The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-07-28
Tbs Press and Banner .
Wednesday, July %, 1875.
The Reunion Of O1r'S Regl, snt
LARGEST ASSEMBLY EVER HELD
IN WALEALLk.
The Kirdcst Feeling and the Best Of
Order Prevailing.

The Eiracst Feeling ana the Best O.
Order Prevailing.
The Junior had the pleasure Of attend
ing the Reunion of Orr's Regiment al
Walhalla on Wednesday last, ant
would now take occasion to express his
qualification at tie CnjCymcnts Of his
trip and the success of the celebration
The largest crowd that ever assembled
in Walhalla was present, varously cs
tin,ated from 1000 to 5000 persons
whilst about two hundred and fifty sur
svivors of, the old egiment were there
10 grasp the'hand Of good fsllo#ship
ITO fight their battles DER again." .but
upon other and more peaceful fields, tt
revive the memories Of dangers anG
privatio:is endured for what they be-
lieved to be right, and from the record o
the past to draw new incentives to duty
and to effort.
PROCESSION.
The members of the Regiment form.
ed a procession at Bieman's HCtel, and
marched to the spring in ncighcorlnG
grove where stand had been erected
for the speakers, and seats provided foi
the audience. rs a matter OF course ii
was impossible to provide seats for the
vast assembly, and one of, the most
characteristic features Of the occasion
was the marked attention and interest
manifested. throughout the exercises
and the good order and quiet which were
maintained, even among those who had
no seats and who listened for hours in
the broiling sun. Col. q. Med. Miller
the last Colonel of the Regiment, prcsi.
ded, and acquitted himself handsomely
in introducing the various speakers, and
in perforMing tire ether Cntics Of tho
position.
After an appropriate prayer from til,
Rev. J. Y. Law, the
s:SEEcIc OF wE1c&Nn
was made by Col. w. G. Keith, long tho
adjutant of the Regiment, and now tho
able Senator from Oconce, and was de-
livered in his best style. He expressed
his anxiety to make all feel that they
had a hearty greeting from himself and
this entire community, and said tha;
while there was q pleasure III being
present, it was not one OF uEiningled
happiness because of those dear faces
and gallant hearts that had ''crnssed the
river' and were not now with us. Ii
the recalling of those memories always
bring pleasant though sad recollections
then how much more must it be so to-
day, on this, our first, reunion. The
gallant spirits who had gore down in
the great death struggle had been en-
balmcG in the hearts of cur coriradcs in
arms,- and the heart of the soIdicr-citi-
zen, invQluntarily swells up at this re-
union, whe'I' we miss sthe firm grasp and
bcaming eye of those who are not here
to-day. The failure of the cause did
not render the Confederate soldier less
valiant. 1t took more courage and pa
triotic zeal to bear the defeat which We
met. and to return to our homes with
shattered ranks and broken fortunes
than it would have required to have
borne victorious banners beneath tri-
nmphal arches.
Now, since our defeat, when we have
laid down our arms, we are called upon
to perform even a higher duty. How
well that duty is to be performed is fol
each Individual to answer for himself
We should now devote all our energies
to the practical duties Of life, to the re-
pairing of OUT broken fortunes, the
building up Of waste pieces, end to the
restoring OF prosperity to our dear old
State. That although we once fought
to establish Southern Confederacy, ouI
thoughts and desires were now in new
directions. We should now let the
white winged banner Of peace rule over
us, and should seek with zeal the honor
and the perpetuation of the union.
That this meeting was in no way politi-
cal, but was friendly meeting, to allow
each individual &h Opportunity to in
terchange the friendly greeting of form
er days; that we may encourage each
other in the mofe full development OF
the unlimited resources of our country.
Col. Miller theu introduced
CO... JOHN B. MOORE,
of En1erscn, Who made an eloquent
speech, and referred with pride to the
organization Of the Regiment which
took place at Sandy Springs just four
teen years ago, soon after the State had
received the first shock of war on the
sea-coast. He said that the gallant sons
Of the mountains responded to the call
Of the sea coast with u zeal and patriot
ism Of Which aiy people might be
proud; that the regiment rushed to the
scene of action and danger, and that
after remaining oM Sullivan's Island
until the next Spring IT left the soil OF
South Carolina for the banks OF the
Potomac. He then paid high tribute
to Col. Orr, their first hOnored COM
mander, and gavea short sketch of the
services of this distinguished son o
South Carolina, in the camp and in the
He said that his popularity as com
mander was SO great that this regimen
at one time numbered over fifteen hun,
dred men, and he was forbidden to re-
ceive any accessions to this large mum
ber, and that the number of the gallant
and heroic dead were evidence Of thell
faithfulness at the post OF honor ami OF
danger. Then the Colonel recalled
many incidents and "reminiscences OF
the command.
lie thought IL WORK OF StperioSa'iol|
to enumerate the various battle field
upon which the regiment had fought
with the varying fortunes of revc.se'
and Victories. They had passed into
history. What we wTnt now is to make
America what it was, by restoring gooC
feeling between the sections. We wan'
all bitter feeling forgotten and need. {:
careful hu>bandry of all our matcrla
resources; agriculture and lnechanics
shoald I've fostered and he thought thai
ignorance and vice could not much Ion
ger rule this country, and felt that there
vas better day not far distant.
Col. Miller said, ! have the pleasure
to present to you one who was both
fortunate and unfortunate. Fortunate
in escaping the hard>hips Of three cam
paigns ny being as often severely wound
Cd, and unfortunate in the suffering
which these wounds entaileQ. ALLOW