Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-06-27
THE NINETY.sIX CELEBRATION.

the 18th instant, was the grandest that has
been seen in the Piedmont section for years.
The people turned out en- masse, and the
crowd was swelled by several visiting military
companies. From the Journal Of Commerce
we copy the following account Of the CON-
memorative exercises:
Upon the arrival of the special trains, con-
tanning the Governor and other distinguished
visitors, salute of thirteen guns was fired by
the Columbia Artillery, Immediately follow.
ing which line was formed and the march
was, taken up. 1t was headed by the Colum-
bia Silver Cornet Band, and then came the
Governors Guards, Richland Rifles, Butler
R'femen of Hodges, Newberry Rifles, the
Greenwood Brass Band, Abbeville Rifles,
Edge6eld Hussars, Columbia Flying Artil-
lery, Anderson Brass Band, and the Star
Fort Guards of Ninety.Six, innumerable car.
riages, buggies and wagons bringing up the
rear. The roads, owing to the heavy rains,
we're in a wretched condition, and were q
forcible reminder to many of the boys of the
campaigns on the fields of Virginia.
Tall and stately pines and massive oaks
have grown up in and around the old fort
ress, which makes it pleasant retreat during
these bot summer days. The ramparts of the
fortress are remarkably we'll preserved, and
show plainly to have been constructed under
the supervision of men of experience. An,
immense concourse of people, estimated at
from 5000 to 5000, were on the grounds, all
of whom seemed 70 be very enthusiastic for
the success of the celebration. A large and
comfortable stand was erected in very shady
nook of the fort, and was tastefully garland
ed with evergreens From it was suspended
the old flag Of the Orr Rifles, in which were
twenty-eight bullet holes, and from beneath
which seventeen men had been shot down.
The staff had been broken twice. This flag
was in only one fight, but the above evidences
prove it to have been pretty severe one. A
large banner was hung in front of the stand,
on which was inscribed, in letters made of
evergreens, "l7Sl, Greene 1878, Hampton"
There were exhibited on the stand old hatch
cts, tomabawks, ETC., made of stone by the
Indians There were also on exhibition can.
non balls, grapeshot, and other war mate
rials, which had been taken from the walls of
the fort, some of which were carried away by
the Columbia boys as souvenirs.
The next thing in order was grand re
view of the troops by the Governor, Lieu.
tenant Governor, and Ex-Governor Bonham,
which proved very creditable to all the COM
panies.
1t was very remarkable during the last
campaign, that Governor Hampton was never
interrupted in one of his appointments by
rain, and the circumstance of to-day was the
more remarkable from the fact that at 10 A.
NJ, there was heavy rain falling and not
speck of clear sky could be seen; while at
halfpast II the sun came forth in all it's
splendor and the clouds were dispersed for the
remainder Of the day.
There was another salute of thirteen guns
from the Columbia Flying Artillery, after
which the Rev. Mr.. Hundley, chaplain of the
Edgefeld Rifles, opened the exercises with an
impressive and appropriate prayer.
After prayer by the chaplain, Governor
Hampton was introduced, who spoke as fol.
lows:
GOV HAMPToN's ADDRESS.
My friends, ladies and gentlemen: 1t is
needless for me to say how much grati6ed
am to meet such lerge body of my friends,
who come from four counties to commemorate
this great day This is indeed a pleasant occa.
sion, and it superadds to the ordinary pleasures
of national celebrations, attractive features
never presented before. Here | am beneath
these two sacred mementoes of our struggles
for independence, (pointing at the Hags) and
looking at them, mi ght be tempted to 60
back and speak of the scenes through which
this battle.torn flag passed when Light Horse
~ Go of tho
led his forces on to victory and gazing up
on the other emblem, that flag, which is even
worse tattered than this, might be tempted
to speak of the scenes through which it too
passed, and in that way lead off and for
get the object of our meeting here. come
here to call up the memories of the past only
in so far as they may prove incentives to our
patriotism. By looking back at our various
experiences, and studying our past actions,
we may, if we profit by them, be enabled to
avoid many mistakes which we before COM
mitted Therefore, in referring to the men,
cries of the past, I do so to arouse your pa
triotisnl. The men who fought here nearly
century ago, were sef:sacri6cing. devoted pa
triots, who sacrificed personal advancement,
ambition and all else for the good of their
country. All / ask is for you to initiate their
example, and be as true as they were. | call
upon you in honor of their memories to be
true to your lineage, your God, and your
country. Be just what your forefathers we're
one hundred years ago. Their batte.cry was
"God and our country" and let yours be the
same. Let me, then, my friends-for may
not have another opportunity of meeting you
this summer-point to what you have accom-
plished in the past. You have made glorious
achievements, but 60 forward and you can yet
make still greater achievements in the coming
future. Whatever you accomplished in the
past, it was done by rallying as one man. 1t
was not my purpose, when | began speaking,
to touch upon politics, but find myself drift
ing in that direction. 1t is the duty of every
man to take an interest in politics, but there
are occasions when it is unwse to parade po
litcal views upon an audience. cannot he'll
contrasting the present condition of State af
fairs with the condition in which they were
two years ago. We, here in South Carolina,
had the most difficult of all problems to solve:
how two different races, entirely different from
each other, could live together in peace and
prosperity. We have solved that problem.
In the dark days of 1876, when our people
had almost lost hope and begun to despair,
when it seemed as if even God had forsaken
them, they, with determined effort, rallied
as one man under the banner of. home rule
and honest government, and disenthralled
themselves from the CALLING yoke of tyranny
which had so long borne upon their necks.
What were the signs that this banner bore
Equal rights and protection to all classes of
people within the borders of the State. When
this banner was flung to the breeze you rallied