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.
CHAPTER XXXVII
The Terry Rangers’ Flag.
One most remarkable incident I must not fail to add: As stated heretofore, the Terry Rangers of which I was a member, lost a beautiful flag sent us by a couple of young ladies of Nashville, made of their dresses, which after the first engagement wherein it was displayed, near Rome, Georgia, we lost in a stampede and it was found by a scout of the enemy the next day. This flag had worked in beautiful silk letters, the name of Terry’s Texas Rangers, beside some Latin, which I do not remember. After the war, on a number of public occasions, such as the several National Expositions in Chicago and Philadelphia, the Grand Army, who had charge of such matters, exhibited this flag, with a tag in bold letters, “Captured from Terry’s Texas Rangers in an engagement near Rome, Georgia, by the Seventeenth Indiana Mounted Infantry.”
Such a public exhibition of our misfortune was galling to the members of the regiment and when Governor Hendricks, the first Democratic Governor of Indiana, was installed, we made a request through our Governor Hubbard for the return of the flag. Governor Hendricks very properly referred the request to the State Librarian of Indiana, who happened to be a vindictive, howling Republican and in answer wrote Governor Hubbard a very insulting letter, refusing to return the flag. The matter then was dropped.
About thirty-four years after the close of the war, a business friend, Mr. William Burr of Dallas, who was an ex-Federal soldier, came to my office one day, and asked me if I ever drank any cider? I told him I did when I could get good cider. He told me he had a friend in an old shack near the Windsor Hotel, who was making cider, and invited me to go around and have a glass of cider with him. To this I consented. He there introduced me to a Major Weiler, and in conversation with him, I found that he belonged to Wilder’s Brigade, who were with Sherman’s army in Georgia. While we were sipping cider Burr remarked, “Well, this is pretty good; two Yanks and one Johnny sipping cider together.” Major Weiler then asked what command I belonged to? I told him I belonged to the Eighth Texas Cavalry. He said, “Terry’s Texas Rangers?” I told him, “Yes,” when he said, “I am mighty glad to meet you; I have been trying to find somebody belonging to your command ever since I’ve been in Dallas. I am the man that found your flag.” Of course, I was much gratified at meeting him and told him about our efforts to have the flag returned and the result at the hands of the State Librarian. “Now, Major, this flag is yours; you found it and as you state you want to return it, you make a demand on Governor Mount of Indiana, claiming the flag as yours and return it to our regiment.” He said that it had been the ambition of his life to do this and in accordance therewith indited a letter to Governor Mount, requesting the return of the flag to him, for the purpose, he stated, to return it to the Rangers.
He furthermore stated that he was well acquainted with Governor Mount, as the Governor was a private in his command, of which he was a major. Verily, strange are the vicissitudes of life! Governor Mount’s major was now making cider at five cents a glass.