The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-07-13
VIRTUS EFT VALOR.
---:;:o::i-., s~'N..
ADDRESS OF GEN. WADE HAMPTON,
Delivered At the Unveiiins Of the wash.
ingson Light InMntry monu.
ment, Charlesson, 30. Ca,
Juns 16eh, 1870.

me py your kindness, IN the solemn Ger
emonies Of the day, many and conflicting
emotions stirred my heart. On the one
hand, said he,a q painful conciousness Of
my inability to discharge the task i'm.
posed In manner worthy Of the ccca,
sion, oppresses me and bids me keep ST.
lent while on the other hand, q sense
of duty to my living as we'll as to nv
dead comrades, impels mo to join in
this demonstration Of honor to those
who are sleepiug beneath the soil thew
gave their lives to defend. Let me thcn
place on their tomb votive Offering.
which, unworthy as it may be of our
noble dead, has at least the merit of
coming from hearts filed with sympathy
for the cause in which they fell admi-
ration for their devoted patriotism and
heroic courage respect and affection
tor their memory, and profound grief
for their untimely death. There are
other motives, scarcely less potent, why
my voice should not be silent on auy
occasion where honor is paid to the liy.
ing or dead of the Washington Light In.
faDtry.
Have you forgotten, comrades of that
gallant corps? I shall always remem-
ber it with pride, that when our State
called her sons to defend her, and that
command was organized-when your
banner, unsuilied by any stain of de-
feat. Untarnishod by any breath of
dlshonor, was born SO heroically through
the storm of nearly every great histor-
ical battle of the war-it was the Wash.
ington Light Infantry that gave me
the first company of the Hampton LIE.
gion. Can you suppose that I have
forgotten the name f"CompanyA?" that
company which for four years of heroic
though unequal war, stood always un-
shaken on tho right of the Legion can I
forget that devoted friend, that unselfish
patriot, that gallant soldier, that noble
gentleman, johnson, who was your first
and one of your costlicst SACRIFICES laid
on the altar of our country 2 Can I for.
get the gifted Pettigrew, who lived
truly long enough to achieve an undying
glory for himself, but who died too soon
for his mourning country? Standing
over tho graves which hold the hallowed
dust of so many patriotic soldiers, look.
ing upon yonder tomb where are
inscribed the names OF forty 6vo of nv
loved and trusted comrades of that
single company which you gave me, how
can forget the men who fought and
died by my side? Can 1, turning from the
lainented dead to the houored living,
looking once again upon the familiar
faces OF the men whom danger taught
me to trust, forget the. friends who
never betrayed that trust {? Can T look
upon Connor, as he leans upon these
crutches which tell proudly how nobly he
discharged his duty, and then forget the
Washington Light Infantry Oh, no I!
my friends. Memory and associations
such as these arc amongst the most
cherished though saddest of my heart,
and they bind me to my old comrades
by ties which death may, but nothing
else, can sever. They remind me, too,
OF my duties to the dead, and amongst
them there is none more sacred than
that which calls upon me to vindicate
their motives, to praise their patriotism,
to commend their example, aud to pro.
tect their memory. These are the du.
ties which devolve upon US, the sad
survivors Of that gallant band who, at
the call of the State rallied to her de-
fence. Mourning over the graves of
"our slain," who, "for faith and for
freedom, 10y slaughtered in vain;" stand.
ing amid the wreck of our dearest
hopes, looking at the ruin of our ooun-
try, witnessing the steady but rapid
overthrow of Republican institutions
and constitutional liberty, what is left
to cheer us to future exertion but the
hallowed memories Of the past-that
past was made glorious by our great
dead. Amid that noble and, alas, vast
throng, none have done higher honor to
their State, none deserve deeper graft
tude, than the men who died in her
cause. Not until death has placed his
eternal seal upon the living, and stamp
ed with his irrevocable decree all the
actions of their being can they he truly
estimated. The judjement wo pass
upon our contemporaries is too often
warped by envy, jealousy, personal dis.
IKE, or political prejudice /; and it is
not until death has closed their career,
here that we can recognize the greatness
Of their actions or the integrity of thoir
purposes.
The men to whom you dedicate this
monument as testimonial of your
respect, gratitude aud affection. have
passed this last dread ordeal, and we
deem them worthy to be ershrined
in q peoples heart, and to receive
the greatful plaudits of o people's
voice.
"a peoples voice we are people yotI
iho. all mon else their nobler dreams forget;
confused BY brainless mobs ana lawless pow ers
we We have q voice with which to pay the debt
vi VI boundloss love and reverence and regret,
10 those great mon who fought and kepti ours"
They fought to vindicate the great
truths enonoiated in re, and their ina.
henable rights established by our fathers
and bequeatdeac to us as our noblest
heritage. For these fought in vain /;
ana OF all the attributes Of freedom,
there is ieft to US only peoples voice.
which, tho stiAed, calls heaven to wit
ness that we were sincere ana ihon..,;.