the nama n
2 stafford there. / told him there wer
y several Stafford families in Rock 7,
s land. Then he asked me If I know
l. Morris Stafford. / told him I he,
J. met him frequently. He asked if Mo,
c rls was at Gettysburg. l told him h
8 was sitting before him. He raise
c both hands and said: You are SCI
/. geant Stafford" assure you it wa
K a happy meeting. had not seen hir
It since the morning Of July 8, 1856:
when l was wounded.
He asked me If / remembered Is c