This most lamentable act of ingratitude and injustice on the part of the Government, unconsciously and unknowingly committed, evoked neither comment nor objection from those who were cognizant of the error, and who should have at once presented the matter to the Government in its true light and protested vigorously against the sacrilege. Nothing was done, and the years sped on. The rains of summer and the snows of winter have fallen on the lonely graves on the hillside for ninety years. Inherited indifference still obtains and those of the heroes whose graves have escaped the ploughshare occupy their narrow beds through toleration only. For them there is no Memorial Day, neither flowers nor tears, neither music nor song; but above them flourishes the fragrant (?) skunk cabbage and the aromatic dogfennel, and the hoof-beats of the festive bovine keep time to the cackle and squawk of fowls, and the somnolent grunt of the unwieldy porker, which, in company with the wily politician, fattens above their graves. At the present time Fort Meigs, with its burial ground, is in imminent danger of destruction, and were it not for the timely intervention of President Roosevelt, the fortifications would have been razed and the graves ploughed up many months ago. In this connection, the Society avers, in a sense of justice, and with the eternal fitness of according honor to whom honor is due, that of the 23 presidents who have administered since the battle of Fort Meigs the present president alone has investigated the condition of the soldiers' burial ground at the fort, expressed stern disapproval of the neglect apparent there, brought the matter to the attention of the Secretary of War, and caused those interested to be officially notified to either render due respect to their soldier dead, or submit to the alternative of having the bodies removed to a national cemetery. In view of the fact that after nearly a century of interment, the removal of the 825 soldiers would be well nigh impossible, and would involve many sad and heart-rending scenes, the society appeals to the boys. in blue to rally around the lonely graves on the Fort Meigs hillside, to the end that their silent tenants may, through the medium of comrades, be accorded the right so long denied them the right of recognition and honored repose. To the soldier, ever responsive to the call of duty or the cry of distress, the society comes, in full confidence that he who endured the hardships and hunger, the want and the wounds of a harassing campaign, will be in full sympathy with their efforts, and will not turn coldly from the silent appeal of the lonely and desolate graves of the heroes of Fort Meigs. Soldiers, the long, dark night of oblivion which has enveloped the heroes of Fort Meigs will roll away, and "joy cometh with the morning." Over the hills and down the valley from the fort will soon reecho in clarion tones the sentinel call of "All is well." The soldiers in the silent tents will heed it not; they sleep their last sleep; but their mem ory will endure. The myrtle and the ivy will entwine above their resting place, and there will children gather to strew sweet flowers, and place the laurel wreath. This appeal to the soldiers of the United States is wending its way from Ohio to Maine, from California to the Gulf. The "Wives and Daughters of the Boys in Blue" desire that every United States soldier be accorded the privilege of contributing to the fund for the protection of the graves of the heroes, and thereby of becoming a member of the Fort Meigs Protective League, from which all other than soldiers are barred.. Fifteen thousand dollars only will be required with which to purchase and beautify Fort Meigs and erect thereon a monument to the memory of the soldier dead; hence the contribution of each member of the League is limited to one dollar, and in no instance will a soldier be accredited with the donation of a greater amount. The Fort Meigs Protective League knows neither rank nor title; the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Army, the noble veteran in his faded coat of blue, the soldier fresh from the field of battle, from China or the far-off Philippines, and the "Drummer Boy of Missionary Ridge," will all stand shoulder to shoulder, and, in harmonious endeavor, seek to accord to the heroes of Fort Meigs. the right which so long has been denied them—the right of recognition and honored repose. Every soldier joining the League will receive honorable mention in Toledo's prominent paper, The Toledo Daily Bee, a copy of which, containing name and contribution, will be mailed to each address. The Fort Meigs Reveille, a paper to be published in the interests of the fort, will contain the names of members of the League, also the names of the Wives and Daughters of the Boys in Blue, who, with the assistance of soldiers, are endeavoring to "hold the fort." When the soldiers of the United States become cognizant of the neglect and indignities which have ever been the portion of the men who fought and died at Fort Meigs — whose graves are menaced with the ever present threat of the ploughshare, and above whose silent forms, with ceaseless tread, stalks the horrid spectre of eviction, when, with awakened sympathies, they respond to the call of the reveille and rally to do honor to their comrades dead - then and not until then can be inscribed above the heroes: "Soldier, rest! thy warfare o'er, Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking; Dream of battlefields no more, Days of danger, nights of waking." The officers of this League are: Mrs. Benjamin Harrison, Honorary President; Mrs. M. R. Evans, Vice-President; Mrs. Ellen McMahon Caspers, Secretary; Mrs. Anna M. Labadie, Treasurer. Subscriptions should be sent to Mrs. Ellen M. Caspers, Perrysburg, Wood Co., Ohio. OHIO SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. On Saturday, April 18, 1903, the Ohio Society Sons of the American Revolution held its annual meeting at the Great Southern Hotel, Columbus, Ohio. There was a goodly attendance of members from various parts of the state. The usual reports of officers and committees were heard and in the afternoon the election of officers occurred, resulting in the following: President, Colonel James Kilbourne, Columbus; Vice-Presidents, Isaac F. Mack, Sandusky, W. H. Hunter, Chillicothe, Orlando J. Hodge, Cleveland, Edward Kibler, Newark, and J. E. Betts, Findlay; Secretary, William A. Taylor, Columbus; Treasurer, S. G. Harvey, Toledo; Registrar, Wm. L. Curry, Columbus; Historian, W. H. Hunter, Chillicothe; Chaplain, Rev. Julius W. Atwood, Columbus; Board of Managers, James H. Anderson, Columbus; Robert M. Davidson, Newark; Isaac F. Mack, Sandusky; George M. Wright, Akron; Orlando W. Aldrich, Columbus; Emilius O. Randall, Columbus; James M. Richardson, Cleveland. Executive Committee - James Kilbourne, Columbus; William A. Taylor, Columbus; William L. Curry, Columbus; Moulton Houk, Toledo; William H. Hunter, Chillicothe. Committee on Year Book - Moulton Houk, Toledo; William L. Curry, Columbus; Emilius O. Randall, Columbus. Committee on Bronze Markers - Isaac F. Mack, Sandusky; Moulton Houk, Toledo; William H. Hunter, Chillicothe. In the evening the local Franklin Chapter S. A. R. gave a reception at the Great Southern to the delegates to the S. A. R. annual meeting and to the local chapter Columbus D. A. R. The reception was a most enjoyable one. Gen. George B. Wright made an address as did also Mrs. Orlando J. Hodge, State Regent Daughters of the American Revolution. Colonel James Kilbourne on June 30th issued the following letter to the newspapers of the state: COLUMBUS, OHIO, June 30,1903. It is estimated that from 6,000 to 10,000 Revolutionary soldiers lie buried in Ohio. Already the graves of 3,000 have been located and identified. A part of the patriotic work of the National, State and local Chapter Societies of the Sons of the American Revolution, is to place upon the grave of every Revolutionary soldier a practically indestructible bronze marker, in addition to present monuments and markings. This appeal is to every patriotic citizen of Ohio to report to Col. Wm. L. Curry, State Registrar, Columbus, O., to be entered in the records, the place of burial, names and monumental markings of every Revolutionary soldier in their respective neighborhoods. Nearly all of these heroes, as well as many buried elsewhere, have living descendants in Ohio, who are eligible to, and should become members of the Society S. A. R. It is no dress parade affair, but a patriotic association to keep alive in the bosom of every American the memory and works of our Revolutionary ancestors, and imbue the minds of the rising generation of our adopted citizens with a love of liberty and a determination to help uphold it. Our desire is to add at least 1,000 to the present membership during 1903-1904. Send name and State of your Revolutionary ancestor to Wm. L. Curry as above, and receive blanks and instructions pertaining to membership, and have your names enrolled in the next Year Book, and join us in the patriotic work of the Society. Membership in the S. A. R. involves but trifling pecuniary outlay. It is designed as the conservator of the history of the Revolutionary struggle, and besides confers a distinguished honor upon the eligibles. It is hoped that all who read this will at once forward the information and inquiries above indicated. Very respectfully, JAMES KILBOURNE, |