MY APPOINTMENTS IN THE U. C. V.
On the organization of the U. C. V. in 1892, I received the appointment
by Lieutenant-General Cabell, who was elected Commander of the
Trans-Mississippi Department, of Quartermaster-General of the
Trans-Mississippi Department, with the rank of Brigadier-General. On
receipt of my commission, issued by General John B. Gordon, one morning,
while opening the package, Mr. C. A. Keating was looking on and on my
being surprised at such promotion, never having had notice of General
Cabell’s appointment, Keating asked me what I was going to do about it?
I told him that I was going to turn it down, that I did not think I
deserved any such promotion, besides I feared it would take a great deal
of my valuable time out of business, when he insisted on my accepting
it, which I still refused. He made me promise to take the document home
to my children, saying that they had more interest perhaps, in such an
honor than I had and if they were willing to have me turn it down he
would have nothing further to say. In connection with this, he asked a
question, “Tell me of a Confederate soldier in this community that has
done as much for the needy Confederates as you have and is more entitled
to it than you are?”
I took the document home, as I had promised him, to show to my children
and when I suggested to them that I intended to turn it down they would
not hear to it, saying that they were as much interested in the matter
and would appreciate it as a great honor conferred on them, as well as
myself, when I finally had to yield in the matter and accepted the
appointment, which I have never had cause to regret, though it was a
heavy tax on my purse and time, which latter properly belonged to C. A.
Keating, to say nothing of using his stenographer, etc., all of which he
cheerfully contributed and is entitled to the credit.
Having served in this capacity for a number of years, I was finally
elected to the command of the Fourth Brigade, composed of the principal
Camps of North Texas, with a membership of about five thousand, which
forced me to resign the office of Quartermaster General and accept the
high honor, which I very much appreciated. Serving in this capacity a
year, I decided to decline re-election on account of deficiency in
hearing, which almost disqualified me from presiding over this body at
its annual meeting and soon after, was appointed by General Stephen D.
Lee, Assistant Adjutant-General on his staff, with the rank of
Brigadier-General and which appointment I have had from every successive
commander and I may, perhaps, hold until death. I certainly appreciate
these honors conferred on me by my Confederate comrades, more perhaps
than anything that has ever fallen to my lot. This closes my connection
with the Confederate U. C. V. organization; many of the details of its
works I do not care to record herein, as they might appear too much of
egotism.
MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE ON CONFEDERATE
MATTERS
Columbus, Miss., April 21, 1905.
General H. W. Graber.
My Dear Sir: I have yours of April 18, with enclosures. I had
seen the pleasant incidents of return of flags by veterans of
Texas, and also the return of the Ranger flag at time it
occurred. Let us hope your letter to the President did good, for
certainly he has changed his views, and if he has not recanted
what he once wrote and spoke, he has for some time spoken and
acted in the very opposite way, which virtually is the same
thing. This is the country of our fathers, of us all now and of
our children, and we should accept any advances of
reconciliation and obliteration of sectional lines possible and
consistent with our self-respect.
Thanking you for your letter and enclosure, I return them,
With kind wishes,
Your comrade and friend,
STEPHEN D. LEE.
* * * * *
New Orleans, La., April 4, 1909.
Brig.-General H. W. Graber,
Dallas, Texas.
Dear General: I have much pleasure in handing you herein a copy
of S/O No. 12, naming the staff of the Commander-in-Chief of the
U. C. V.
The General Commanding this glorious Federation feels that the
responsibility rests on him to use every effort to bring forth
the results that will be for its best interests. He knows that
if the earnest workers and progressive spirits in the
association will render such services in his aid as he has
reason to think they will, our order will make more rapid
advances in the future, greatly diminished as are our numbers,
than in the past.
Trusting, then, on your love for the organization and your
eminent fitness for the position, he has selected you as one of
his personal staff; and begs that you will honor him by
accepting the position of Assistant Adjutant-General, with the
rank of Brigadier-General.
In addition to using every occasion to increase the interest and
affection of the veterans in our “social, literary, historical
and benevolent” society, and constantly working to bring about
peace and harmony among the comrades, he particularly desires
that you will, if possible, be in attendance at the Memphis
Reunion, in full dress uniform, and meet him at the Headquarters
Hotel (the Peabody Hotel) to concert measures that will make
this a most memorable occasion. He hopes that you will attend
the daily sessions of the convention, be present on the stage
with him, and on the day of the parade take part with the entire
staff in full uniform.
Trusting that you may be able and willing to assist in this
great work in the way indicated, with every good wish for your
health, prosperity and happiness,
Most sincerely,
WM. E. MICKLE,
Adjutant-General and Chief of Staff.
* * * * *
War Department,
Vicksburg National Military Park Commission,
Vicksburg, Miss.
January 14, 1909.
General H. W. Graber,
Dallas, Texas.
My Dear Sir: I highly appreciated and greatly enjoyed reading
your good letter of the 12th instant, and its inclosures, one of
which is herewith returned. Needless for me to say to you that I
am in heartiest sympathy with the generous, patriotic and
American sentiments so well expressed in the “Concurrent
Resolution” of the two Houses of the Indiana Legislature,
Session of 1899. Ten years earlier, in 1889, in an address to
the veterans of my regiment (24th Iowa Infantry) in reunion
assembled, I said, in part:
“In forming the characters and shaping the lives of the future
citizens of this great Republic, we fondly hope that the
unselfish devotion to duty and the unshaken valor of the
volunteer soldier will be a potent influence for good; that his
heroism will live in song and story and through all the years to
come, be a challenge to patriotism, above the din of party
strife ringing loud and clear as bugles that blow for battle.
Nor do we forget that our late foes were brave men and gallant
soldiers. Their valor, like the valor of the men of the North,
illustrates and adorns the character of the American citizen
soldier. This character, tempered and proved in the crucible of
battle, is the pledge and sure prophecy of the greatness of our
common country. Looking into the future, may we not say of the
coming American citizen, ‘His shall be larger manhood’ because
of the heroic example of the men who conquered with Grant and
Sherman and the no less heroic example of the men who
surrendered with Lee and Johnston. Of this coming American, may
we not predict that, where need is, he will know that ‘not
suffering but faint heart is worst of woes.’ In the nobler
destiny of our country, in the larger and stronger character of
its people, will be found the final compensation for all the
suffering and all the losses of the war.”
Please keep me closely informed in regard to the prospects for
the greatly desired Texas appropriation for the Vicksburg Park.
Command and direct me whenever I can help in any way.
Very cordially yours,
WM. T. RIGBY, Chairman.