Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-02-28

it. During this latter period, it became known
in army orders from onvenience OF deslgna-
ton, as "Hart's Battery" After the close OF
the campaign of 1864, the command devolved
upon Capt E. l.. Hasley, one of its first vet.
erans from your old company.a a battle trained
lieutenant of the battery. 1t was not my.tor-
tune to remain with it to the end. During
its eventful career, the guidon was borne by
Louis Sherfessee until his sterling worth and
gslIantry placed him in the line Of promotion
in the ordnance department.
OF its lieutenan,s, Horsey, Hamilton, Mar
shall, Bamberg and Adams, and of its rank
and file, I need only say that their record is
known to you and to the State. .fl n.iw
have been commissioned by the surviving
remnant of those faithful men to place in
your hands, Captain Smyth. and that of your
gallant old corps, this, to US at least, sacred
relic of our past history. We know that it
could not 6nd worthier or more faithful guar
dams. We cannot give it away, for we want
our children and grand children to feel that
they, too, have a property in the history of
which it forms part. 1t now being almost
in a state Of orphanage, and as you constitute
its nearest kindred, we desire to constitute
you its guardians in perpetuity, and beg that
you guard il tenderly. Perils and privations
it has borne. i[Immense cheering. ] Wo-
mans tears and prayers consecrated 1t 10 our
cause. [Applause.] Brave menand faithful,
gave their lives willing sacrifice in follow.
ing it, and even its foemen knew and respect.
ed it. Tattered and torn by shot and shell,
and bearing the stains of over one hundred
battles, there is not stain Of dishonor upon
it. Immense applause. ....... .,......,..,
Governor Hampton! Into your hands, in
behalf of the Washington Artillery, now
resign this emblem-[Governor Hampton
here rose and was received with deafening ap.
pause.] 1t is fitting, continued Major Hart,
that you should be the recipient Of it for
not unfamiliar to you. [Cheers. It's history
is intimately interviewer with your military
history. Cheers. Where you led it follow.
ed. Deafenng cheers lam suressir, that
you can even say on behalf of those gallant
artillerists, who bore it and of whom you were
long the beloved chieftain, that in the hour Of
danger you often relied upon them, and that
you never relied upon them in vain. Cheers.
They always came when you commanded
and always stayed until you sent them away.
[Cheers. .oaE..H - ~,
There are rich and precious memories clus.
tering around it-memories that we will not
willingly let die. 1t has been in battle with
the immortal Lee. 1t has followed the dash
ing Stuart over the hills and slopes from the
Susquehanna to tho Roanoke. It has follow.
ed in the charge of the chivalric "Runy"
Lee, and has seen service with Johnston;
Beauregard, Hood, Magruder, the Hills and
Longstreet. Immense cheerng.] And last,
but not least, sir, it was flung to the breeze
upon nearly every battle field in which you
led the Southern horse during those trying
years. Immense applause. b. a. sas'a
May the command on whose behalf you re-
ceive this flag never have occasion to bear it
save in holiday professions, and may they
prove as loyal in preserving South Carolina's
honor through the peaceful agencies Of your
administration, as their predecessors were
faithful in defending it at the cannon's mouth.
Immense applause. s...- '
During the delivery of these burning words,
which stirred every heart to its inmost core,
the TALL proud form of Governor Hampton
had stood mmovabIe, but Ger his features
could he seen to play the emotions which the
vivid picture of the past conjured up to his
minds eye, and as he stepped forward to re-
ceive the sacred relic. so intimately inter-
woven with his own military history. his
heart was too full for utterance, and his sight
became dimmed with tears. Smothering the
sad emotions which welled up from his soul,
he came to the front with the guidon in his
hand, and was received with prolonged and
vociferous applause. .
b.. GOVERNOR HAMProNs ADDRESS.
As soon as be could make himself heard,
Governor Hampton spoke as follows: m ...
My Comrades Of the Washington ArtiAery-I
did not know when | came here, how many
memories of the past would he stirred in my
heart when stood once again under this lit.
tie flag, which have seen wave in l43 fights.
Loud and prolonged applause. And it
never waved in dishonor. Cheer after cheer
That battery never failed to take the place it
was ordered to do! [Applause.] 1t never
moved without orders, and wherever the fight
was thickest the men of Hart's Battery-the
brave sons of Caroliua-men who perilled all
in her defence, were always found standing to
their guns to the last. But their bravery is
best told by the number that fell at those
Of this gallant command that went into
the fight for liberty. When the war ended
there were but twenty-three survivors of that
brave band. [Cheers.] They left their homes
on every field upon which the Army of North
ern Virginia had fought. [Applsuse. Their
guns were the first to fash for Southern indie.
pendence, and they were literally the last
guns that fired in the defence Of Southern
liberty. [ Immense cheering.] The memories
and associations which bind me to this com.
pany are very dear, indeed. As your old
captain has said, it was one of the first bat
teries to jnin my legion, and it was the only
company Of that legion which, through all the
Nutations and fortunes and trials of the ser.
vice, served with me to the close of the great
struggle. Would that had time to tell you
what | could of their bravery and heroism.
How have seen those men charge, and how
| have seen boy-a mere boy-as the Fed.
ersl cavalry charged through their ranks,
pull out the sponge staff with which he was
swabhing his gun, and strike an enemy from
his horse and kill him. [Cheers] When I
came to South Carolina years ago. felt that
it was nv duty to bring that company to my
new field Of service. Soon after reaching
South Carolina I was placed on duty, and the
first thing which | did was to telegraph for
Harris Battery. [Cheers.] They responded
promptly and came into position just in time
to check the enemy, as they had done on
scores of fields before. Thus it is that can
say that those guns were the last guns fred
in Northern Virginia in defence of Southern
liberty, under Johntsons command. When
they heard that the army was to be surren-