A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE
THE WEB'S LEADING MILITARY BLOG SINCE 2004
As I sit here awaiting my turn to pee in a cup for the 100% company urinalysis, I started reading through some historical and inspirational documents. I was reminded of a letter that President Abraham Lincoln sent to Mrs. Bixby, a five time Gold Star Mom during the Civil War. Many of you have probably read this at some point in your lives, but if you havent I thought it appropriate considering the circumstances in which our country currently finds itself and wonder if there is a modern day Mrs. Bixby or Abraham Lincoln out there.
Executive Mansion, Washington, Nov.21, 1864.
Dear Madam,
I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.
I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.
I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.
Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,
A. Lincoln
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Why would you ever point out what they are doing wrong, it is like tra
Amy
Unfortunately there’s probably not enough Abe’s and too many Bixby’s.
Old Cav LT
Lincoln had a way with words and typically did what he said he would do.
Pity that our current president can’t look to Lincoln as a model of how to govern… and how to view The People.
Joethedirtbagairman
LT, I gotta say, we haven’t had a decent president since before Reagan…
KSH
Our Country is in need of true intelligent and compassionate leadership. Not the sorts that govern for profit and corporate greed. We’ve been warned by too many leaders over the years, beginning with Jefferson…
Bob the Liberal
Compassion. I’m seeing a lot of that in the past few days.
My mother, who had been battling health problems since the end of August, passed away just after midnight Wednesday morning, February 3rd.
People have been coming to us in droves. You see, when my brother and I were young, my parents were the neighborhood “Mom and Dad”. All the kids could come there with a problem that they couldn’t talk to their parents about. And they wouldn’t be judged. They’d get good advice. If they needed to get away from the parents, they could stay with us a few days. Hell, we even had a few living with us from time to time.
Ones we haven’t seen in years have been coming by since yesterday. All with tears in their eyes. They remember the compassion my parents showed to them.
And if anybody is interested…
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ctpost/obituary.aspx?n=mary-louise-allen&pid=139350303
NY-David
Sorry to hear of her passing, Bob. My condolences.
NY-David
Miss Ladybug
This letter was read in Saving Private Ryan, as an intro to the mission. It is very moving.
NY-David
No one can beat the Liberal guy from Illinois in eloquence. Little known fact was that Lincoln wrote the letter to her as she was very politically connected in Mass and he thought it would help him politically. It was later found out that the clerk goofed and she lost three sons, albeit still a tradgety.
NY-David