Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1914-03-27
Letter from
Big Bud.

the bill carrying $40, 10000 to
pay the way of the needy old
veterans now living in the state
to the reunion of Fedeaal and
Confederate soldiers, to be held
at Vicksburg in October, 1915.
Most of the old veterans in the
House spoke against this and
said they wanted to hold NO peace
jubilee with the boys in blue; said
they did not want the Yankee
soldiers to crow over them about
the defeat at Vicksburg. I took
the floor and advocated the meas
ure and said | was very much in
favor of this 1eace jubilee, as |
thought the reunion at Gettys-
burg, where we were so cordially
entertained by the citizens of
Pennsylvania. had done a great
deal of good. All of the old Con-
federates who went there said
they were royalty entertained
and the old Federal veterans had
nothing but praise for the way
the Confederates fought thereon
that day. | told them that | had
the honor of belonging to the
grand old army of northern Nir-
ginia, which Fighting Joe"
Hooker, of the Federal army, in
his report before the committee
on the conduct of war, said had
attained an efficiency and steadi-
ness never before attained by
either army on either side; that |
had no fear of any Federal soldier
ever taunting member Of that
army with defeat and that | was
like Gen. Gordon, who said that
he knew all Americans were
proud that they belonged to the
same race of men who stormed
the heights of Gettysburg, apd
he also knew that all American
citizens were proud that they be-
longed to the same race Of men
who stormed the heights of Mis-
sionary Ridge, and that while |
was proud of my record as a Con-
federate soldier, was also proud
now that | was an American citi-
zen, and that | would be proud
at all times to meet the boys in
blue in a peace jubilee, The bill,
drawn by a Confederate soldier,
provided for a commission to this
jubilee, which should consist of
two ex-Confedeates and one ex-
Federal veterans, and if it passes,
as | believe it will, | am going to
urge the Governor to appoint our
Capt. Gurler, an ex-Federal SOL
dier, on this commission, for he
is now in every way a true Mis-
sissipian, working for the good
of our country and will reflect
honor upon our county and state
in this position.
Capt. Rigby, a Federal soldier,
and President of the. Vicksburg
Park Commission, ever since its
inception, was over with a CON-
mittee of Vicksburg people and
old Confederates, to try to get
the appropriation of $40, 10000 to
be used only to pay the way of
the veterans, both the Blue and
the Grey, now living in the state,
to the Peace Jubilee. He told us
that he had been in attendance
on the various installations of the
Federal monuments erected in
this park and that he had always
said he would stand for nothing
that did not tend to bring about
a good feeling and to show re-
spect for the boys in Grey, anC
he quoted this splendid tribute
inscribed on the Pennsylvania
monument
'Here Brothers fought for their prin
ciples,
Here Heroes died for their country,
And United People will ever cherisl
The precious Legacy of their nobl
manhood"
Capt. Rigby said that no Con
federate veteran need ever fea
to come to Vlcksburg to tn,
Peace Jubilee, thinking that an!
Federal veteran would think O
Growing over" a Confederat,
soldier; that he had never hear'
any expression from a Fedora
veteran. but they gave due prais
for the boys in Grey on the bat
tle-field.
We had Col. Montgomery, com
mander-in-ohief of the Confeder
ate veterans of Mississippi, to ad
dress the legislature last night
asking them t9 make this sma
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