[waterstraat]

. She learned that in 1916, Columbus was in poor health and needed proof he served in the war to draw a government pension. ``Three white men stood and swore Richard Quarls was a Confederate soldier,''

We gave "pensions" to "all" of the confederate soldiers who fought against the united states in the War-Between-the-States?

[XRdsRev]

As a Confederate soldier, he would not have been eligible for a Federal pension but might have qualified for a pension from the State in whose unit he served during the war.

Even during reconstruction, many in the Federal & Republican state governments were much more forgiving of former Confederates than some people who are around today. It was uncommon to hear or read of Union veterans describing their Confederate foes as "traitors" and there developed quite a bit of camraderie amongst the vets of both sides (the first Confederate monument at Gettysburg was put up with assistance of some Union veterans and one of the New Jersey monuments at the battlefield of Salem Church Va. even has an inscription dedicated to the Confederate soldiers who opposed the regiment). Some former Confederate officers and politicians served in state and Federal governments in the late 1800s, in some cases, even within the Republican party.

It is acknowledged that a certain amount of animosity remained among some of the former foes but there also was a great air of mutual admiration and respect for each other that unfortunately is sometimes missing in todays debates of the conflict.

I guess you had to be there.