Posted on 03/23/2016 9:52:45 AM PDT by NRx
Washington March 22 (Special)-The Opposition to the House to grant a pension of $2,000 a year to the widow of General Hancock was strong enough to sustain the demand for a yea and nay vote, which resulted nearly 4 to 1 in favor of the grant. A majority of the negative votes was contributed by Southern and Western Democrats. Although General Hancock was the Democratic nominee for President in 1880, the Southern men do not seem able to forget that he won military distinction in the field in command of Union troops. Some of the opposition was based upon the ground that such bills promote the spread of communistic sentiments. For example, Colonel Oates of Alabama, who voted against the bill said:
"I am against such propositions. Unless they are abandoned the time will come when the people will rise against them, and they will have my sympathy. The widow of a poor soldier who had his head shot off receives $12 a month. Does she not deserve as good a pension as Mrs. Hancock, even though her husband was a major-general?"
That’s great, even better was the story about Davy Crockett when he was in Congress. He voted against a pension for a war widow on the grounds that Congress had no right to give away the people’s money, even in charity.
The plan he offered was that the members of Congress take up a collection for her from their own pockets.
That position is far too rational and extremist for the political environment of today.
Having said that, I find myself in agreement with it.
I’m not sure by what stretch of the imagination Winfield Scott Hancock is considered a Southern general. He earned his highest distinction in beating back the Alabamans in the Union center at Gettysburg. He was born in Pennsylvania, and although he studied with Armistead and served under Albert Sidney Johnston, he declared for the Union as soon as hostilities began.
Never mind. I misread the comments by the good Congressman from Alabama.
I am a County Supervisor and I read an excerpted version of this story when there was an agenda item to give money to certain charities.
The good Congressman from Alabama was Colonel William C. Oates. He lead his 15th Alabama Regiment up Little Round Top at Gettysburg.
That’s excellent! I’ve been meaning to ask someone, how do you post links?
There’s a thread called “HTML Boot Camp”
Do a search for it.
L
He may have led them TO Little Round Top, but he was met by Joshua Chamberlain’s Maine men in the Devil’s Den, and they never got to the top.
He led them up Little Round Top, never claimed he got to the top. Chamberlain’s Maine men did not fight in the Devil’s Den. The 20th Maine along with the 44th NY, 16th MI and the 83rd PA (Vincent’s Brigade) defended the crest of Little Round Top, against Law’s Alabama Brigade and two Regiments of the Robertson’s Texas Brigade. Shame so many fine soldiers in both armies died for a hill, that some consider, of little value.
It's always surprised me that Lee -- or at least Longstreet -- didn't see the strategic value of that high ground earlier, and move to secure it the first day.
It certainly is a shame so many died on that hill. But no more of a shame than all the deaths at Marye's Heights, Chickamauga Creek, or Shiloh. There was plenty of tragedy to go around in that war.
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