The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-07-07
Taliaferro. Sergeant Geo. G. Oates and


corted to their hall, where tempting re-
past was set. Capt. S. F. Webb then de-
livercd tho following address of welcome
CLUB: The Oglethorpe Infantry now
throw open wide to you their doors, MS
they have already thrown wide open to
You their hearts, to bid you hearty
welcome; and their greeting is echoed
and re-cchocd by their fellow-soldicry
and the citizens of Augusta We thank
you for your cooperation with us in the
celebration of TINT day whose ninety
ninth anniversary was ,lshcred in by the
coming of this mornings sun. Too long
have wo suffered to wnno those fires
which our fathers lighted ninety-nine
years ago. Almost it would seem that
wo had forgotten That the day is as much
our heritage rs it is the heritage of the
men of the North. Were not the fam es
Of freedom fnnned into life in the South
by the magic voice of Henry, of Rut-
ledge, and other patriots of the South?
Sent not forth South Carolina rs her rcp-
resentativcs, her Rutledge, her Middle
ton, her Lynch, her Hayward? Was not
Georgin represented by her Gwinnctt,
those sons of Carolina and of Georgia
sign the immortal declaration of freed
ON with as firm hands and rs undaunted
hearts as did their compntriots from the
North? Did not the South send forth
her sons to do battle for that cause of
freedom? Was not South Carolina pre-
sent in her warriors, Marion. Sumter,
Pickens, Gadstlen and other heroes who
led her soldiery to battle? Can we not
point to many n Southern battlefield
where freedom was contended for? There
is Yorktown, there is Kings Mountain
and in your own State there is Camden,
Hanging Rock. Cowpens, Eutaw and
Charleston. In our own State there is
Savannah, Bricr Creek, Augusta, and
other scenes of the fight for American
independence. Then, is not tho day
which saw tho colonies declare their in
dependence Southern heritage which
Southern men should over hold in
memory? Then, gentlemen, we thank
you for your cooperation with us in cele-
brating that day made forever famous by
our sires. We thank you for your pre-
sence here tonight, tomorrow and dur
ing your stay with us; and once again,
gentlemen Of the Richland Rifle Club,
from our hearts deepest, truest depths,
we bid you welcome, welcome, thrice
welcome.
Capt. Thompson, in replying to the
address of Capt. Webb, returned tho
sincere thanks Of the Richland Rifle Club
for the cordial greeting they had received.
They had been promised Georgin well
come, and they we'll knew all that term
implied. The Rifle Club had come, not
to compete with the well-trnined soldiers
OF Augusta, for they knew they were un-
equal to the task, but it was hoped thnt
the display of tomorrow would excite in
the hearts of the Carolinians generous
spirit Of rivalry which would encourage
and animate them to greater exertion.
The Intimate relations which hnd existed
between the soldiers Of the two States
had been fitly described in the address
OF welcome. Some of those now in the
ranks of the Rifle Club had stood shoul-
der to shoulder with the sons of Georgia
in defence of those principles for which
South Carolina and Georgia had always
commended. No matter what the occn-
Sion might be, whether for parades of
ceremony or in the discharge of the
sferncr duties of the soldier, tie Carroll
nlnns desired no trucr or better comrades
than the Georgians. If in the grand pa-
rnde of tomorrow the Richlnnd Rifle
Club should be deemed worthy of the
place assigned them in tho Independent
Battalion, they would feel TINT they had
achieved all for which on this occasion
they could dare to hope.
Near midnight, the club took leave of
their hosts and sought their quarters Mt
the Centrll Hotel, where accommofln-
tion had previously been arranged. The
hospitality of the Oglethorpes and
Georgians on the first night was only q
foretaste of what they were to receive on
che following day. Refreshed by good
nights rest, the boys arose next morning
MS fresh rs lnrks, buoyant with the hope
of victory i'll the rifle contest that was
soon to take place. At9 A. NJ, the pro-
cession formed on Green street in the
following order, two salutes being fred
ns the procession moved OFF: Richmond
Hussars, Augusta; Post Band, Columbia;
Company A, Orglethorpc Infantry, Au-
gusta; Company B, Oglethorpc Infantry,
Augusta; Clinch Rifles, Augusta; Irish
Volunteers, Augusta; Richlnnd Rife
Club, Columbia; Marine Band, Charles
ton; delegation Charleston Sabre Club;