The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-05-31

fedeTate works Of so much as a head,
an act Of extreme danger
General Kershaw at first refused to
at last, as the lad persisted in his
request, declined TO forbid him. leav-
ing the responsibility for action on
the boy himself Kirkland, in perfect
delight, rushed from the generals
quarters to the front, where he gath
cred all the canteens he could carry.
filled them with water I'D going over
the breastw orks, started to give re
lief to his wounded enemies, No soon
er was he in the open field than the
Union sharpshOOters, suppCsing he
was going to plumber their Con2ra des,
began to fire at him For some min
utes he went about doing good under
circumstances of most Imminent per
sonal danger Soon, how ever, those to
whom he was taking the water reCog-
nized the Chara cter OF his undertak-
ing. All over the field men sat up
and called to him, and those too bad
~ hurt to raise themselves, held I'D
their hands and beckOned TO him. SOog
the sharpshooters. who fortunately
had not hit him, saw 49, he was in
deed an Angel Of Mercy, and stopped
their fire, and two armies looked with
admiration at the younb mans pluck
and loving kindness.
With q beautiful tenderness. Kirk
land went about his work, giving wa
ter TO all, and here and there placing
q knapsaCk pillow under some boot
wounded fellows head. or putting in
a more comfortable position. some
shattered leg or arm. Then he went
back to his own lines and the fighting
went on.
Tell me of p more exalted example
of personal courage and salT denial
than that Of that Confederate soldier.
or one which more clearly deserves
the name Of Christian fortitude In
that terrible war between the states,
kirkland gave up his life in the bat
tie Of Chicamauga, but I cannot help
thanking God that, in our reunited
country. men Of the North are joint
heirs with men Of the South, in the
glory and inspiration that come from
such heroic deeds as his. And this is
only one in the hundreds, yea. thou
sands of instances, in which men in
both armies diEregaTded the natural
instinct for self preservation in order
20 minister 10 the wants of fallen en-
eTnies. Courage Yes, the most ex-
allied courage, and it was g common
characteristic Of the men Of both ar
mics. With such soldiers, was it any
wonder that that war was q mighty
struggle2 No Drawer men ever went
to battle in any land, than the men
who composed the opposing armies in
our great Civil War. No doubt there
are men present here today, who. but
Tor a fOrbidding nlOdesty, Coul9 tell Of
such deeds of herOism in their own
experiences. Is that exalted heTOism
4 thing Of the paSt2 I think not. The
very fact that we OF today still cher
Ssh a grateful pride in the achieve
mentS and deeds of VaIOT Of the long
ago, proves beyond question that the
same COura &c. herOisIn and patriotism
that existed then, still permeates the
v hole American nation. It is a char
uCteristiC of the American people, and
thank God we are today one people.
While in the days from 81 TO '65 we
were divided into two hostile camps.
we are now Reunited and CementeG
together as one indissolUbIe Union
of States that form one country with
a common aim and common destiny;
a country recognized by the peoples Of
all the world, and one of the greatest
forces for good and for the advance
ment and betterment Of mankind, that
has ever arisen on this planet.
1t is but natural and to be expect
ed, that a civil strife covering a pc
Rod Of more than four years, should
have engendered feelings Of bitter
ness. hut time is q great pacifiCatOr
and nearly fifty years have passed
since the close Of the great struggle
and q. new generation has come onto
The SCeue IS participants in the aCtlE-
tiles of life in this reunited country
To the younger generation, reared, a.
they have been, to reverence the in
stitutions under which they live. it is
difficult for them to realize that so
great g. struggle could ever have taken
place on this continent. You men who
wore the blue and the gray in oDpOs-
harborirg sentiments of hate ard bit