The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-11-24
TIE IMMORTAL THIRTEENTH MISSISSIPPI !


President Wagner, in short, pertinent
speech. presented the grand old hero to
the audience. and he spoke Ms foIIows;
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN; | appear
before you tonight by invitation from
the surviving members of the 18th Reg
iment Mississippi volunteers, to address
them on this, the occasion of their an
nual reunion. And | do SO with that
embarrassment SO nutural to those un-
used TO addressing public audiences; and
a painful sense Of my inability to meet
your expectations. | fear / shall disap-
point you, and must ask your indulgent
forbearance.
/ return you, comrades of the 18th
Regiment, my grateful thanks for the
honor done me, in calling me to this
stand and to congratulate you upon the
happy auspices Of this, your fourth re-
union since you laid down your arms, dis
persed to your homes, and entered upon
| the pursuits of peace.
congratulate you upon the conpli-
ment paid you tonight by the presence
of this assemblage of ladies and gentle
men, who have come here to assure you
Of their grateful appreciation Of your
patriotic sacrifices in behalf Of the rights
and liberties of the South, and to share
with you the joys and pleasures Of this
happy occasion.
The nOblest aspiration of the true sol
der is to know that his cause is just ;
his proudest reward is the appreciation
and plaudits of his cOuntrymen. Let
the enemies of his country brand him as
a rebel aud traitor. Let the anathema
90 forth, that his "rebellion must be
made odiOus, and his treason must be
punished" Still the true Confederate SOL
der, conscious of rectitude, aud sus-
tanned by his country's appreciation, is
proudly Indifferent to the malice and
hate Of his cOnquerors; and to behold,
as we do to-day, the ingathering of friends
and neighbOrs, whose faces are ablaze
with approving smiles, that so fully ex-
press their high appreciation and appro-
baton of the virtues and martial proves
of the 18th Regiment, must be TO its sur
viving members most grateful reward !;
aud they can proudly afford to face the
/ frowns of the enemies of the South, and
scorn their malignant vengeance.
The 18th Regiment has met here to-
! day for social greeting-to commingle in
social intercourse and common congratu-
I latiOns-tO commemorate the heroic vir-
tues Of our fallen comrades, and to keep
alive those sentiments Of devotion to
country and kindred, that should ever
animate the bosom of the Caucasian
race.
1t is not my task to-day to recount in
detail the gallant achievements and mar
tial proves Of the 18th Regiment, and
shall not undertake it. 1t is needless to
do 50. Its history forms a bright page
in the noble record of the "incOmpara-
| bic Southern infantry" and no praise
that could bestow would add to the lus-
tire of its laurels.
was among the first to volunteer
among the first to report for duty in camp,
and among the first and last, TO strike a
blow in battle, for Southern independ-
ence 1t shared in the two first glorious
victories Of the war, Manassas and Lees
burg, and in the fall of 1861. was Brig
AIDED with the 18th, 18th and 21st Regi
ments of Mississippi volunteers; anC
through long years of toll, prIvation anC
Il danger, it contributed equally to the fame
and renown Of that veteran old Brigade
of Mississippi, which, having passed
through the fiery ordeal of a hundred
bloody fields, with unstained laurels
proved itself worthy to touch elbow will
the proudest ranks of the grand oil
army of Northern Virginia, of which i
formed part did its whole duty, AM
laid down IFS arms, only by order of il
great commander, at ApPOmattoX, ii
1865.
The track of the 18th Regiment, Of
every field on which it was engaged, wa
marked with blood and memory callsul