R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Peggy and Charles S. Pearce, Jr., of Corsicana, have 1-2 made a notable contribution to Navarro College and to historical 1-3 scholarship through their donation of an impressive collection of 1-4 Civil War manuscripts, photographs, and memorabilia, and their 1-5 generosity continues to support the collection's growth; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Consisting of more than 3,000 significant items, the 1-7 Pearce Civil War Collection has been praised by a leading historian 1-8 of the period for its "amazing" balance of Union and Confederate 1-9 material and for its remarkable scope, covering the spectrum from 1-10 common soldier to national figure; and 1-11 WHEREAS, Contained in the collection are letters by most 1-12 major political and military leaders, among them Abraham Lincoln, 1-13 Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, William Tecumseh Sherman, 1-14 Stonewall Jackson, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, and Jefferson 1-15 Davis; other writers include Frederick Douglass, Julia Ward Howe, 1-16 and John Wilkes Booth; and 1-17 WHEREAS, Soldiers' letters and diaries give first-hand 1-18 accounts of major battles, such as Gettysburg, Pea Ridge, and 1-19 Atlanta, and innumerable minor skirmishes; the pages are replete 1-20 with expressions of loneliness and searing passages evoking the 1-21 carnage and horror of war; and 1-22 WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Pearce began building the collection 1-23 in 1991 and in 1996 gave it to Navarro College, where it is housed 1-24 in the Gaston T. Gooch Library; in recognition of their outstanding 2-1 generosity and important work in preserving Civil War history, they 2-2 were honored in 1997 with the Benefactor's Award from the Texas 2-3 Library Association and in 1999 with the Grady McWhiney Award from 2-4 the Dallas Civil War Roundtable; and 2-5 WHEREAS, Natives of Wisconsin and New York, respectively, and 2-6 graduates of Cornell University, Mr. and Mrs. Pearce moved to Texas 2-7 in the early 1950s and made their home outside of Kerens on a ranch 2-8 that had been in the family of Mr. Pearce's mother for three 2-9 generations; and 2-10 WHEREAS, This public-spirited couple have rendered an 2-11 inestimable service to historians, and indeed to their country, by 2-12 bringing together this trove of material and by ensuring its 2-13 preservation and accessibility, and it is indeed fitting that we 2-14 pay tribute to them for this magnificent collection and for their 2-15 continuing generosity; now, therefore, be it 2-16 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas 2-17 Legislature commend Peggy and Charles S. Pearce, Jr., for their 2-18 signal gift to Navarro College and to Civil War scholarship and 2-19 extend to them deep appreciation for their stewardship of our 2-20 nation's history; and, be it further 2-21 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-22 prepared for Mr. and Mrs. Pearce as an expression of high regard by 2-23 the Texas House of Representatives. Alexander _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 345 was adopted by the House on March 13, 2001, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House