"gencon" <gencon@harborside.com> wrote: >A few days ago I sent to the list...a list of the ages of the men and boys >in the civil war. I have been asked by a few people to post the complete >letter from my great grandfather... here it is.. Wilma, Thank you much for sharing this. It is a great reminder. I'll bet your grandfather never imagined that 90 years after he gave this speech it would be giving gooseflesh to a new generation of listeners. > too bad we don't have this same feelings for the men and boys that have > served us during any war & respected them for their sacrifice.. I suppose it depends on a lot of things, but my impression is that we do. Maybe it's just my family.[though I haven't found any career military men, my children have 2 parents, 3 grandparents, 4 gr-grandparents and *many* gr-gr's who are NY Veterans. 6 of the first 3 groups were in wars] -snips- > >This was a speech given in 1910 to school children, by my great grandfather >George Franklin PECKHAM .. He was born 11 Apr 1843 at Birdsell, NY, -snip- > "My Friends and Pupils, > >It has been the custom of the Grand Old Army of the Republic for several >years to, on, or about Memorial Day to have some veteran of the Civil War >talk to the pupils fo the public schools about that war. -with reluctant snips- > >I wish I had the power to protray to you the hundredth part of the >sacrifice and suffering of our army during those 1,460 dreary bloody >days. It has never been told, it can never be told. Well said- and applicable to *any* war, *any* time. > >"THE GOOD, THE BRAVE, THE TRUE >IN TANLED WOOD, IN MOUNTAIN GLEN >ON BATTLE PLAIN, IN PRISON PEN >LAY DEAD FOR ME AND YOU...." Is this part of a larger poem? I can't find it [I've tried the MOA site and Kathy Frasier's songs & poetry of the civil war site at http://users.erols.com/kfraser/ ] >From this snippet, if it is just a snippet, I think it must be a great poem-- If it is your grandfather's words-- he was indeed a poet. > My young friends, these terrible conflicts were not fought by old men, and >middle aged men, but by boys. Listen to the figures taken officially from >the Adjutant Generals Office: I've been privileged on a couple occasions to talk to High School kids about Vietnam, and this is one of the first things I always try to get across. Hollywood seems unable to find a large enough group of experienced actors to recreate the true feeling of how young most soldiers really are. It is a game played by men *with* boys as fodder. Congrats to your grandfather for making this point- I think it is too often forgotten. >The members of the G.A.R. are reconized by the little bronze button >worn on the left lapel of their coat. This buttonis made out of cannon >metal captured by us from our foes. It is unlawful for any one to wear it >who has not an honorable discharge. A bit of trivia I hadn't read before. > >The weares of this button are prouder of it than though it were of the >finest gold. You see these buttons on the street and reconize them, and the >wearers by the emply sleeves, the crutch, the cane, bent form and slow step. I *love* this line. > > "THESE MEN HAVE MARCHED THROUGH THE JAWS OF DEATH > WHERE THE CANNON BELCHED THEIR DEADLY BREATH > AND STOOD UNMOVED IN THE SMOKY GLARE > WHILE THE FLAMES OF BATTLE WERE RAGING THERE..... > WITH THOUGHT OF HOME AND LVOED ONES AFAR > WHO'S HEARTS WERE WTH THEM IN THE CIVIL WAR.." More of the above poem? More of your grandfather's words? >I Hope you enjoyed my great grandfathers speech.. Wilma-- Thank you *very* much for sharing it. I certainly enjoyed it. When I got o 'the great beyond', I'll look him up. jim