FDR Visits Antietam on 75th Anniversary-- Part 3: His Speech of Unity

President Roosevelt closed his speech that day with words that that placed focus on the importance of a united country.  His words bear wisdom today as they did in 1937.  (And, we know that today, the country is far from united and with the move to eradicate any and all things Confederate the situation is getting worse.)

FDR stated:  "In the presence of the spirits of those who fell on this field -- Union soldiers and Confederate soldiers -- we can believe that they  rejoice with us  in the unity of understanding which is so increasingly ours today.

"They urge us on in all  we do to foster unity in the spirit of tolerance, of willingness to help our neighbor, and of faith in the destiny of the United States,"

Too Bad, Certain People Have Forgotten These Words.  --Old Secesh

Roanoke's Last Confederate Veteran Dies in 1941

From the October 3, 2016, Roanoke (Va.) Times.

"James Washington Gwaltney, Roanoke's last surviving Confederate veteran and the city's oldest resident, died at 4:45 p.m. at his home."

He was 96 years old and lived in Roanoke's Virginia Heights neighborhood.

He enlisted at age 16 and fought at the Battle of Chickamauga.  Attended the veterans' reunion at Gettysburg in 1938, the 75th anniversary of the battle.

--Old Secesh

Pearl Harbor's 75th Anniversary Reminded Me of the Battle of Gettysburg 75th in 1938

From Wikipedia.

Twenty-five veterans of the battle attended, along with 1,359 Union and 486 Confederate veterans still living.  This was out of an estimated 8,000 still living.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke at the event which lasted from July 1-4, 1938.

The average age of attendees was 94.

Real History There As Is the Pearl Harbor 75th.

--Old Secesh