Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-08-29
&ennip1 Ut the old Sixth.
CAPTAIN B.P. ALSTON'S GRAFTON.
Delivered Before the Survivors Of the Sixth
Regiment, s. C. ", C. s. A.


Comrades Of the Sirth 1T is with no small de-
gree of ditidence, yet with unfeigned pleasure
and delight, that appear before you on this
most deeply interesting occasion, to pay my
humble tribute to distinguished valOr, to min
gle with you my sympathetic feelings in cher
ishing hallOWed memories, and to anticipate
the glorious future that awaits the true, tried
chivalrous and patriotic of our State and coun-
try. Then how striking and universal is the
truth, that patriotism is a predominant char
acteristic of man. Even the benighted Hin
doc is welded to his jungle-the unciviliZed
Ethiopian charmed with his native wilds-the
savage Esquimaux captivated with his sterile
and frozen regiOns-and
"Lo, the poor Indian, whose untutored mind
Sees God in clouds or hears him in the wind"
is enraptured with his rude forest home. But
far above all these it has been reserved for the
Anglo-Saxon to possess and enjoy, in preem-
inent degree, this aforementioned principle,
for the very civilization engendered in his ma
ture is the chief cornerstone upon which his
love of country rests. The enterprise of CIV
iliZed man, the development of the resources
at his command, the rapid progress in agricul-
ture, manufactures and commerce; the Won
derful proficiency in literature, science and
art the speedy advancement in civil, political
and religious liberty the generous and noble
qualities in peaceful and social relations; the
undaunted courage, Spartan heroism, and RO-
man fortitude-e especially when prompted by
that sacred spirit of resistance to unauthorized
power. All these highly estimable acquisitions
attest his capacity for superiority and excel
lence in every emergency and contingency of
life. Therefore, under such peculiar auspices
as these, the Southern people, and particularly
the people Of South Carolina, who, by the wise
counsels and judici0us legislation of their
former leading statesmen, had hitherto given
character to the then existing national govern
ment, not only at home, but also throughout
the civilized world, became restive, and even
chafed under the wrongs and oppression heaped
upon them by al irresponsible majority, until
''forbearance ceased to be virtue" Then it
was that South Carolina, taking the initiative,
adopted the sentiment, that "passive obedience
and tame submission to every degree of tyran-
ny is the province of slaves only" and cOnse-
quently, making practical application to the
principle, on the 20th Of December, 1860, she
proclaimed to the world her independence, by
the passage of the Ordinance of Secession.
Coercive measures having, thereupon, been in
stituted by the United States government, the
tocsin of war was sounded throughout this
grand old commonwealth, and among the first
to respond to the call of the State was the
Sixth Regiment of South Carolina Volunteers.
This corps, owing to it's superior material, and
through the extraordinary genius of it's able
organizer and disciplinarian, Colonel Rion,
soon attained that high degree of efficiency
and soldierly bearing which excited the admi-
ration of all military devOtees and critics who
beheld it's selried files and solid column. When
the first booming shot sped across Charleston
harbOr, Oh the ever memorable morning Of the
18th of April, 1861, the Sixth Regiment, the
pride and glory of Chester and Fairfield, were
at their post of duty, and welcomed the signal
for hOstilities with an eagerness and truly
patriotic DEVOTION which manifested their ad-
herence to the great principles involved in the
approaching struggle, and heroic determine
tion to maintain them at all hazards In such
high regard was this body of men held by the
commanding general, that military duty was
Immediately assigned it in various portions of
the defenses of Charleston, one of which was
al inlet, deemed most important, for upon the
vigilance of it's defenders depended, in Il great
measure, the safety of the city, and upon
which, perhaps the Federal fleet was prevent
ed from affOrdng relief and assistance to the
then fated garrison of Sumter. In the dis
charge of such OnerOus and responsible duties,
not under the restraint of regulars, but with
the freedom of volunteers, was presented a
spectacle III the incipient stage of the contest,
which would have done credit to war worn vet
Grams. While it was peculiarly gratifying,
and the most highly esteemed privilege, for the
soldiers of the Sixth to render such service for
their own native Carolina, within her own
limits, yet their presence was demanded upon
another and distant field of action, which
was destined to become the grand theatre OF
war between the cOntending armies, and, OF
course, Obedient to the demand, they felt that
their patriotism was not only mot circum-
scribed by State lines" but was as boundless
as the Confederate States of America.
The first regimental commander having re-
signed his position, the greatly lamented Col
onel subsequently GeneraD Wmder, former
United States officer was assigned the com
mand by the authorities at Richmond, and
there took charge of the Regiment on their
way to the world-renOwned battlefield OF the
first Manassas. This Christian soldier and
gentleman forthwith inspired, as if by magic,
confidence and esteem in every member OF the
Sixth, by his digniied demeanor and accom-
plshed qualifications; and through the long,
weary months succeeding this first great bat
tie of the war, although the Army Of North
ern Virginia was flushed with victory, yet he
did not suffer his men to lapse into a state Of
apathy and inactivity but with that fine mill
tary acumen with which he seemed by nature
specially gifted, and with that strict conform
ity to discipline which experience had taught
him was the prerequisite of model soldier,
he enforced the most stringent army regula-
tions in all their details and minuti9, 50 that
by the time the first active service in battle