North and South Reunited
In 1898 the Spanish-American war allowed the South to demonstrate its loyalty and honor under fire. At first, secretary of war Russell A. Alger, was concerned that Southerners would not support the war due to bitterness over losing the Civil War. He then had an absolute brilliant idea he would recruit several former Confederate generals to wear the blue uniform of the U.S. Army once again. He chose, among others, Thomas L. Rosser, Fritz Lee, and Joe Wheeler. All were commissioned as major generals of volunteers. On June 10, 1898, President McKinley appointed Rosser a brigadier general of the United States. His first task was training young cavalry recruits in a camp, designated camp, was, on the old Civil War battlefield of Chickamauga in North Georgia. General Joe Wheeler, who was still vigorous and active, assumed command of the U.S. cavalry forces in Cuba and was in field command of them San Juan Hill. It's been reported that in the heat of excitement of battle, Wheeler slipped and shouted to his men, "Hurrah! We got the damn Yankees on the run" referring to the Spanish as "Yankees."
Camp Thomas became a major staging ground for the new war. In a short time there were thousands of men here many of them veterans of the Civil War, and both armies being well represented. General Rosser entertained a former federal officer who he had captured in 1863. Former Confederate General James Longstreet was a welcomed guest. The sons of both U.S. Grant and Phil Sheridan were present and both made general in their own right. When the band played the national anthem, the loudest cheers came from a Mississippi Regiment.
I was born "way down in "Dixie," Reared beneath the southern skies. And they didn't have to teach me every "Yankee" to despise. I was but a country youngster when I donned a suit of gray, When I shouldered my old musket, and marched forth the "Yankees" to slay.
Four long years I fought and suffered; "Dixie" was my battle cry; "Dixie" always and forever, down in "Dixie" let me die. And tonight I am down in "Dixie"; "Dixie" still so great in true; but tonight I am a peril in a uniform of blue.
And tonight the band is still playing; Tis not "Dixie" strains I hear, but the strains of "Yankee Doodle" ringing out strong and sweet and clear. Long I listened to the music; by my side a comrade stands; he's a "Yank" and I´m a "Rebel," but the grasp each others´ hands.
Here are together we unite Way down South in "Dixie" stand, and my comrade whisper softly, there's no land like "Dixie´s Land."
But my eyes are filled with tear-drops, Tears that make my heart feel glad, And I whisper to my comrade: "Yankee Doodle" ain't so bad.
For more information on historic Chickamauga, please visit the Depot Museum, inquire at Town Hall or look up the homepages for the city of Chickamauga and the Chickamauga campaign trail on the Internet:
www.CityofChickamaugaGeorgia.org
and
www.ChickamaugaCampaignTrail.org
Plaque courtesy Lat34North.com.
Original page, with additional info, here.
Photo credit: Byron Hooks of Lat34North.com.