Comrades: After reading the foregoing patriotic speech made by Henry
Clay in the Senate chamber in 1842, we feel inspired by the thought
that the Union is not dissolved, but was restored by the great and
glorious things that were accomplished by the Union armies during the
war from 1861 to 1865. Soon after our return home from the war some of
us began at times to ask ourselves the following question: What has
been accomplished by our three or four years of hardships in the army?
And sometimes we would almost arrive at the conclusion that our work
had been in vain. But as years have passed we were cheered by the
brightening of the skies. The war debt was being rapidly paid off, and
many of our former enemies were becoming convinced that it was a very
great blessing for all the people, North as well as South, that the
Union army was successful and the Union restored. A few years ago,
while I was in conversation with a gentleman from the South in regard
to National affairs, he frankly remarked as follows: “The southern
people should thank the Grand Army men for the great and good work
which they accomplished by restoring the union of all the States.”
Within the last ten or twelve years the author of this narrative has
been encouraged in regard to our National affairs, because of the fact
that the hard work which we did during the war has been manifested in
recent years by good results.
Comrades, we can now see some of the fruits of our labor. Our
government is on a sound basis, and is one of the most prosperous on
the globe. It is the government which was sustained by the faithful
soldiers of the war from 1861 to 1865, guided by the hand of
Providence. And it is a government endowed with the best and most
humane laws in existence. It is a government that has been and is
merciful, and since it has become of sufficient strength has removed
the yoke of oppression from the people of some of the islands of the
sea, and diffused among them liberty and freedom. It is also a
government that is taking the lead in the good work of adjusting
troubles between nations by arbitration.
During the war from 1861 to 1865 rulers and people of foreign nations
looked upon the probability of our success with suspicion, because
they believed and said that a government by the people, or a
republican form of government could not survive a great war like the
Rebellion. But they were surprised and taught the lesson that a free
people fighting for such principles as “Old Glory” represents, are
capable of surviving almost anything. By the success of our faithful
soldiers Uncle Sam has been enabled to grow up to a good-sized boy, or
we had better say a man, and we think that he is good and kind,
understands his business and attends to it.
The good principles which were sustained by many hard fought battles
from 1861 to 1865, and are represented by our good old banner, are
being diffused not only among the people of our own country but to
some extent among the people of almost every nation on the globe.
We sincerely hope that the good work will continue to go forward. But
what would be the condition of our country and ourselves if the
Southern Confederacy had been successful? The consequence would
undoubtedly have been as Henry Clay said in his speech. It would have
been the extinction of this last and glorious light, represented by
“Old Glory,” which is leading all mankind, who are gazing upon it in
the hope and anxious expectation that the liberty which prevails here,
sooner or later will be diffused throughout the whole of the civilized
world. Comrades, we have the consolation of knowing that our work was
not in vain. It resulted in the diffusing of more good to mankind than
all nations ever before accomplished.
No proposition is better supported by history, than that “righteousness
exalteth a nation,” “but the wages of sin is death” to a nation.
Dear comrades, many of us were permitted to return from the war to our
homes with our lives, but many with broken health, caused by the
fatigues of the march, the wearisome camp, the heat of summer, the
frosts of winter, and the awful ecstasy of battle. We now love to meet
each other at the post meeting, at the campfire, and above all, at our
reunions. But while we thus enjoy ourselves to some extent we are
thinking of the fallen. With a soldier’s generosity we wish they could
be here to share in our hard-earned pleasures. Possibly they are here,
from many a grave in which we laid them. Many of them died in the
darkest hours of the Republic, others in the early dawn of peace while
the morning stars were singing together. We should meet at every
reunion possible. I trust that we will meet in a reunion where there
will be no parting. Farewell. From the author.
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Transcriber’s Notes:
- Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).
- Blank pages have been removed.
- Silently corrected typographical errors.