May 11, 1935
THE STATE
Роде
Thirteen
A reproduction of an old print, showing the arrangement of buildings of the old Johnston Pettigrew Hospital,
which was on the site of the present Old Soldiers’ Home in Raleigh. Both Confederate and Federal troops received
treatment there during the War Between the States.
Only 16 Old Veterans Left
SIXTKKX soldiers ..f
the f’onfisleracv are
being cared for at the
present time at the Soldiers'
Home in Raleigh.
Since its opening in 1S9»*,
several hundred veteran»
have been at the institution,
but their number has decr««4-d grad¬
ually as the year* have gone by, un¬
til today there are leas than n «core of
them at the home.
If you never have visited the Sol¬
diers’ Home, you should do so by all
mean», for it will fill your heart with
a «till greater devotion for those men
who fought for their beloved South¬
land and its traditions.
Plenty of Spirit Left
Not only that, but you will find the
visit of interest in many other re¬
spects. You’ll enjoy meeting and talk¬
ing with the old gentlemen who arc
out there, and you'll find them still im¬
bued with plenty of spirit, despite their
advanced years. An example of this
occurred a couple of years ago when
there was a movement on foot for tlm
removal of the veterunt to the Confi-I-
«•rate Home for Women in Fayette¬
ville: — a consolidation of the two
AT one lime there were several
hundred, but llieir number has
gradually diminished. Still, they're
a eheerful and eonfenled group of
old warriors.
News of the proposed change came
to tlie ear* of the old «oldicr».
“What!" one of them exclaimed:
By
лыс к
nn.f.iit <;itnn:s
“Move u> to an Old Women’» Home!
I’ll I-- damned if they do. I’ll go out
and beg for a living, U-fore I’ll con¬
tent to being cooped up with a lot of
old women.”
And he meant it, too. There was
plenty of cussing around the home for
■everal day» before the minds of the
old veteran» were finally set at rc‘t
again. Hut even now, if you want l<>
start something, all that is necessary
is to mention something about moving
them down to the Women’» Home in
Fayetteville.
Throe or four of the veterans are
confined to their bed» a goodly pot lieu
of the lime. One ha» to stay them
permanently. You can usually see the
other» sitting out on the sunny porches,
or walking slowly about the grounds.
The favored pastime of the old »ol-
diers is checkers. Two or throe games
arc usually in progress at all time.
There is quite- a bit of rivalry among
the men over their ability und skill
a
»
checker-player». A n d
then- have been times when
then- have been heated
arguments. For the roost
part, however, the surviv¬
ors are- inclined to lie quiet
and peaceful. Their war¬
ring day* arc over. Ten or
fifteen year, ago, it wa.n’t infrequent
for somebody I" resort to physical vio¬
lence in upholding his viewpoint in a
debate, but there hasn’t hern a good
light out at the home in a long time.
Not Much Work to Do
Abo, up to a few years ago, several
of tin- veterans were able to perform
small daily tasks, but now- only two
of them have regular dutici: Mr.
Arthur raise* and lowers the flag, and
Mr. Holcomb, who is playfully called
the “impcr-boy,” walks a short di.
tancc down Newborn Avenue to get
the <lo/.en copies of the Rateigh Timet.
which arc sent to them each day by
John Park, the publisher.
Some of the men like to walk, ami
they can still cover considerable dis¬
tance, despite the fact that the young-
С
veteran at the home is $S years of
age. They also find pleasure in a num¬
ber of other diversions. Quite often
they go to the movies, ami every pto-
turc-hoUH- in Raleigh it glad to have
(tWinacd on page twenty-four)
