The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1866-10-31
SPEECH OF GEN. WADE HAMPTON,

SPEECH OF GEN. WADE HAMPTON,
Delivered before the ",Soldiers' Ass0-
ciati0n," at TTdlh0lLd, South C0r0-
lima, September %, 1866.
FeIIov- Citi=ens and Brother Sol
dierS Of Pickeas In response to
your kind invitation to join You
to-day, 1 have come to participate
in the grateful ceremonies Of this
occasion. 1t affords me great sat
isfaction, I assure you, to do so,
because it is so cminently fit and
proper that every surviving sol
dicr Of the South should, at all
times and everywhere, pay al pos
sible respect to the memory OF his
dead comrades. Another reason
which urged me strongly to be
present to-day, was that. l might
have the pleasure Of seeing again
so many Of the men who fought 50
long and so we'll under my COM
mand. 1 remember with pride
that the brave Fitzpatrick, who now
sleeps in soldiers grave, brought
his gallant Company Of mountain
eers to fight under the banner Of
my old Legion, on the glorious
field of Manassas, and l take plea
sure in saying here to-day, before
their kindred and their feIIow-citi-
zens, that they did honor to their
State. Pickens gave to me besides,
Calhoun's brave men and v0lun-
teers in that noble German Battery
of Bachman, one whole company
in the gallant lSt South Carolina
Cavalry, which formed so impor-
tant part Of my old and beloved
brigade; that brigade which, though
it fought on an hundred fields,
never knew defeat.
recollcct that when that regi-
ment made its first charge [ had
the honor to be with it. l recall
that bloody 9th Of June, when, at
Brandy Station, its glorious ban
ner was baptized in blood. All the
stirring incidents Of that cvcntful
day rise up wildly before me, as l
look upon the faces ofthe veterans
who were sharcrs in its glory. l
see again that magnificent pano-
rama of fertile hill and smiling
vale, lighted up by the Iurid glare
of war. I see our cavalry separa-
ted, fighting in every quarter
against Leavy odds. | see the en-
emy gaining ground everywhere,
save where your brigade was fight
ing, while our gallant chief, the
heroic Stuart, with characteristic
courage, dashcs him$eIffrStagainSt
one column and then against an
other. but in vain. The circle Of
fire slowly but surely closed around
that devoted band, until they were
the only ones within its folds.
There was but one road over which
you could withdraw, and across
that were the serricd ranks Of the
enemy, whose guns were already
laundering upon you.
Ali saw the critical position in
which you were placed, but though
all saw it, not one man quailed.
The day seemed lost, and 50 it
would have been, but for the "Old
Brigade" as we all loved to caIIit.
With banners proudly flying, with
sabres glistcning brightly, with
ranks as regular as if on parade, it
turned to meet the new enemy,
who vainly hoped to bar its way.
The noble Cobb LcgiOn-than
which no better regiment ever
fought-was in front, your regi-
ment next, followed by the brave
old 1st North Carolina, and the
dashing Jeff. Davis Lcgisn, when
I ordered the charge. Artillery
ploughcd through yourranks-dis-
mounted men, in line Of battle,
covered the hill, and cavalry, by
it's counter charge, tried to check
your progress. Not q shot was
fired by my men, but with drawn
sabreS, they rode steadily through
that storm Of fire for more than
halfa mile, and sweeping over the
hill, theyIctt upon il not one enc