Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-10-22
EDGEFIELD, S. c., OCTOBER 22, 1856


honorable positions which I 9ad previously
held, came here to enter yonr ranks as
private-thereby illustrating sthe fact that
did not hold myself above tie lowest in
your ranks; but on that verEday, unsolici.
ted on my part, and regardless Of san express
declaration that was not acaniidate for
office, the kindness Of my friends generous.
ly honored me with the highest within the
gift of the company. Underfhese fattering
auspices, l could not refusesto assume the
command; and after two years and three
days service as Captain of tEescorps, during
which time | procured for its use the very
arms which you now hold inssyoar hands
prepared and secured the adoption of by.
laws which, with but slight amendments, are
still in force for your governpient and guild.
ance-having, in word, done all that
could to secure for you prosperity and per-
manence, / was. on the 27tJuly, 1889,
transferred to the command d the. regiment,
and subsequently, on the 5tEJuly, ls43, to
the higher command Of the Brigade Of which
you have from the time OF yahr organization
constituted a part. And ifssshese several
high positions, which you helped to assign
me, have ever felt greatly Indebted to you
for the cordial support whic5you have so
uniformly extended to me. SMgsconnection,
however, with you as a military corps, un.
less you see proper to constitute mean hon.
orary member, has ceased forever; but my
recollection of your past kindness towards
me, with my best wishes tor your future
prosperity and usefulness 1o our beloved
State and country, shall beas durable as
the faculties with which Goa has endowed
me.
In casting my. eyes along your ranks, |
recognize but few Of the faces5th Gssd to
be familiar to me. The question irresistibly
enforres itself upon me, where are the alb.
sent Of my old comrades aadfriends9 Alas |!
some of them, having filledsthe measure of
their country's services, "bases passed that
bourne whence no traveleFHeturns while
others are still here, rejoicing over well
spent life, but feeling conciaas that t?they too
must soon follow in the footsteps Of the no.
bic spirits who have gonssbefore them
What can we say for thernsor do for them
but
Cherish me memory of each 9atiiot dead,
Go drop tear upon his gtSve 80
He knew. no fear, he knew nSdread,
While DER him Ills country, flag did wave.
But your existence as aaorpps takes date
anterior to my connection s&ith it; and to a
sou of old Elseiel,r .as sas Va Brooks
and Of Hu.ie-t=Iongs IS s.. f,rt.r o; having
lad - aga - ,'nH- ,r::y ISsBrtfe wl'c
...,--.,-'.~s.''" ',@.+'{:' 81. u,
Ms n"ce III. .n;. nliech bya fec 80 ~
sion Of ;bo will Of ii.c c1rpH1y. wiihon'
iropar,ii&ing lis interests-be':eving. I"rliei,
;n., 4 !.ighcr 6u;y drvoi.ed upon him, i:e
resi5.1: :!c sword, and emil .;ed in ;Ge ser
vice OF the Great Captain Of US all--tbc
great Emmanuel, who drought life and i'm
mortality to light" and whose very word is
"more powerful than an army with banners"
yes, he resigned the sword, and shorn him
self Of his cpaulettes and war trappings,
that he might become the peaceful messen-
ger that speaketh comfort to converted souls.
Him it was who now bears the more familiar
appcllaion of Rev. than of Capt. Henry
Smi!h, that did OH thc-day Of Septem
Der, 1885, first muster your company for
inspection, 1t presented front consisting
Of the number required by law--passed the
ordcal--was attached to the 18th Regiment,
and from that d,y 10 this has been a compe
titor for military distinction. Short as has
been its existence, from its ranks have sprung
m entire batch oil field otlicers--one OF
whom rose to the rank of Brigadier and
vet you have still left with you plenty more
good material--or, as 4 Yankee would say,
plenty more Of the same sort" But, not.
withstanding all this, you have again been
put upon trial, as though you were unworthy
of the arms you bear and the epaulettes you
wear But will you not show to the world
that you have within you the true element OF
greatness, that "when weighed i'll the bal
auce ynu will not be found wanting" New.
cr let it be said of the SONS Of Lexington
that Lexington designated by the graphic
pen of Bancroft rs the great central dis:
trict Of South Carolina-never let it be said
of the constituents of Brooks, whose very
name is terror to the libellantS of the mil
itary fame of our ancestors--never let 1t be
said of you, whom once had the honor to
command-that you are not prepared Tor
any emergency. Let me invoke you by the
spirit of Marion and 4 Sumter, a Rutledge
and a Laurens, Il Butler, Turner, and The
patriots who fell with him near this place,
willie battling for the liberty we enjoy@-let
me invoke you by the spirits of the gallant
dead, to be prepared to meet the invaders of
our rights, whether in the form of Abolition
ism, Black Republicanism, or any other ism,
with the same determined resistance that
brought victory to the arms ola Washington.
And now let me invoke the young men
within your recruiting limits to come to your
aid. However patriotic they may be, if |
am not greatly mistaken, place in your
ranks will be found good enough for the
best of them. If ambitious and deserving
of promotion, the way to distinction is alike
open to all. 1t is law Of nature that,
"Largc streams from little fountains flow,
Tall oaks from little acorns grow"
So with all great military chieftains. All of
them had to begin low and work their way
up TO distinction by merit alone. The law
of nature and the road to distinction are
alike interchangeable. Ah, ye noble youths
of proud men and lofty bearing, think ye
nL - ~ 80 oc