Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-04-23

deeds they symboize, inolte comIng genera
| tions-shonld our country again be imperied b,
war--to emulate the actions Of tue men who
bore them through the great struggle that calet
| them forth.
When Gen. Hancock had finished speaking
Park Postles arose IN the audience and proposed
three cheers for that officer. They were ver.
loudly given,
SPEECH ny wM. G. sPRuANCE. ESQ
Mr.. Spruance was then introduced and spoke
as follows
geneTdl:-
In the presence OF the man to whom valor and
fortitude il due whatever of interest cluster,
around these tattered fags-in the presence oil
one whom all men recognize as among the great
| leaders in sthe contest we commemorate, and
| under whose immediate command was performed
large part Of the service which has made these
colors bistoric-it would be idle in me TO attempt
anything like narration Of the events with
| which they are associated.
On an occasion such al this, no research, how
| ever diligent-no memory however accurate
mo tongue, however eloquent, could fully fitly
portray the suiferings and achievements OF which
| these colors have been the silent witnesses.
Under our happy system. the Federal Govern
ment deals mainly with the relations OF the States
| with each other, and with foreign powers and
while it guarantees to tho citizen the essential
| rights of citizenship, to each State is left the
| regulation aud controof its domestic concerns
aud to each is a history which is hera alone both
| IN peace and war
Even the great battle for National life was
| fought mainly by men under distinct State Or
ganlZatious aud beside the common purpose
which animated the whole, there remained to
| each regiment q State pride, which was a power
full incentive to action. Neither the actions OF
the acknowledgements, nor the page of the
National historian will suffice to contain full
narrative of this great contest-in which were
millions of men e1gaged-covering an area OF
thousands of mileS-in which were countless
battles and skrmisnes. To the archives Of each
at1 Ts.eWuV IL lg..l Fau
tails, which cah be found nowhere else.
Unhappily, our State Government has as yet,
made no provision whatever for the preservA-
ton Of the history Of the service Of her sons in
that great struggle which saved to US all OF
country worth the name, and it has been wise
ly determined to commit to the keeping of tho
Historical Society OF Delaware these houored
relics and charge that society specially with the
duty Of collecting and pres, rsng for future gem
erations the record OF tho Valor OF the sons. of
Delaware.
Whom the long agony Of doubt and uncertain
ty had ended; when Congress aud the people
had reused from their long ethargy when men
ceased to discuss the question whether.co ercion
was consti Mt on u and the country had accepted
the fearful alternative of civil war, and given up
and forever all thought of peaceable separation;
when the hamo of patrioti-m kindled at Sump-
ter and in the streets of Baltimore swept over
the land, here, as throughout tho loyal North
men fiocked to the standard OF the nation.
Under the first call of President Liucoln for
rs, 900 men to defend the Capital, Delaware im-
medatey filled her quota and sent full regi
ment to the Held. Every subsequent demand
upon her patriotism met with a prompt aud
hearty response. With population in 1860 OF
ouly about 112 900 we sent to the field in Delaware
Regiments IL 265 mon making when reduced TO
three-years standard 1031O mon. Besides these
was a large NUMBER, amounting, it is believed, to
thousands, who, tempted by liberal bountes,
mustered into the regiments OF other States,
and many who served with honor and distinction
in the regular army and navy.
Whatever credit s due for the generous sup
port OF the national cause in this State in the
hour OF peril-whatever of honor was won in
battle by Delaware soldieiB-bslongs alone to
the loyal people of Delaware.
During the whole period OF the great struggle,
the Legislative branch of the State q government,
II not hostile, was at least neutral and never
voted a dollar to the cause, or sent a soldier TO
the field, or spoke one word of encouragement
OF cheer to the brave mon who periled their
lives under these flags, emblRzoned with the
arms of our State. Our war debt was created
under acts of Assembly which expressly protest.
ed against the objects and purposes of the war,
and declared their sole design 20 be to aavo the
people Of the State from the operation of the
draft
The same temper and spirit animated tho ex-
ecutive Department OF the state Government,
during the whole period of the war, save during
the administration of the loyal and patriotic
Cannon, who. while God spared hrs life, di d
for the good cause what he could without the
command of the sword or the purse of the state.
These, know, are humilialing confessions,
but due alike to tue truth of history and in JUS
tice to the brave and patriotic men who, by their
personal sacrifices and sufferings. not only
saved the name of our State from dshonor, but
won for us imperishable fame.
Every man who followed these colors, wherey-
er born, whether on our own soil. or in for
egn land, s a tTue sou of Delaware, and his
fame and his honor are hers-the gallant
Smyth, who first drew breath under Irish skies
tau fhat, our uplla In IlOut n
for generations have dwelt oil the banks of our
own beautiful Brandywiuo
Nor less worthy are the men who saved the Re-
public than they who created it, Their names
will go down to posterty together. Time will
rather adOrn than obliterate their memories.
With the names uf Kirkwood, Caldwell, Patton
and HaZelett, and their compatrlots, who made
the Delaware line famous in the great struggle
for national existence, will go down to remote
generations the names of Jordan Evans and
Stryker-of Plunkett, Pety john and Dorrell-of
Webb Wilson and McOary-of Watson, Richards,
Leonard and Smyth, whosded that the nation
might live.
Nor is the story Of these flags without ro-
mantle incident worthy to inspire the song of
tue poet or adorn the historic canvass. On the
bloody field of Antietam, these color5 or the
brave Second were three times shot down, and
each time went with them a gallant standard
bearer.
After that flag had boon proudly horne from.
Fredericksburg by the brave Sergeant Boyd,
tilht stdH was DIOhen D6uchlu HIS uOugs hb no
fell mortally wounded, on the field OF Gettys-
burg
Al Spottsylvania, on the day of Hancock's
famous charge, these colors were lost and re-
taken from tue enemy.
In one of those gallant, but fatal charges be-
fore Petersburg, the brave Color Sergeant of
the third Robert Hanna. finding himself cut off
from mis- companion, aud capture certain, deter
mined that the dear old flag should not fall into
the hands of the enemy-tore from it Its field,
secretel il in his bosom, buried these tattered
fragments in the earth, aud bore hidden on his
body that starry field through the terrible
months OF captivity at Andersonville and brought
it safe homo again, when victory and peace had
opened his prison gates.
At Five Forks. the fatal bullets Which sun
cred this staff pierc u the Drain OF the gallant
Corporal Booth, who Instantly died beneath
these folds.
From Gaines Mill to Appomattox, the history
of the regiments Of Delaware ls a part OF the
history OF the Army of the Potomac through that
weary and disastrous campaign upon the Penin-
sna-on the historic field OF Antietam-on the
bloody field of Fredericksburg and Ohancellors-
yille-at Gettysburg where turned the fearful
tide-in all that terrible but glorious march
through the wilderness-in all that long series
of conflicts before the gates Of Petersburg and
Richmond the Sons of Delaware bore conspi-
cuous but glorious part.
But rising above and beyond any admiration
of individualiheroism or devotion or of mere
military skill, genius or achievements, of which
this great struggle furnishes innumerable eX-
amples are the thoughts of that from which
these men have saved ns--of that which they