Lamh Foistenach Abu!
Posted on 06/25/2010 3:58:54 PM PDT by BigReb555
Do young people know who Gen. Robert Edward Lee, Major Gen. George Edward Pickett and Major Gen. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain were?
(Excerpt) Read more at huntingtonnews.net ...
The fading photos and stories of Union and Confederate Veterans from that summer of 1913, shaking hands, sharing a meal and trading war stories is a special part of our National Heritage well worth sharing.
Do young people know who Gen. Robert Edward Lee, Major Gen. George Edward Pickett and Major Gen. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain were? Do schools still teach children about these men and all those who met on that famous War Between the States battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania? Some call the Gettysburg Battlefield the most haunted place in America as many thousands died on that fateful month in July 1863.
“Comrades and friends, these splendid statues of marble and granite and bronze shall finally crumble to dust, and in the ages to come, will perhaps be forgotten, but the spirit that has called this great assembly of our people together, on this field, shall live forever.” -----Dr. Nathaniel D. Cox at 1913 Gettysburg Reunion
The summer heat of July 1913 did not keep the old Confederate and Union Veterans from attending the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. It has been written that over 50,000 sons of the North and South came for what has been called the largest combined reunion of War Between the States veterans.
The youngest veteran was reported to be 61 and the oldest was 112 years young.
No one dared criticize the United States or Confederate flag that flew side by side at the Gettysburg soldier’s reunion of honored men who had been enemies on the field of battle just 50 years earlier.
The State of Pennsylvania hosted the 1913 reunion at the insisting of state Governor John K. Tener. Tener also encouraged other states to arrange rail transportation for the participants. Down South, the United Daughters of the Confederacy helped raise money for the transportation and uniforms for the Confederate veterans.
The soldiers of Blue and Gray, Black and White, came with heads raised high. It is written that the hosts did not count on Black Confederates attending the meeting and had no place to put them however the White Confederates made room for their Southern brothers. Black Union veterans also attended.
Nearly 700,000 meals were served that included fried chicken, roast pork sandwiches, ice cream and Georgia watermelon. The temperature soared to 100 degrees and almost 10,000 veterans were treated for heat exhaustion and several hundred more were hospitalized. The United States Army was also present in support and the old men loved the attention.
A highlight of the reunion was the Confederate Veterans walk on the path of Gen. George Pickett’s charge that was greeted, this time, with a handshake from the Union Veterans.
President Woodrow Wilson spoke to those veterans with compassion and appreciation, and said, quote “These venerable men crowding here to this famous field have set us a great example of devotion and utter sacrifice. They were willing to die that the people might live. But their task is done. Their day is turned into evening. They look to us to perfect what they have established. Their work is handed to us, to be done in another way but not in another spirit. Our day is not over; it is upon us in full tide.” Unquote
I do, I do. But then I ain’t young no more. As I take it, these days kids are taught there were no Civil War heroes. They were all dead, white guys defending either slavery or evil industrialization.
What a beautiful post, thank you.
Lamh Foistenach Abu!
They don't even know who Barack Hussein Obama is!!!
ping and hope you are well.
Lamh Foistenach Abu!
FYI...
The young people of today only know where the “TAT” shop is located.
In a camp ground in South Carolina I saw a four year old boy with matching tatto’s that were on is “DAD”.
When they breed the result is a child that has problems due to drug use by the parents. They become ADHD children.
I see no hope for the future of AMERICA!
I know, but muy daughter who was educated in Texas and managed to miss American history entirely called me up one night when she was making labels for a quilt exhibit and asked me to clarify the name of the historic figure who inspired my quilt after I’d spend several days poking around the exhibits of the Museum of the Confederacy at Gulfport, MS. “Was that Hamilton Jefferson?” she asked. “No, Jefferson Davis,” I replied. “Don’t you remember your history?”
Otherwise, she was a very smart girl — AP and all that. Our district in TX just didn’t make her take American History, and she went to school there from 8th through 12th grade and Baylor U afterwards where she got her Bachelor’s degree.
Apologize? He’d announce they were all going to be dunned for reparations before they could leave the hall.
i have a number of flags i fly at different times; gasdsen yellow flag. red striped DON’T TREAD ON ME, 20th maine rgt, American flag. may get the confederate white flag with stars and bars in upper left but doubt my frau would let me fly it. my neighbors have no idea what any of them mean.
Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis carved on Stone Mountain in Georgia. The size of the carved surface is 3 acres.
Thank you for posting that. Please continue to do so.
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