The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-07-28


fedefale soldier were great, but they
have none Of the rewards usually enjoy
ed by. patriotic citizen soldiery. On
the contrary their struggle was consia-
cred rcbclious, and their efforts, instead
Of COMMUNICATION and rewards, to de-
serve rather that punishment which
was thought necessary to make "treason
odious.' No public hospitals rise up
over the land for the purpose of caring
for the manned and disabled in the
war; but OH all sides cam be seen heroes
with "empty Sleeves" or hobbling
about OH one leg, actually jostling
and struggling in the dust and heat Of
active life for bread. 1t is a sad specta-
Gle. Trever see it without my heart
being touched. This uncared-for for
lorn condition of the poor Confederate
soldier should only bind them the closer
together. 1t reflects back and gives an
increased sadness and interest to the
great struggle in which theyfought with
heroism and fell without dishonor!
My comrades, if our condition de-
prives US of all else, we have left to us
at least the pure pleasure Of SUCH re-
unions as this The heart is still UNI
trammelled. let US. make the most
of this privilege. Let us in peace and
quiet without malice, or hatred to any.
hold sweet converse one with another
talk over the past with all its hopes and
fears, joys and sorrows--rccouut the
stories of the bivouc and camp fire, and
as we pass dropa tear over the sweet
memory of some comrade whom we
buried far from home, and recall the
long marches and bloody battles in the
elden time when we suffered and hun
gered and fought and bled together.
Here at least for e brief hour, as ut the
parsonage of the deserted T:ilfcSc,'
"Thc broken soldier kindly bade to stay,
Sat by, the fire and talked the night
Nvept Ger Ger lis wounds, or; tales Of sor-
row done,
Shoulderctl lis crutch and showed
how fields were won"
But my friends allow NE to make one
remark. This reunion Of Old soldiers
is not intended and we must not allow it
to have the effect of re-kindfing again
the old fires Of strife. BY no means at
all. This meeting is only social and
kindly renewal of old ties, assocat ions
and friendships. II is well occasionally
to rccur to first principles-to recall the
past and take oar reckoning! 1t sustalns
our self respect.
The soldier who did his duty in times
of war was not actustcd by mslice,
and is always ready to do his whole
duty also in times of peace. 1t is not
the soldier who has snlelt gun-poWdcr,
but the selfish politician, who wishes to
porpetuate hatred and strife between
the parties to the late contest. The
true soldier is always liberal, just and
magnanimonS. If the dilliculties be-
tween the sections had been left TO the
soldiers at ApromsttoN, the so-oalled
bloody chasm" would have neen cross
ed at once by an improvised pontoon
bridge-the work Of both armies. We
are now all one people, and we are to
remain 80. The fates have so dccrecd it,
and it is the part of good sense and good
policy and humanity itself, that We
should Tabor to be in fact as we are in
theory one people. 1 am one of those
who believe that the line Of duty is to
conciliate in oil things consistent with
spirit, truth and honor. The war Is
over and gentle peace returning. The
time has come when we are better un-
dcrstood. Good omens are III the air
It is the season CT ccrtenllials. Thc era
of good feeling is at hand. The day is
breaking. Let every one who was Il
good soldier in the past, do his best as q
good citizen in the future to create kind
and fraternal relations between the sec
tions, and the maintenance Of that nu-
tual respect, which alone can make the
condition Of the South rs apart OF the
government tOlcrab1e to q proud and
high spirited people.
never vas Il member of Orr's Pegi-
ment. I kno V many Of the officers and
men. My official connection with the
Regiment commenced in June, 1862, at
Smiths farm on the Chickahoininy,
" ht1t the l4.h and the Rifles we're for
the first time brigaded together. From
that time forward knew tie Regiment
intimately in all its history. It's Fest
record is in the official reports, most of
which have !icver been puGlished.' II
the loss Of commanding officers is any
criterion of services and heroispf, none
can go before the Rifles, which lost in
battle forr Cu1oncis commanding, viz:
Col. Marshall, Col Ied0Gltcr, Col. Per-
rim and Col. Haddon. TAat record
speaks a volume
I sincerely believe that the Brigade
which, after the fall of the lamented
Gregg, | had the honor to command,
has o record as glorious as that of any
Brigade that was ever organized. The
Brigade was of "IIill's Light Division"
an Integral: part Of the famous corps Of
Stonewall Jackson until his death, and
received the last command he ever gave
upon the battle field. 1t is not believed
that any similar body Of men in. any
age Of the worli' OF in any army, not en-
cepting the famous ten thousand Of
Zenophon, the tenth legion of Caesar or
Napoleon's immortal army Of Italy,
ever fought more battles, assisted in
gaining more victories, or suffered more
in the same perictl. IN four long hard
years, whose summers were spent in
constant fighting, and whose Virginia
Winters were passed in uhrcmitting toll
and suffering, .tce Regiments, never hav-
ing had five thousand men in their
ranks, lost as follows;
In battle..... .................."...l,29 290 nlelf
From disease, ,l29 "
From discharges for disability ,l5l "
Total, ...:....:. ................. $50 men
Making the startling aggregate of more
than three-fourths Of their original
number! Besides nearly every one Of
the survivors had been wounded once,
twice or oftener; so that in the misere-
BILE remnant who folded their battle
flags and witnessed the huge eclipse"
OF Nppomattox, there s0ere more sears
than mi4tSk-tts !-scarS of woGnds which
had been received on all thegreat battle
fields Of tire grand army OF Northern
Virginia. This is the official record
The original papers are in existence,
and we TO not shrink from compari-
son with any Brigade in the history Of
the wcrl,t.
DINNER.
At the close of the speaches, the MEM
bers of the Regiment were entertained