Am I Blue? And Are You, Too?

[Yankee Blue Veteran]

THE FOLLOWING LETTER IS REAL!
SOME NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT!

To:
Capt. Mike, Adjutant, P.O. Box, Somewhere
1st Sgt. Dennis, Camp Commander, P.O. Box, Elsewhere
Cpl. Henry, Commander, Street, Hometown

Re: Local newspaper article published in late April 2005 entitled:
“Sons of Union Veterans seeking ancestors of those serving in Civil War”

Gentlemen:

Please allow me to introduce myself: My name is Al. I am a great-grandson of Yank who served as a Private with a Company in the State Vol. Inf. Regiment. I was born and raised near my home town. During the summer of 1969, I played Town Team Baseball for Somewhere and was coached by Mike’s dad. A neighbor girl in my home town married a man related to Dennis who lives in Elsewhere. My great-great-grandfather John was/is the great-grandfather of Vi, now-recent-widow of WW II Veteran (and Prisoner of War) Henry’s uncle Orv, in Another Town U.S.A.

Yank was born in 1838 in Ohio and arrived in Iowa when he was five years old. The country school nearby was built around 1850 and still stands today, and students were taught arithmetic and history, and how to read and to write, in the German language, not English. (Where were those smug, self-righteous present-day ‘Conservatives’ when we all needed them; right? For the past 225 years, we survived without their ‘English-Only’ Laws, and we sure as hell don’t need them now! People don’t need ‘Conservative’ Laws in order to adapt!) Yank stood 5 feet, 5 inches and had grey eyes, dark hair and a red beard, and had been married to Jane (a descendant of a Signer of the Declaration of Independence) more than two years when he donned a Blue uniform in the Service of The United States of America.

I would be best described as a Conservative Republican languishing for the Party of Lincoln—the Republican Party that no longer exists. That means I’m a present-day Liberal. Please allow me to explain: I believe in the same values as my great-grandfather and the values of The Great Emancipator, Abraham Lincoln. Those values are not now, nor have they ever been during my lifetime, represented by the 20th Century Republican Party and especially not by the present criminals in Office and in Power.

Just as an example, Abraham Lincoln forewarned us against the presently mutant form of—and evolution into—our present-day Republican Party more than 150 years ago when he said:
“I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. … corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.” i

And now, in observance of the most recent Memorial Day, Republicans demand their Right to dishonor our brave Ancestors and our Republic:
“Order to fly Confederate flag angers NAACP official
“By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
“Saturday, June 04 2005



Republican Southern White Trash Flag

“JEFFERSON CITY – The Confederate flag is rising again in Missouri, and an NAACP leader is vowing a ‘drastic’ response.
“Republican Gov. Matt Blunt has ordered the Confederate flag to fly Sunday at the Confederate Memorial State Historic Site in Higginsville, Mo., where an afternoon graveside service is planned to mark Confederate Memorial Day.
“The flag will fly for only one day, but a Blunt spokesman said Friday the governor also supported a scholarly review of whether it would be appropriate to fly the Confederate flag regularly at the historic site.
“Mary Ratliff, president of the Missouri State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, was irate when she learned Friday of Blunt’s decision.
“’It is just appalling to me that the governor would again raise a flag that is so humiliating and reminds us of the vestige of slavery that has divided our nation for all these years.’ Ratliff said.
“The state NAACP has a regularly scheduled meeting today in Columbia, Mo., and Ratliff said she would be ‘asking for drastic measures from our national office.’ The organization has led a 5-year boycott of South Carolina because of the display of the confederate flag on the grounds of its Capitol.” ii

The article continues, but my point is: Now Republicans not only represent and vaunt The Old South of 150 years ago, but today’s Republicans disgrace the memories of those who fought and fell against the very flag that Republicans now hold dear! As much of the remainder of my letter demonstrates, my great-grandfather was one of those in the forefront of removing that hateful symbol from the Capitol of South Carolina for once and for all! I would prefer to shoot anyone who would dare hoist that banner again in my presence, but just shoving it up their Republican rectum would suffice!
After Sherman’s March through Georgia to the Sea, the rebel flag flying over Columbia—the Capitol of South Carolina, the first State to secede from the Union and the most hated State and State Capitol because “They started the Civil War”—was the most sought-after prize of the entire Carolina Campaign. The following is an entry in the Civil War Diaries of Mifflin Jennings, 11th Iowa Infantry: iii

“February 17: Work up and found our lines inside the city. There was a company of the 13th Iowa crossed the river in a small boat and found the rebels had left the city. The company marched to the statehouse and raised the flag. At 2 o'clock we received orders to march across the Saluda river and halted until 8 o'clock. We started on and crossed the Broad river one mile from the Saluda. Marched two miles toward the city and camped one half mile from the city.
“
Lt. Colonel J. C. Kennedy was in command of Company D.
My great-grandfather was a Private in Company D.

Alonzo J. Pope was my great-grandfather’s Captain. Capt. Pope kept a journal, a portion of which recites the following:

“Alonzo J. Pope papers
“Manuscript, 2 March 1863, and manuscript volume, 29 October 1864 -25 April 1865, of Alonzo J. Pope, captain, Co. D, 13th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, document this Union soldier's Civil War military experience, particularly as a member of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Division, 17th Army Corps marching with William Tecumseh Sherman.
“A military pass, 2 March 1863, Office Provost Marshal, Providence, La., authorizes Pope to travel by "any boat in the service of the government" to Memphis, Tenn. Pope's journal details his participation in Sherman's campaign through Georgia and the Carolinas, with brief entries noting the destruction of railroad lines, recording casualties, identifying towns through which the army passed, recording the number of miles marched each day and the location of camp sites, and frequently mentioning the construction of corduroyed roads, as well as the swamps and mud that impeded the army's progress.
“The journal commences with Pope's departure from Gaylesville, Ala., and journey through Georgia. By 3 February 1865 Union troops had crossed into South Carolina and were engaged in fighting near Rivers Bridge on the Big Salkehatchie River. A characteristically terse notation relates the following details of the fight—"at 2:30 p.m. entered the swamp emerging from it on the north side at near 4 p.m. Waded through mud and water of depth from 4 inches to 4 feet. Encountered the enemy on north side and drove him away. Threw up works and bivouacked for the night." Arriving at Columbia on 17 February 1865, Pope noted—"The 13th Iowa commenced crossing the river...Lt. Col. Kennedy hoisted the stars and stripes on the capitol building of South Carolina being the first troops in the city and the first national colors planted in the city." There is no mention of the burning of Columbia. At Cheraw, 3 March 1865, only recently evacuated by Confederates, Pope reported, Union troops found twenty-seven pieces of artillery and four thousand small arms.
“Pope and his Iowans crossed into North Carolina on 8 March 1865. Subsequent entries detail the occupation of Fayetteville, casualties in fighting near Goldsboro, 21 March 1865, and their entry into Goldsboro and review before General Sherman, 24 March 1865. One of the final entries, 15 April 1865, indicates that "pursuit of Johnston" had been "discontinued because of his proposal to surrender."” iv

Another source for the 13th ridding this Nation of the rebel flag for good and for ever is the following:

“In the march through South Carolina Lieutenant-Colonel Kennedy, of the Thirteenth, led seventy-five men over the Broad River on the 17th of February, took possession of Columbia and hoisted the Stars and Stripes over the State House. On the 20th of March the army reached Bentonsville, where the Thirteenth fought its last battle. On the 19th of May, Alexandria, Virginia, was reached, where the regiment remained until the grand review at the National Capitol.” v

Some of the reasons for my publishing the preceding quotes in this letter are:

1. Republicans now represent the values that my great-grandfather fought against; therefore, I will never align myself with a known Republican.
2. Democrats misrepresent the values that my great-grandfather fought against; therefore, I will never align myself with a known Democrat.
3. Republicans now represent the values that Abraham Lincoln warned us against; therefore, I will never trust the words of a known Republican.
4. Democrats misrepresent the values that Abraham Lincoln warned us against; therefore, I will never trust the words of a known Democrat.
5. The Republican and Democrat Political Parties are a disgrace to the memories of the 500,000 who died in that contest 150 years ago.

From among a multitude of articles that announce and prove that we have a New Civil War is “Southern Strategy: Assault on the American Republic, by John Hoefle.” vi
I will confess no faith nor trust in, nor allegiance to, corporate radio and TV news. A respected and revered Supreme Court Justice long ago defined a corporation as, “An entity without a heart and without a soul.” I have yet to hear a better definition of the Devil Incarnate among us and ruling us!
This descendant of an Iowa Civil War Veteran will never align with a known Republican or a known Democrat; this descendant of an Iowa Civil War Veteran will align only with American Patriots and Veterans who have sworn their allegiance to The Constitution of The United States of America! Any Organization that does not represent the values of my great-grandfather does not represent my values.
We, as the descendants of Civil War Veterans who wore Blue, are now faced with as many of the same perils in our Nation, the same evils, as those faced by our Forefathers. As a U.S.A.F. Veteran who served from 1970 to 1974, I shall meet the present-day tests as my great-grandfather met those of 150 years ago!

If my historical and political standards meet the requirements of your Camp, then I would appreciate further information; if not, then I would bid you “Good day.”

Respectfully submitted,
Al, aka Yankee Blue Veteran
P.O. Box
Home Town, U.S.A.

i http://www.voxfux.com/archives/00000041.htm
ii http://www.stltoday.com/
iii http://www.rootsweb.com/~ialcgs/mifflinj.htm
iv http://www.sc.edu/library/socar/uscs/1996/alonzo96.htm
v http://iagenweb.org/history/hoi/HOI2Chp15.htm
vi http://www.voxfux.com/articles(closed)/00000031.htm