The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-07-29

II.
or more in that regiment who were brave
as the bravest The untitled braves, who
are too numerous to mention, and many OF
them filling unknown graves, yet not UNI
went. There are desOlatc homestcads around
here, where the gray-haired sire is sitting at
the firesi,e, lamenting the loss of his gallant
bov, and the aged mother, vOicelcss in her
grief, that her Reuben and her Benjamin
were taken These were the men whose
names should be cherished and their deeds
of valor preserved.
Years are speeding away, and We have
gone through other trials and tribulations.
But what does all this teach? We can de-
rive the greatest lessons showing that cour-
age, fortitudc and patience will redeem any
people Haven't we had exemplars? There
| is our great Hector, the immortal Lee, who
| always led to victory, and who always
achieved success when success was attalna-
ble He whom God in Ills Providence, for
our encouragement, allowed 20 survive the
war, that we, protiting by his example,
might derive inspiration from his unselfish
conduct and unhinching integrity. His
mission fulfilled, God called him away.
But he is not dcad-nevcr Stoncwall
Jackson dead-never! Such 1ucn never
| die; they live forever Listen to Gen.
Lees voice, saying, "Go to your homes
make as good citizens us you were good
soldiers" His hand is pointing to the path
of duty-"Patience. patience, patience, for
all will yet be well: ~
The pathos and cloquence of Col. Cothran
made deep impression upon his hearers.
who felt that his earnest, glowing language
came from the heart of true and gallant
soldier. Many an eye glistened with tear
| drops as he described the scenes so familiar
II. hnor vnNt
out to the speaker for his splendid tribute
to the untitled braves"
Col. Miller then introduced "the gal
liant, whole-souled and nobled-hearted
Gen. Nc. Gowan," who was received with
much enthusiasm. He spoke eloquent
ly and grandly, inspiring all with nobler
conceptions of duty. Addressing his
former comrades, Gen. Nc. Gowan said:
It is good for us to be here. 1t is now
ten long, weary years since the surrender
at Appomattox- decade Of suffering,
and it is natural and proper that the sur
vivors of the war should occasionally
have such reunions as this. They are
pleasant, they are proper, and they may
be made useful. Such meetings as the
present are well nigh all that is left us.
The cause for which we fought-a sepa-
rate government for the South-was not
triumphant The incipient government
under whose banners we marched went
down, and in consequence no power eX-
| lists to reward the poor Confederate SOL
dier for his tolls and sufferings and hero
ism. His condition is that of orphanage.
The government for which he struggled
cannot honor and reward with pensions
the survivors, nor gather up the scattered
| dead into imposing cemeteries, and erect
| over them splendid monuments to their
heroism. The Confederate dead lie in
| lonely and unknown graves, from the
Rio Grande to Gettysburg, for the most
part without monuments to mark tho
place where they lie; but not without
| love
sSlecp, angels hither from the skies,
There is no lovclicr spot of ground
Than where defeated valor lies,
BY mourning beauty crowned"
The tolls and sufferings of the Confed
crate soldiers were great, but they have
mono of the rewards usually enjoyed by
a patriotic citizen-soldiery. On the con-
trary, their struggle was considered re-
bellious, and their efforts, instead Of
honors and rewards, to deserve rather
that punishment which was thought ne
cessary to make treason odious." No
public hospitals rise in the land for the
purpose of caring for the manned and
disabled in the war. On all sides may
be seen heroes with empty sleeves. or
hobbling about on one leg-actually jost-
ling and struggling in the dust and heat
of active life for bread. The spectacle IS
sad one; never see it but my heart is
touched. This forlom, uncared-for con-
dition OF the poor Confederate soldier
should only bind us the closer together.
It reflects back and gives an increased
interest and sadness to the great struggle
in which they followed their honest con-
victions, and fought with heroism and
foil without dishOnor. My comrades, If
our services in that war deprive us Of all
else, we have left to us, at least, the COLI
sciousncss of rectitude and the pure
pleasure Of such reunion as this. The
heart is still untrammellcd. Let us
make the most of this priv ilege. Let us
in peace and in quiet, without malice or
hatred to any, hold sweet converse one
with another, talk over the past with all
it's hopes and fears, joys and sorrows
recount the stories of the biVouac and
campfire, and as we pass, drop silent
tear over the sweet memory Of some
comrade whom we buried on the battle
field, and recall the long marches anu
bloody battles in which we suffered and
struggled, hungered and toilcd, and
fought and bled together. Here, at least,
as at the parsonage OF the deserted
Village"
"Thc broken soldier kindly babe to stay,
Sat by the FIRE and talked the night away;
| Wept o'er his wounds, or tales Of sorrow done,
Shouldrrcd his crutch and showed how fields
were Won."
But, my friend, you must allow me to
mako one remark: This reunion Of old
soldiers is not intended, and we must
not allow it to have the effect Of rekind-
| ling again the old fires of strife. BY no
means. This meeting is only social
and kindly renewal Of old ties, associa-
tions and friendship. 1t is well occa-
sionally to recur to first principles-to
recall the past and take our reckoning.
1t sustains our self-respect. The soldier
who did his duty i'll times of war was not
actuated by malice, and is always ready
to do his duty in times of peace. 1t is
not the soldier who has smelt gun-pow-
der, but the selfish politician, who wishes
to perpetuate strife between the parties
| to the late contest. The true soldier is
always just, liberal and magnanimous.
II tho difficulties between the sections
had been left to the soldiers ut Apponlat-
tox, the "bloody chasm" would have
been crossed at onco by an improvised
pontoon bridge, tho work of both armies.
We arc now all one people, and able to
remain SO. The iates have SO decreed it;
and it is the part of good sense, good
policy and humanity itself, that wo
| should labor to bo in fact what we are Ill
theory, ono people 1 AM ono Of those
81, in