Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 144, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 June 1913 — WAR REMINISCENCES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WAR REMINISCENCES

SOUTHERNER HAD NO STATE Officer Was Born in Territory, Father In District of Columbia and Grandfather at Sea. Just before the Civil war, when tho mutterings of secession were heard throughout the south, a number of West Point officers came together at a military station, among them one of whom we will call Captain H——v’ and who afterward served with distinction in the Union army. The southern officers, one by one, declared their intention of “going out,” as it was then familiarly called; that is, of resigning their federal commissions to throw in their lot with their several states. H in relating the incident that follows, said that great pressure was brought to bear upon him. to join them. “Why, don’t you go with us. Captain H ?” said one of his acquaintances. "Why should I go with you?" said H , who had a certain southern swarthiness of feature and softness of speech. “Aren’t you going to go with your state?” “Why, 1 haven’t any .state,” he replied; “I was born in a territory.’’* “Oh, thunder!” said another. "Why don’t you go with your father’s state, then?” “Can’t," protested H ; "he hadn't any state; he was born in the District of Columbia." "Oh, hang it!” broke in a third; “if that’s the case, why don’t you go with your grandfather’s state?" "Just as difficult," said H ; "my grandfather hadn’t any state; he was born at sea." And then he added: "Oh, ifo, boys, it’s easy enough for you fellows to go with your states, or”—fixing his eyes significantly on one of the party—"with your wife’s state; but as for me, I intend to stand by the old flag.”—From the Century.