Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-04-26

tory which ia hers alone. both in peace and
Even the great battle for nationsl life
was fought mainly by men under distinct
state organizations, and beside the com
mon purpose which animated the whole
people there remained to each regiment a
State pride which was powerful incentive
Neither the archives OF the national gov
eminent nsr the page Of the national his
toriAn will suffice 10 contain full nara
tive OF this great contest, in which were
millions Of men engaged, covering An area
Of Thousands Of miles, in which were count
Less battles aud skirmishes.
To the archives Of each State will the
future historian look for the details which
can be found nowhere else.
Unhappily our State government has
made no provision whatever for the pre-.
servAtion Of the history of the services OF
her sons in that great struggle which
saved to US all Of country worth the name
and II has been wisely determined to com
init to the keeping Of the Historical Society
OF Delaware these honored relies, and
charge that Society specially with the duty
Of collecting and preserving for future gen
erAtions the record Of the yalol OF the sons
Of Delaware.
When the long agony Of doubt and uneer-
tainty had ended-when Congress and the
people had reused from their long lethargy
when men ceased to debate the ques-
tion whether coercion was constitutional,
when party Etrifes were forgotten, and the
country had accepted the fearful alterna-
tive Of civil war, AID cast aside and Tor ever
all thought of peaceable separation, wien
the fAme Of patriotism, klndled at Sumpter
and in the streets Of Baltimore, swept over
the land, here, as throughout the loyal
North, men nocked to the standard OF the
nation.
Under the nrst call Of President Lincoln
for $4,000 men to defend the capitol, Della
ware Immediately filled her quota, and sent
= mi IN Every
quent demand upon her patriotism met with
prompt and hearty response. with
population, in 1850, of only about ll2,0OO,
we sent to 1.-THE field in Delaware Regiments,
| 2o5 men, making, when reduced to 3
years standard, l0,3O0 men. Besides these
was 3 large number, amounting II is be
lieved to thousands who, tempted by liberal
/ bounties, mustered into the regiments OF
| other States, and many who served with
honor aud distinction In the regular army
| and navy.
Whatever credit is due for the generous
support of the National cause In this State
| In the hour of peril; whatever honor was
| won IN battle by Delaware soldiers, belongs
alone to the loyal people Of Delaware.
During the whole period Of the great
struggle, the Legislative branch ofthe State
| government, II not hostile were st least
neutral and never voted dollar to the
cause or sent soldier to the field or spoke
| one word of announcement or cheer to the
brave men who periled their lives under
these flags emblazoned with the army Of
| our State.
Our war debt was created under act OF
| Assembly which expressly prOtea ted against
the objects and purposes Of the war, and
| declared their sole design to be TO save the
people Of the State from the operation OIL
the draft.
The same temper and spirit animated the
| Executive department Of the State govern
ment during the whole period Of the war
save during the administration OF the Loyal
and patriotic Cannon, who, while Goo
spared his life, did tor the good cause what
he could without the command of the swort
or the purse OF the State.
These, l know, are humiliating comics
sions, but due alike to the truth Of history
and in Justice to the brave and patriotic
men who, by their personal sacrifices an,
sufterings, not only saved the name OF GU
State from dishonor, but won for her i'm
perishable fame.
wherever born, whether on our own soil
, in foreign land, IL true son OF Delaware
: and his fame and his honor are hers-thi
gallant Smyth, who frst drew breath undo
E Irish skies, no less than our noble DUPONT
whose ancestors for generations have dwell
on the banks Of our own beautiful Brandy
wine.
Nor less worthy Of honor are the men VIII
G sdued the republic than they who created u
Their names will go down to posterit
1 together-time will rather adorn than oblii
crate their memories.
with the names of Kirlwood, Caldwell
fattoh anu hHIelett, anu thei y. eoliPat " !,
VINO haue the neiaN ~ tlIe ,a i., - y
q go down TO remote generations the name
!. | OF JOrdOn, Ey ans and Stryker, of Plunket
} Pettyjohn and Dorrell, of Webb, Wilso
aud Mctlsry, of Watson, Richards, Lee
n ,,ti'i.s III H., ,''iA'"' "'''
: .,-,-..
i Nor is the story Of these flags without r.
a | mantle incident worthy to inspire the son
OF the poet or 9dorn the historic cAnFas
> On the nlosdy Held OF AntietHm the'
; cooTs Of the brave Second were three time
!. shot down, and each time went with the
B. gallant standard bearer,
r After that nag had been proudly boft
40 from Fredericks burg ~ the brave Sergeai
u Boyd, that staff WAS broken beneath h
II body as he fell Uurtally wounded, on n
! field of Gettysburg.
e A Spottysy lvaniH.on the day OF Hancock
4. famous chsrge. th"sc cnlors were lost AZ
" retHA,n from tie vaeuiy,
iu GU ui ihJsv -l.i uit but iatnl charg
- before PETERSBURG The heroic Color 5,
IL geani ~ the Sc cnnd, Robert Hanna. tndii
4. himself cut oif from his companions ~
- capture certain, determined that the de
old hAs should not fall lut0 the hands
!, the enemy, lOie from its field. secret II
80 his husOm. buried these tsttered frarmen
lr in the earth and bore hidden ON his boz
n. thNt starry hcid. through ten territ
az months Of captivity 10 Anderacnvile. ~
4
ana peace had opened his prisun gates.
ok At rive Forks the fatal bullet viii
sugdcrod thi. stsn nierced the brain OF I
on gallant Corporal Booth VINO instantly al
~. beneath these folds,
- From Gains Hill TO Appomattox, the h
~ tory OF the Regiments Of Delaware is
l part OF the history OF the Army Of the
ice tomac Through that weary and disast
.ss ous campaign upon the Peninsula-on
III. historic Held OF Antietam- on the bloc
- aalda If Frauaripkehuru and f1haurellu
les vilIe-at Gettvsburg. ghere turned
all fearful tide-in all that terrible but gloric
of march through the Wilderness-in all Il
ne long series oil conflicts before the gates
- Petersburg and Richmond, the sons Of 4
'ui aware bore a conspicuous and glorious De
But, rising above and beyond any ADM
me ti0n Of individual heroism or devotion,
he mere military skill or genius or ACHE
fho ments. Of which this gre at struggle furnis
- innumerable examples are the thought
10y that from which these men have saved
Ill OF that which they have won for our coun
The and mankind.
"a yided into discorda ant, warning republics,
- II the fondest hopes of our enemies II nd b
tue realized, a great hostile power stretcl
yer along our border across the continent
frontier dotted with custom houses
new fortiheAtions, standing armies and nav
~ | consuming the substance of the peol
~ a long succession OF disaaterouB wars
lie, mented by foreign powers, and maintai
ny iorei6n allaneen- tipni al thcss'
=, more OF ulsa ''n IMAM 'onsue eNn 'ei. =
tne '" AynS for us thev have won a great nov no,
on full and united country a government bs
llIy upon the perfect freedom and equality
ali men before the law They have wroi
low the absolute and eternal oblfteration of
Ion curse Of slavery, which, for half a cent
49, had been the constant source Of bicke
lore and dissenfionj which stliled our inst
: In five love Of Justice. and which alone m
Dat civil war possible. -,,-,-,,. "a,
the Al ms nss oeeh ,sl H., VII
10 any 1880 y" - a.. a.