The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-07-24
HAMrroN LEGION RE-uN1oN-REMARks

to the Hampton Legion, Lieutenant Nc
Elroy read the following toast. sent by
telegram by DR.. F. Z. Parker: Honor to
the dead Of tho Hampton Legion. Gen.
81. W. Gary was ut once unanimously
called to respond to it, and spoke as fol-
lows:
FELLow-CoMRADEs: have endeavored
in the past to respond, to the best of my
humble ability, to every demand that
has been made upon me by the Hamp-
ton Legion. During my long connec-
ton and association with it, whether in
the bivouac or the field, no duty was
ever discharged with q more sad yet
ready response than the one of speaking
for the dead of the Legion. 1 can scarce
ly realize that fourteen years have passed
since that flag was first baptized in
blood upon the field of Mnnnssas, and
that the first life that was offered up in
its defence was that of the gallant Lieu
tenant-Colonel B. F. johnson, who fell
80 soon after entering the battle, that he
scarcely had time to draw his maiden
sword; and close by his side fell Lieut..
Yerger, with the beauty of youth upon
his heroic brow. Tho modest but Chi
valrous Major ]. q. Dingle fell in the
bloody charge at Sharpsburg, in which
that flag was shot down five different
times, and when it foil the fifth time, it
was being born to tho front by the brave
Dingle was n few paces in his front,
when cast ON eager eye upon the three
stand of colors Of the enemy, who were
huddlcd in tho corner, near the
stone fence hard by, and was
in tho net of charging again,
when the intrepid Dingfe was Shot
down; he fell with the flag in his hand,
and when stopped down over him to
raise it again, it was with difficulty that
I wrenched it from the hand that had
fondly clutched it in death. Fifty-si1
out of the seventy-seven, rank and file,
of our comrades who participated in that
battle, had fallen under the folds of our
flag in this memorable charge. In the
bloody truck of tho Legion, lay the brave
Capt Smith, who was shot 30 near me
that his life-blood spattered my sash;
there, too, fell Capt. r. w. Tompkins,
covered with glory; Lieut.. Aixon, in the
bloom of manhood, lay amongst the
bravest of the brave; the non-commis-
stoned officers and privates lay wounded,
dying and dead-wcre stretched side by
side-the peers in courage of any SOL
diers that ever fell in battle. It was
amidst such havoc and death that while
unfurling that fag again to the storm of
battle, its staff was struck by musket-
balls. and its beautiful folds rent by a
shot of cannon. It was there, too,
hoped to find soldiers grave, but the
talisman that wore gave me "a charmed
life," and passed the terrific danger
unharmed, and am here tonight to
give this feeble tribute to their impe-
rishable fame. It was under the shade
of the "Seven Pines" that the genial,
popular and fearless Lieut.. Klinck fell
1t was in tho campaign through Ten
nessee that Lieuts. Henning and Clark
offered up their lives. It was ut riddle
Shop, when contending with great odds,
that the bravo Capt. McNeely and the
dauntless Lieut.. Huff were summoned
from the field Of glory. The names of
Capt. McCord, Lieuts. Haynesworth,
Stenhouse, Thomson and Williams are
the roll of honor Of the dead of the
Legion.
"Brief, brave and glorious was their
young career"
They are all representatives of their
commands. Time nor memory will
not permit me to give each private
his just tribute--it will become the
pleasing Office Of the historian of
the Legion. When 1 look upon TINT
battle-scarred flag, and the faces of
you who 10 long followed it. it rcvives
the memory OF the principles 1T symbol
lied, and keeps alive the sentiment that
has been clothed in classic language,
"Dulce ct Decor,m est pro patria mori t"
Those who fought and those who fell
under that flag, contended for constitu-
tional liberty out Of the Union. And
since the fate of war has placed us again
under the "old flag" SO long as it SYM
bolizes constitutional equality md union,
and not n principle or sentiment higher
than the Constitution, will We who fought
against it yield our allegiance to it,
second to none in the land of Washing
ton. But should the same political status
arise in the future that existed in the
past, for one am ready again to draw
my sword for constitutional liberty in
the Union.
While am willing to acknowledge our
| defeat in the field, am not willing to
admit that the principles for which we
fought have been destroyed They are
tho life Of this republic. When they are