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which my comrades charged the enemies' line amid
the sweep of rifle balls and shot and shell. I hare
seen again their torn and mangled bodies, and heard
the cries of anguish of the wounded, and looked
into the faces of the dead as they lay stark and stiff
in the embrace of death after the chariot of the "War
God" had passed over the battle field. Then I have
witnessed the unequaled courage with which those
who survived have fought the battle of life, and have
seen the line grow shorter, and thinner, as the years
have gone by, till now only a few ire left to testify
for, and tell of the wonderful sacrifice and grand
achievements of the Confederate soldier, and each
time these things have passed through my mind. I
have felt an increased bond of duty, to use all the
powers of my being to aid in every way possible.
those of my comrades against whom the tide of nis-
fortune has set so strongly that now they find them-
selves sorely in need of the barest necessities of life.
  I know this Honorable Court will decide this ques-
tion from the standpoint of justice to all concernedl
and I assure you that the Confederate soldiers of
Kentucky would not have you do otherwise. We
want no infringement on the fundemental law of
the State for our benefit, but we are looking confi-
dently for this Honorable Court to require the State
to keep its contract with us. If you find it within
the limits of the constitution to maintain the law.
I assure you the gratitude of the 4,000 applications
for pension and the tens of thousands of their friends
will pray God's blessing on your heads and be grate-
ful to you to the extent that words will not express
it, but if you shall decide that the law is in conflict
with the constitution, there will be few, if any,