Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1859-07-09
Your fcllow-citizcn
r.. f. w. 4AHLSTON.
REPLY OF MAgoR HILL.


10 Ills Ercclicn.y, H. r. ". AUaon, Cor
crnor, de-, de-
Dear Sir:-Your letter of the 2Sth ult.,
enclosing Resolutions Of the General AS
scmbly in regard to the presentation of
sword, reached nc three or four DAYS ago.
Love for and pride in his native State is
the birth-right of every Carolinian a to-
ken of regard from her must then be pccu
liarly "'ntifying to her sons.
To win that regard, is among the cher
iShcd objects Of life with all worthy of being
called her children. This noble aspiration
has made her Statesmen incorruptiblc in
Council, and her own Palmettos inyinciblc
on the field of battle 1t was my fortune
to stand on the beach of Vera Cruz by the
side of full-bloodcd Vermont Yankee,
when the noble Regiment from our glori-
Gus State fled past in all the pomp of war !;
their scrricd ranks then uuwastcd by dis
case and the havock of arms. lie gazcd
for some time upon the gallant host with
silent admiratiCn and then exclaimed aloud
q use his words) those fellows are OBJ
ligcd to fight well, they have so much
damned State pride"
Ah that State pride never forsook them
for 4 momcnt not even when their intrcp-
id leader was struck down, and when the
best blood of Carolina was flowing like wa
ter upon the plains of ChurubuSco They
still remembered that far distant eyes were
still upon them, and with three loud chccts,
wild rush, and hurried conflict, the en-
trcnchmcnts of the enemy were won.
But, sir, do not suppose that the dcirc
of State appreciation was confined cntfciy
to that chvuhons regiment 1t was SLY lrcd
equally with them by the graduat$ of
West Point, serving in the regular ;tmy
1t burned brightly in the breasts i the
amentcd Williams, Stuart, Calhoun, No
bic, Scrccvcn, Reeves and Dcas. II slim
ulatcd Ilugcr, and made him, next to Scott,
the right arm of the army, and without
compcer in zeal ), efficiency and untirtg in
dustry, 1t ncrvcd the arm of An(crson,
Jones, Rhctt, and Bee, and carricS them
"wherc blows were heaviest and favors
fewcst" 1t was my lot to serve Nth the
last named officer in the stormiE party
against the Castle of Chapultepq. We
had floor for bed, and one bl nkct in
common for Il covering. the nightprcccd
ing the assault ] remen,bcr well his last
words before we fell asleep: five live
through tomorrow, the old State wili re-
member us.
mention this, but to show til It under
no circumstances of danger, priwtion and
death, can Il true Carolinian ever be indif-
fcrent to the opinion of his native Statc. 1t
matters not how long he may l,&c been
separated from her, and how littl hope he
may have of ever again being enrolled
among her citizens
trust, sir, that am behind none in
MY devotion to South Cardinal | am
sure that ncnc can be more proltl of her
exalted patriotism, her uDsulliq honor,
and her long catalogue of il,tstrioI is names,
am sure that none can be NOR grateful
for testimonial of her esteem. Permit
me, then, to return through your i5xccllcn-
cy, my grateful Acknowledgements to the
Legislature for the distinguished mark of
their consideration
Allow me, also, to thank your Exccllcn-
cy, personally for the complimentary terms
in which You have been pleased to convey
the wishes of that body and especially
for the happy significance of theemblcm
and devices suggested by you to tho man
ufacturer of tile sword. 1t enhances the
gift tcn-fold, in my cstimationI that it will
ever remind me of brave old Carolina, of
the Military Academy at West Point, your
TINA Mater as well as mine, ard of that
institution best friend and most efficient
patron-Carolina s greatest sos, the world s
purcst and ablcst statesman.
With great respect,
Your obcdientsevapt,
TSiOnod1 mn uIIY