,^^ Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/hearingbeforesubOOunit HEARING BEFORE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SIXTIETH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION X ON H. R. 9131 TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL PARK AT FORT FISHER. N. C. JANUARY 10, 1909 WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1909 Id E^7 .65 .ixr ■-/i t-, *-Si NATIONAL PARK AT FORT FISHER, N. C. House of Representatives, Committee on Military Affairs, Saturday, January 16, 1909. The subcommittee this day met, Hon. A. B. Capron in the chair. The Chairman. I believe, owing; to the condition of the weather, we will not get a full meeting of the committee this morning, or, rather, it can not be depended upon, especially as this committee has been worldng overtime on our appropriation bill. Mr. Godwin. Yes; and at such a very short notice. The Chairman. Some of the members of the subcommittee haye just returned from West Point — 6 or 7 of them. Mr. Godwin. Yes, sir; I know how hard it is to get a full meeting of a committee on a morning like this ; but as we have a stenographer here we can proceed and keep a record of the proceedings. The Chairman. Yes, sir; we will have the record of what we do and all that is said before the committee. STATEMENT OF HON. HANNIBAL L. GODWIN, A MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM THE SIXTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA. Mr. Godwin. Mr. Chairman' this is a hearing which I asked for at the instance of the representatives of the Fort Fisher Survivors' Association on our bill now pending before your committee, which provided for an appropriation of $40,000 for the purchase of Fort Fisher and to establish a national j)ark there. Here is a copy of the bill, which I wUl read : Be it enacted, etc., That the Secretary of War is hereby authorized and empowered to acquire, by purchase or otherwise, the site of Fort P'isher, in the county of New Han- over, and State of North (Carolina, comprising a tract of land between three and four hundred acres in extent, adjacent to and surrounding the ruins of the said Fort Fisher. Sec. 2. That the said lands and premises above mentioned are hereby constituted and set apart as a national park or reservation, under such rules and regulations as may be adopted and promulgated by the Secretary of War. Sec. 3. That the sum of forty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be neces- sary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appro- priated, for the purpose of carrying into efl'ect this act. It is needless for me to say that we are very anxious to secure a favorable report on this bill. There are certain facts and circum- stances which I believe peculiarly surrovuid the bill that I do not believe surround any other application now pending before this com- mittee. While I do not intend to undertake to make the speeches of these gentlemen present, or to depict all that they will say to you, I want to state that the North and the South have come together on this proposition, and both sections as one man are asking for this bill to be passed to reclaim old Fort Fisher, in New Hanover County, N. C, 3 4 • NATIONAL PARK AT FOET FISHEK, N. C. and to establish a park there and possibly to erect monuments and other memorials. I shall have somethinj^ further to sa}^ after these o;entleinen who are to speak to you have concluded. Now, we have comrades from both sides present. The Fort Fisher Survivors' Association have sent their representatives here this morning, and I take great pleasure in introducing to you Mr. John B. Jones, of Utica, N. Y. I have not been advised by the association as to how they Avish to proceed, but we will proceed informally. Rev. J. A. Smith. We have elected some speakers from each side. Mr. Godwin". If you will let me know the names of your speakers, I shall be glad to introduce them to the committee. Rev. J. A. Smith. The first gentleman on the list will be Comrade Jones, of Utica. Mr. Godwin. Then I made no mistake. STATEMENT OF MR. JOHN B. JONES, OF UTICA, N. Y. Mr. Jones. I regret ver}" much that I have to do the talking here to-day for the congressional district which, is represented in the House of 'Representatives by the Vice-President elect, Mr. James S. Sher- man, who I am proud to say is one of my friends. I am here representing the veterans of central New York, who took a brave part in the battle of Fort Fisher, and to try to urge upon you the imi)ortance (^f the passage of this bill. Two j^ears ago yes- terday we held a reunion upon that spot w^ith our comrades of the gray, and we formed this association for the purpose of purchasing that site and commemorating what to many historians w^as one of the important battles of the war, because we cut off the last supplies from our confederate friends who sit here around the table. I think this is a peculiar case, as Representative Godwin has said. It is the only time, to my knowledge, where the blue and the gray have come and asked for the passage of a bill of this character, and we hope that that being the case you will recommend the passage of this bill, because of the fact that we who partici])ate(l in that struggle are fast growing old and we want to get this bill through, if possible, so that as many of us as are left can go down there once more and dedi- cate that site. If it is delayed any great length of time a great many of us will be de))rived of the privilege of participating in that event, because you know how fast we are ])assing away. I have not the language and ability to impress upon you how much we desire the passage of this bill, and while we appreciate the fact that you are cutting clown appropriations in every way vou can, yet we hope that you can see your wa}' clear to report this bill favor- ably and give us the opportunity of decHcating that park as soon as possible. I would state further that if you will give us this site, if you w^ill appropriate the money to buy the site, we will take care of the monument business up in the State of New ^^ork, because it was largely New York and Rhode Island that participated in the battle on the Union side. AVe will have the State of New York take care of the monument question without any trouble whatever, and all we desire of you is to give us the site. ' I want to say further to you, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I do not believe the site will cost the amoimt of money NATIONAL PAKK AT FORT FliSHEK, N. C. 5 this bill calls for, but we ask for so much of it as may be necessary. We would like very much indeed to be able to go home and say to the comrades, both of the North and the South, that we secured a favor- able report from your committee. I thank you for your attention. Mr. Sherwood. How much of an area does it cover? Mr. Jones. About 3,000 acres, as I understand it. Mr. McQueen. I do not think there is that much. Mr. Sherwood. The bill only calls for 400 acres. Mr. McQueen. It covers a strip of land about 2 miles long and 1 mile wide. Mr. Price. If the amount of land is taken in to cover the whole of the battle, it will take about 3,000 acres. It is about 5 miles long and about 1 mile wide, and about 625 acres to the mile would be about 3,000 acres. Mr. Godwin. I now introduce Mr. A. H. O'Brien, of Philadelphia, who will address the committee. STATEMENT OF ME. ALBERT H. O'BRIEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PA. Mr. O'Brien. I hardly expected to be called upon to address the committee, but as I have been. I can only say this, it may be of interest to this subcommittee to know that the association which was formed two years ago in Wilmington, N. C, on the 15th of .Tanuary, 1907, was the first reunion of the blue and the gray who participated in the battle of Fort Fisher. The object of that reunion was not at that time to secure the appropriation, although it was in the interest of the old flag, but as a sequence of that reunion, the suggestion of acquiring the site of the battle of Fort Fisher and appropriating it to the purposes of a national park had its origin. The details of this matter are very much more familiar to some of the gentlemen in this delegation than they are to me. The only points to which I would wish to call your at ention are two. First, not- withstanding the fact that this is a character of other requests which you are entertaining from other directions, the acquisition of property for the purposes of park, as my friend says, this is a peculiar request, one that is meritorious, and I sincerely believe should be granted. The results attendant upon the battle of Fort Fisher are unique. You may all remember that at that time General Grant was in front of General Lee, and that General Sherman had practically accom- plished what was at that time said to be his impossible march, and there was between him and the junction with General Grant's forces but this one place and the troops there centered. Wilmington was the source of supplies for the whole Confederacy, and the whole Confederacy at that time lived upon what came into the port of Wilmington, and Fort Fisher was the key to that port. With the capture of Fort Fisher that source of supply was completeh'^ closed, and within three months from that time the war was over. The capture of the fort enabled General Sherman to make his junction with Ge«ieral Grant, and there was but one thing left for General Lee to do, and that A\as to surrender. Now, wdthout any desire to dwell upon the morals or the feelings which might be engendered by a situation of that kind, that is a historical fact, and I know of no circumstances in the application which has been made by any parties to any committees for appro- 6 , NATIONAL PARK AT FORT FISHER, N. C. E nations of this character where that state of facts exists. The attle of Gettysburg was a decisive battle, no doubt; the battle of Vicksburg was a decisive battle; but the battle of Fort Fisher was not only decisive but absolutely the closing of the civil war. If that battle hail not been fought — if Fort Fisher had not been taken — there is no telling how much longer the war might have continued. With that fact in view, I would ask in behalf of the association that your committee would favorably consider this application and take it out of the catalogue of applications of this character to which it might otherwise belong. It is unique in itself. As Mr. Jones says, the State of New York will look out for the subsequent results. Acquire the site and give New York an opportunity, give the Confederates an opportvmity, and, as representing a portion of the navy at that place, give the navy an opportimity to do the balance. If you will give us the entering wedge we will build the structure. I had some hesitation in responding on account of my extreme youth, and when I look around at these gray-haired veterans I some- times think it is rather presumptive for me to talk about this matter. Mr. Godwin. I now introduce as the next speaker Capt. James Parker. STATEMENT OF CAPT. JAMES PARKER, OF PERTH AMBOY, N. J. Captain Parker. We were in hopes to have with us to-da}^ Col. William Lamb, of Norfolk, but on account of the weather and his health he could not come. He was the party resisting on that day. In the first place, there were 65 ships off there that had been bom- barding the place for five days — naval vessels. Then when the day of assault came, and yesterday was the anniversary of it, the navy having done what it thought its duty on that occasion was, made up its mind that it would go ashore and help the army do theirs. That was uniijue in its character. No such earthwork has ever been built. No such defensive s})ot has ever been created as that one. It pre- sented the difficulties of attack and facilities of defense that are very seldom seen, and never have been, in my knowledge, in the world before. It consisted of a long series of batteries along the sea beach here [indicating], and away down there [indicathig], Battery Buchanan, and then the Mound. There was a series of covered ways connecting with the main fort, which was perhaps 400 feet long, and then there was a series of traverses that ran across. You military men know what a traverse is. It was so defended on one side by the water, too shallow except for gunboats to approach it, and it was defended on the other side by an enormous aggregation of guns. We had been fortunate enough with our naval foi'ce to disable every one of the guns in the traverses. Then we undertook the foolish proposition to assault a fort 43 feet high, which was the center of this work. No such assault ever occurred before, and I do not think any such assault will occur again. I do not hesitate to say that no more dangerous opera- tion ever took place than the assault at that place, both by the army and navy. It has been well said here that the capture of Wilmington practically decided the result of the war. It was the only port left open. Sherman had marched and Charleston had surrendered, and all the forts on the Gulf were too far away. Wilmington was the port through which all the supj)lies for the Confederacy came, except NATIONAL PARK AT FOKT FISHER, 2J. C. ,7 such things as they could get at home, which were very few, and it was of the greatest importance to General Lee. I think it was one of the decisive battles. We had battles that were important, hundreds of them, on both sides, such as the battles at Stone River and Murfreesboro ; but there were only a few of the battles which, in my judgment, were decisive — Vicksburg, Chatta- nooga, Lookout Mountain, Gettysburg, Petersburg, Appomattox, and last, but not least. Fort Fisher. That was one of the decisive battles, and we want this committee, as has been stated, to make no exception. We know that economy is the rule nowadays ; that we are in the con- dition of a spendthrift who has spent all his money and does not know how to keep the sheriff away; but this country can very well afford to appropriate the small amount that we ask here to perpetuate such a battle. It is unique in itself. It has the river on one side and the ocean on the other. There is no other such place where you can put the money and have a park, and I think the committee, when they consider the matter from their standpoint, will be satisfied to recommend the passage of this bill. I am very much obliged to you for your attention. Mr. Godwin. I will now introduce to you my good friend, Rev. J. A. Smith, of Wilmington, N. C. STATEMENT OF REV. J. A. SMITH, OF WILMINGTON. N. C. Si Rev. J. A. Smith. You will remember that I appeared before your committee along this line last March, and when I made that address I covered all the ground that I desired at that time. I suppose you gentlemen were present and heard me on that occasion and remember what I said. The first thought that comes to my mind is this: Sometime ago when going down one of the streets of my home city, Wilmington, a lady called me in and she said: "I understand you are going up to Utica to deliver an address." I said, "I am;" she said, "I want to tell you something. I have a grandson attending one of those famous schools in the city of London and some time ago the professor of history there delivered an address to the student body on the famous land and naval battles of the world, and he said to the students who heard his lecture, 'One of the greatest land and naval battles ever fought any- where in the world was the battle fought down at Fort Fisher, in the State of North Carolina, which practically closed the great civil war.' " I mention this to the committee so you can see what our cousins across the sea think of this battle. If they regard it as one of the greatest land and naval battles on record it does seem to me that the United States shoukl take some decisive action to perpetuate the memory of that battle. Comrade Jones, from Utica, has stated the real feeling and senti- ment of the Fort Fisher Survivors' Association. We are well aware of the fact that there are many, many calls for appropriations along this line, but we do sincerely hope that the gentlemen of this com- mittee will look upon this as an exception to the general rule, and on account of the demands of the case will give it special consideration. As Comrade Jones remarked, it is necessary to mark certain spots in that battle, because the parties who participated in that battle will not be here many more years before they "cross the river and rest beneath the shade of the trees," and we would like to meet in a body S , NATIONAL PARK AT FORT FISHER, JM. 0. -down there, and would like to carry some of our descendants there and show them where their fathers fought that great battle. We hope that you gentlemen of the committee will separate it from those other matters and look upon it as a peculiar and unique case, and, as one of the comrades remarked, it was that battle which hastened the close of the civil war. There is no doubt about that. It is not a debatable question. It hastened the surrender of Lee and Johnston and cut off entirel)^ the base of supplies for the Confederate States. That is not a debatable ciuestion. One more thought and I am through. The strongest argument in favor of perpetuating the memory of tliis battle is this fact : That one of the greatest victories acliieved was acliieved there two years ago, the 15tn of January, when the Blue and the Gray who fought that battle met there on that old historical battlefield and clasoed the hands of eternal friendship and undying brotherly love. That is a fact, and the reunion held at Fort Fisher, and I speak dispassionately, has done more to establish peace between the two sections than any- thing else that has occurred during the year. Do you not think so, Comrade Jones ? Mr. Jones. I do. Rev. J. A. Smith. I think I represent the sentiment of my northern comrades as well as my southern comrades when I say that I want to see one magnificent monument — ^I do not know what State will erect it; but I want to see a monument there representing the clasped hands of the Blue and the Gray, and on that monument this inscrip- tion: "Here was achieved, January 15, 1907, the greatest victory in the history of the United States, a victory of peace." It is a (leUghtful spirit which has been awakened by the reunion of the Blue and Gray, and I sincerely hope that this committee will give us a favorable consideration. Captain Parker. On the occasion that Reverend Smith speaks of 'Colonel Lamb, of Norfolk (where I married my dear wife), and I stood upon the mins of Fort Fisher, the point where he stood when he was trying to kill me and other officers, and we stood there with our arms around each other and declared the war forever at an end. Reverend Smith. To give you some idea of the delightfid feeling that exists between the Blue and the Gray, and which, like the leaven put in the meal, is spreading all over the United States, from the 'Golden Gate of California to the gentle slopes of the Atlantic, last November I was invited b}^ my comrades to deliver an address at Utica, N. Y. I went, and during the address I received a note from Mr. Seeley, the man who had captured me. I " told you of that when I was here before. After I was through with my address &t Utica I went to see Mr. Seeley, and he met me at the depot. It was snowing more furiously than it is here, and he carried me to his home and said, "I will join you in the house when I put up my horses," and he went and put up his horses — he belongs to the rural route ser\ace — -and when he came into the house he threw both his arms around my neck, and with the tears flowing down his cheeks he said, ■"I love you better than any man on earth," and turned to his wife and said, "I thank God thai I did not kill that barefoot boy at Fort Fisher," and I said, "I thank God that I did not kill you," That is the feeling that now exists between the Blue and the Gray, and if you gentlemen will grant us this bill it will do more to per- NATIONAL PARK AT FORT FISHER, N. C. 9 petuate the peace of the United States than anything that has occurred since the war, Mr. Bradley. This bill provides for the purchase of land? Reverend Smith. That is all. Mr. Bradley. Between three and four hundred acres? Reverend Smith. Yes, sir. Mr. Bradley. It is not for the erection of a monument; the States will do that? Reverend Smith. Yes, sir. Comrade Jones says that New York will manage the monumental part if you will purchase the site, and what New York will do the other States will do. Mr. Godwin. I have the pleasure of introducing to you another prominent member of the Fort Fisher Survivors' Association, Mr. H. C. McQueen, of Wilmington, N. C. STATEMENT OF MR. H. C. McQUEEN, OF WILMINGTON, N. C. Mr. McQueen. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, the ground has been pretty well covered, I think, by the other speakers, but I would just like to emphasize what has already been brought out, and that is that this battle is one of the few, two or three, great crises in the world. There is no doubt about that. Now, take into consideration the fact that blockade runners, fast steamers, many of them running in and out constantly — in fact, one or two came into the river that night the fort was captured and heard of it and slipped out again — but they ran there almost as regularly as the liners go from New York to Liverpool now, and brought in all sorts of supplies, pro- visions, medicines, and everything of that kind. General Lee's army had been supplied for months from Wilmington with the sup- plies brought in by those ships. They paid for the supplies with the cotton that was shipped out on those ships. That being the fact, it looks to me like the Government of the United States ought t^per- petuate the memory of that battle. ^ As has been stated, the reunion that we have had has brought a feeling between the North and South that has surprised everybody, and I do hope the committee will report this bill favorably. We have made up our minds that we are not going to stop trying until we get this money. I thank you, gentlemen. Mr. Godwin. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I desire to introduce to you Mr. D. L. Gore, of Wilmington, N. C, who is also a member of the Fort Fisher Survivors Association. STATEMENT OF ME. D. L. GORE, OF WILMINGTON, N. C. Mr. Gore. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, it seems to me that these gentlemen have covered the entire ground, and it reminds me of an instance that occurred in my town. A young lawyer came down the street and somebody asked liim if he had finished and he said, ''After that Httle black head got through there was nothing for me to say," and after these gentlemen have finished there is nothing more for me to say. Gettysburg, Chickamauga, and a lot of other battlefields have been bought, and a lot of money paid for them, and it is nothing more than fair that we should have something to perpetuate our battle. 10 , NATIONAL PARK AT FORT FISHER, N. C. I think we have the right to ask for this appropriation. We only- want the site paid for. New York says she will perpetuate her part of the monument, and our people will perpetuate theirs. While ferhaps we are not as rich as New York, we can put up a monument, think you gentlemen ought to be economical in the appropriations, but I think you should make tliis appropriation, and if we ^o not get it now we are going to keep trying until we do get it. I am much obliged to you for your attention. FURTHER STATEMENT OF MR. GODWIN. Mr. Godwin. This is a great demonstration here to-day, greater, possibly, than you are aware of. I have introduced to your commit- tee some of the leading men of the country, who fought on both sides, both for the North and the South, the blue and the gray, in that decisive battle during the civil war. Mr. Jones, the gentleman who first addressed you, is from Utica, N. Y., the home of Vice-President- elect Sherman, and the home of the One hundred and seventeenth New York Regiment, which actually engaged in the battle of Fort Fisher. So you see, Mr. Chairman, the people of New York, that great State, are behind this movement in earnest. I also introduced to you Mr. O'Brien, of Philadelphia, who represents the survivors of the great State of Pennsylvania, who are also very much interested, and are behind this movement ; also Ca})tain Parker, of New Jersey, and three gentlemen, Messrs. Smith, McQueen, and Gore, from North Carolina, the home of the scene of the battle of Fort Fisher, and all are deeply interested and concernetl in having this historic battle ground converted into a national park. It has been intimated to 5"ou to-day that these gentlemen are in earnest about this proposition, antl I can say for them that they are in earnest. They braved the stormy weather to come to Wash- ington, some two hundred, some three hundred, and some four hun- dre^niles, to attend the meeting of the Fort Fisher Survivors' Asso- ciation called by the executive committee to meet in the cit}'' of Washington on the 1 5th of eJanuary. It w^as held, and Vice-President- elect Sherman and myself received the marked honor of being electetl honorary members of the association. They came here to attend their meeting that was held yesterda}^, and you have heard their committee here before you. They have had a large and enthu- siastic meeting. I had the pleasure of attending and hearing the discussions, and 1 can say that it was understood in that meeting that they were not going to cease in their efforts until they secured a favorable report on this bill, let it be in this Congress, the next Congress, or the next Congress, or further on in the future; they intend to hammer and knock until they get this park established. This is a very reasonable proposition. We know that you are flooded with bills, we know your committee is overrun with work, we understand that you have 2, .500 bills before your committee, and that committees representing associations come here from all parts of the country pressing their cases as the most important, and it is reasonable that every man thinks that lie has the most meritorious case. As I said in the beginning, this is indeed a peculiar case. We are not asking anything but that the Government commit itself to pur NATIONAL PARK AT FORT FISHER, N. C. 11 chase the site, four or five hundred acres; this is a very reasonable request; the land will not cost much. Mr. Kahn. How much do you think it will cost annually to main- tain the park? Mr. Godwin. Only a small amount. Mr. Kahn. How many people will it })e necessary to employ? Mr. Godwin. One. Mr. Kahn. That will be sufficient? Mr. Godwin. Yes, sir. Fort Fisher is down at the extreme lower point of New Hanover County, N. C; it is bounded on the west by the beautiful Cape Fear River and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean. It was one of the most decisive battles of the late civil war. Here "Fighting Bob" Evans, who participated in that famous battle, received injuries which he will carry with him through life. Col. William Lamb, who was in command of Fort Fisher, in his report of its defense says that the capture of Fort Fisher, N, C, on the 15th of January, 1865, was followed so quickly by the final dissolution of the Southern Confederacy that the great victory was not fully realized by the American people. The position commanded the last gateway be- tween the Confederate States and the outside world. Its capture, with the resulting loss of all the Cape Fear River defenses and of Wilmington, the great importing depot of the South, effectually in- jured the blockade running. General Lee, feeling the importance of the situation, notified Colonel Lamb that Fort Fisher must be held or he could not subsist his army. As I said, this was a great battle, and the ruins of Fort Fisher should be reclaimed and converted into a national park. If you will give us this park, the people of that section will build cottages from it along the sea front to Wrightsville Beach, a distance of 10 or 12 miles. Wrightsville Beach, as you know, is a very attractive sum- mer resort near Wilmington. New Hanover County would build a nice macadam road from Wilmington, the largest city in North Carolina, down the Cape Fear to the park. Visitors could visit the park from Wilmington by going down the trolley line to Wrightsville Beach and on to Fort Fish«r, down the beach. They could also go down the macadam road, or take a beautiful sail, which would be pleasant and attractive, down the Cape Fear River. Something hke 100,000 people would visit the park every year. I think that is conservative, is it not, Mr. McQueen? Mr. McQueen. I think so. Mr. Godwin. There is deep water on the river now, about 22 to 24 feet, and we have a proposition under way for a 30-foot channel from Wilmington to the sea. You may depend upon it, we are going to have deep-water transportation on the Cape Fear River. Wilmington will be a port of entry and one of the leading South Atlantic ports. Our request is not for much; we are not extravagant people. This measure is indorsed by people from New York to Florida. We do not care whether you "report the bill as it is; if you like, you may amend it. All we "ask is the simple pi'oposition of purchasing the site of Fort Fisher, let it be three or four hundred acres, put it in the hands of the proper official— the Secretary of War, I believe the bill states — and let it be purchased or bought for just as little as possible. If it does not require more than two or three thousand dollars, we 12 • NATIONAL. PARK AT FORT FISHEK, N. C. will be satisfied. We are not extravagant, as I said, and do not wish to create a burden or hardship in a case like this. It really seems to me that we are entitled to a favorable report. Give us a favorable report and let me take it up in the House of Representatives and we will see what we can do with it. We had a hearing before on this bill and Rev. J. A. Smith, who is here this morning, participated in the battle of Fort Fisher. He came up to Washington in just about such weather as we have this morning and appeared before the full committee, as you doubtless remember, Mr. Chairman. He is here again to-day in this stormy season asking for the bill, and I do not believe they are going to cease in their efforts until it is reported. We are going to keep hammering and knocking at it until we get it. I do not believe that the lands are very valuable for agricultural pur- poses, therefore I thmk they could be purchased very reasonably. I do not believe that it would be setting any bad precedent, and I am satisfied the committee could well afford to give us a favorable report on this bill after hearing these representatives of the Fort Fisher Survivors' Association. Mr. Jones. I simply want to impress on the chairman and members of this commit tee the idea that this is the only case you probably have ever had before you where the army and navy, the blue and the gray, united in asking for legislation. I am satisfied it is the only case you ever had. We certainly had the greatest time of our lives at the reunion two years ago yesterday, and I think from my union stand- point that we did more than has been done in all the years since the war to start that feeling which is growing so rapidly to-day to bring the North and South together as one. The Chairman. I can assure you that the matter sliall be presented to the whole committee. The subcommittee will get together and talk it over and then the full committee will consider it. And, speak- ing for the committee, I can assure 3"ou that the sympathies of the Committee on Military Affairs are with a project of this kind and that they are not adverse to the desirability of matters such as you have proposed. I need not say that there are many of these matters before the committee, and that economy is the watchword of this Congress, as you have brought out more forcibly than I could, but the commit- tee, as I assure you, has a most kindly and favorable feeling toward a proposition of this kind, especially one as unique as this. We are very glad to have met you, gentlemen. STATEMENT OF MR. THOMAS D. MEAEES, WILMINGTON, N. C. Mr. Meares. I wish to bring out the fact and state here positively that there is not the slightest taint of commercialism in the whole proposition. The money expended there will be for land for the site, and it will inure to the benefit of no one in an}' possible way. It is simply a proposition to commemorate tlie battle of Fort Fisher. Tnereupon the subcommittee adjourned. O LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Jl (111 111 Hill iiiilH™*'"'" 013 703 929 1 «