The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1918-06-20
Conditions In the War of Seces
sion Now Compared

Concluded from first page
wore was sent them from home by
their own families thence the army
was not in uniform. do not now
remember ever having seen gray
overcoat in our army worn by Of
ficer or man (there may have been
few, but | do remember quite
a. number of blue coats which
were taken from dead Yankees.
The clothing of our soldiers was
of cotton fabric and one thin
4 blanket to the man. Shoes were
sometimes issued, but usually we
got them from home or from dead
Yankees. | spent two hours walk
ing over the battle field of Chick
amauga to get a pair of shoes
from a dead Yankee, but they
were in such demand that / found
none.
Please note how splendidly our
army of today is clothed, housed
and fed. And this is well. The
rations of the Southern soldier
were a quarter of a pound of
poor beef and little corn meal.
On the march he carried all he
had on his back, including his
kitchen utensils, which consisted
usually of a frying pam One
wagon was allowed to regiment.
IOf course that went to the colo
nel's headquarters. The men had
mo wagon.
If you will pardon the personal
reference, l did not have an over
coat during the war. More than
half of the time / had no. coat at
all. In 1864-65 / was not in a
house or tent of any kind for
twelve months, and my protec-
ton from snow and ice and rain
was a little cotton blanket. If
there was complaint, it was very
| limited. We knew that the gov
eminent could do no better
therefore we accepted service will
lingly and joyfully. Do the men
of our armies today appreciate
the effort made by the govern
ment to make them comfortable +?
| hope they do. Senator Chamber
lain does not seem to appreciate
it very much.
Can it be that we of today are
less patriotic and self-sacrificing
than the people of 1861, or is it
because we do not realize that we
are at war. Is it not well for us
to consider the terms offered by
Germany to poor PROSTATE Rus
: STA? We are thankful that there
was left enough spirit in Russia
to reject the terms. Can we ex-
pect Germany to be more liberal
with America if our armies are
defeated? What will she offer us
in the event France and England
are beaten? Let us consider that
Germany is offering her best
terms to Russia to break the al
lance of nations and to eliminate
a large military force, so that she
may turn with her full strength
upon France. If under the cir
cumstances she has made such a
demand upon Russia, what de-
mand would she make once
France and England are beaten?
1t is high time the people of the
United States should awake from
their legarthy, put aside money
making, and accept sacrifice with
out complaint. We should put
down with strong hand all Of
those who live in this country and
receive its protection and full lib
erty while they attempt to strike
with assassin daggers in the dark
Treason, if found, even in the
| United States Senate, should be
punished promptly, even more
quickly than if perpetrated by a
private citizen who has no jinfu-
ience or following. Aliens should
be made to serve the general gov
eminent, leave the country, or go
to iail--B. w. Green, Little Rock
Ark, in The Confederate Veteran.
'West Palm Beach along with a
number of other Florida cities,